Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #20 – March 16, 2018, 07:57:27 pm Stump....I had my right windshield crack and found the delam issue. Not a bad repair job on 95 since access is easier. Give me a shout or check my prior post.Hey to Betsy !Hans Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #21 – March 16, 2018, 09:24:22 pm Just finished today installing a new factory one piece gasket and two new factory windshields. The old ones were after market and the gasket was a hodgepodge of different gaskets. Originally I had parked the unit on slightly unlevel surface (1 1/2 out of level) I noticed the drivers side windshield sticking out on the corner. This in a 88 Grand Villa 40'. This played havoc on my budget, but was needed. The expansion strip was the hardest part. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #22 – March 20, 2018, 12:55:13 am You did that job yourself? I am impressed. It is a bit amazing to me though, what we are willing to do to maintain these coaches. Never in all my days did I think I would ever have been up for a radiator r n r on a rig this size. But you get the quote to have it done, screech like a little girl, and then figure out how to do the job in your driveway. If it comes to it I will try to remember this thread and come back here and pick your brain for how to replace a ginormous GV windshield. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #23 – April 13, 2018, 11:22:57 am Patience is a virtue when it comes to this replacement (having to shell out 1470 plus for both windshields is a great incentive for patience, plus 240 for the seal). Getting the new gasket center exactly located is important. I marked where the old gasket center was, but was a 1/4 inch off. Needless to say I actually installed the windshield twice after I found the second half didn't quite fit right. I did buy suction cup handles and the curved hook hand tool (Basically a cotter key puller). The best thing was buying 1/2 foam pipe insulation to cover the bottom edge while handling (make sure it doesn't have a glue strip on the insulation). I had scaffolding around the front and would recommend that it made the job a lot easier and safer. Spray bottle with a high concentration of dish soap and water will help, especially when installing the expander strip.Update note:Had a couple of inches of rain last night and discovered that the seal channel on the side windows is filling up and seeping over the inside lower lip of the window seal. Outside lip is higher due to the expansion seal. This has been a problem in the past as I repaired and refinished the veneer in the same place. I drilled an 1/8 inch weep hole on the outside of the seal up toward the channel and drilled a hole in the aluminum flange of the frame. Got quite a bit of water out the hole. The veneer was refinished bout 3 inches from the corner. Hole is on the bottom seal, not the side as shown in picture Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #24 – April 13, 2018, 08:56:24 pm And I always thought that the handles below the windshields were for getting up on the bumper to wash the windshield. Always good to learn some thing new. Have a great day ---- Fritz Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #25 – April 14, 2018, 08:43:41 am Fritz, did you notice that when the bumpers disappeared, so did the handles and the access doors?I use the handles to get up on the bumper, also. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #26 – April 14, 2018, 09:27:50 am Still suffering windshield woe's.... Turned it in to Progressive who turned it over to Duncan Systems. Duncan started out the gate swinging!! New windshield ordered right away. I told them who I wanted to do the install. China Grove Coach and Glass.I got a tracking number and followed it , Tracking said delivery delayed by consignee. I called China Grove Coach and they said Duncan did not want to pay them what they charge for a glass replacement. They would only pay 350.00 He said these windshield they charge 375.00 because they sometimes have to reseat the other side. He said he told them not to deliver the windshield if they did not want to pay his price. I'm on his side with that. I'm like WTF!!! Ill pay the additional 25.00. I called Duncan and talked to my rep there who told me last Friday, Let me call them and I'll call you right back. I still have not gotten that call back from Duncan. I called China Grove and They got a E-mail approving the 375.00 charge. But Duncan did not know where the windshield had gone too.... Sooooo We Wait...smdh ....Duncan's customer service and communication STINKS!!!!!! Phone calls Monday, stump is getting ready to rattle the cage door!!! Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #27 – August 02, 2018, 01:27:03 pm After replacing the seal and both windshield of my 88 Grand Villa I have had problems with the glass shifting anytime I got on unleveled ground. I had thought that the problem was a result of the top shifting, but after reading the input here that my thinking was 180 out and that it is more the lower half. After replacing the floor covering I found the plywood was in good shape in the front and that the grab handles had been added some time in the past. But today reading that I need to check the plywood deck on the dash. I found that the center section was gone/damaged. It seems that the blocks that the grab handles were attached to were only glued/caulked to the dash. I think while it is apart that I may build an angle iron frame to help stiffen the front to mount the plywood deck to. That and the use of marine plywood as it is waterproof and much strong due to the amount of laminates used versus treated plywood. Had I not read this discussion I would not have found this out as both the underside and top side of this plywood were hidden and would not have been found under a general inspection. Thanks for the wisdom, just have to lookup new defrosters and vent pieces. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #28 – August 02, 2018, 01:32:41 pm A good reason to use a stepladder rather than the handles to clean the windshield and add 303 rubber cleaner/sealer to the gaskets. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #29 – August 02, 2018, 01:36:37 pm For what it is worth--when our 1989 GV is parked and not being used I retract the front jacks and let the front of the coach sit on the tires. Granted, there are 4" high ramps supporting the wheels but the coach is sitting almost dead level according to the level indicators. The rear jacks are down just enough to steady the coach.No torquing stress on the front end to subject the plywood bond. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #30 – August 02, 2018, 03:36:30 pm This unit has the air suspension to adjust and leveling the unit and yes after time it does leak down, but it has an small air compressor in the hold that would maintain the level if I turned it on.Did remove the dash plywood today and found quite a mess. To say some one used at least 6 tubes of RTV would be an understatement. the first 3-4 inches of the plywood's bottom was coated in it. The gap which varied from an 1/8 to over 1/2 inch was filled with RTV. The blocks for the handles are attached using RTV and the it was used to join the dash deck to the blocks. RTV is too flexible to be used to maintain the needed rigidity needed to keep the lower front from flexing. I am considering using either fiberglass resin or body putty to fill any voids after the new deck is installed. Also going to install new blocks for the grab handles and run them from the window washer spray to the center-some 26 inches each side and attach the deck to each. I have included a picture of the removed deck-or what left of it Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #31 – August 02, 2018, 04:26:19 pm Rick...what year is your coach??? Check my prior post for the repair I did on our U300. I used West System 610 and its held up great over the last 8K miles. Solid.!!West System Six10 Epoxy - YouTubeHans Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #32 – August 02, 2018, 06:37:28 pm I also suggest the 3M 5200. It is what I used and dynamite wouldnt take it off! Been there for 4 years now. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #33 – August 02, 2018, 07:26:10 pm My GV is a 1988, 40 ft with a 3208 Cat. Was repainted by star/jets (that's another horror store as they didn't even clean the top of dirt, just sprayed over it) some years ago and the sticker just says Unihome. Tennessee title does not provide any other info either. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #34 – August 02, 2018, 07:40:43 pm I think that either the West System or 3M should fill the bill. I know that the RTV they used did nothing to help as it is way to flexible. Now the important question, will doing the dash deck change, making the mounts longer for the grab handles longer up to meeting at center point and using a screw attachment of the deck to handle mounting wood with the use of either system to fill the voids and bond the wood and fiberglass enough to control windshield movement. I have considered running 1 inch angle on the back edge where this deck meets the rest of the dash and maybe triangulate addition pieces down the outside fender area and back up to the center of the first piece of angle iron. Since I have some 1 1/2 aluminum square tubing have also considered running a piece up from this angle to the curtain channel in the ceiling at each corner of the windshield, or is this a bit of over kill? Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #35 – August 02, 2018, 08:03:11 pm The GVF body shell new was flexible new. Lots of windshield movement. Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #36 – August 02, 2018, 08:40:50 pm My thoughts on the initial repair was to reinforce with struts etc.........but after looking at the original design and 25+ plus years of service decided to keep it simple (sort of) with modern adhesives .K I S S principal.....H Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #37 – August 02, 2018, 09:00:58 pm Is this a problem on the ORED? Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #38 – August 02, 2018, 10:36:11 pm Not as much, the rail is stiff Quote Selected
Re: Grand Villa Windshield Woes... Reply #39 – August 09, 2018, 11:28:23 am Someone /somewhere last week asked me if I had any electrical schematic for my rig. I have an electronic file containing the air, generator and 12v system along with other info. You can send me an email at pikewrench@epbfi.com for a copies Quote Selected
Topic: Grand Villa Windshield Woes...