| Author | Message | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 603 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.9  Rating: N/A |
Does anyone have one of these I can borrow or know where I can buy one? Seems I read a post quite a while ago that the local glass shop can get one for me but I live in a VERY small town and the two shops here never heard of one. I tried making one and so far it is a disaster. If I could tell much from the Maint Manual photos I could probably do a much better job but the hooked finger details are not clear at all. | ||
| Frank Rowe (Frankid)
Registered Member Username: Frankid Post Number: 32 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 63.239.248.4 Rating: N/A |
A tool company named KD makes this tool in 2 sizes. Napa and Carquest have or may order same for ya. Frank | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 220 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 12.187.235.66  Rating: N/A |
I got mine on ebay for about 15 bucks. It has a swivel head on it with two differant sizes for locking strips, This is the one I got. Try this item number. 360025699317 ebay Good Luck, Paul (Message edited by Dreamscape on March 01, 2008) | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 237 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 66.90.229.94 Rating: N/A |
I'll lend you mine , if you pay postage both ways. When I replaced the destination sign rubber the tool is useful, BUT it still was a pain ! FF | ||
| Dan West (Utahclaimjumper)
Registered Member Username: Utahclaimjumper Post Number: 87 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 208.66.38.60 Rating: N/A |
I ve used that tool many times the trick is to lube the locking key rubber with Dow-Corning #4, makes the job much easier.>>>Dan | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 895 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.48.5  Rating: |
DO NOT stretch the filler bead while installing it. After a few months a very noticeable gap will appear at the butted ends as it shrinks back. As you move forward with the tool and feed the bead in, put a little back pressure on the bead as if you are trying to stuff more bead in than will go. Don't get carried away though; just a little pressure. Also put the gap at the bottom of window or sign and seal with a little black silicone. Don't completely cut it to size till it is almost done. Then cut it a little bit longer and force the ends to but, working out any bulge away from the ends. Don't make it two much longer or you won't get rid of the bulge. liquid soap solution will definately be needed to make this an easy job. Practice with a piece of the old filler strip till you get handy at it. Once you get the hang of it it'll be easy. BTW, you can use a tiny screw driver to work in the last little bit if necessary. One with a dull blade is best so as not to cut or nick the rubber. After it is done, take a small liquid soap covered piece of wood and run around on top of the filler strip applying moderate pressure to make sure the bead is completely seated and evenly relaxed in the groove. Relubricate the wood as necessary if it starts to dry and drag. I bought my installation tool from NAPA a few years back. They had it listed in their " Tools and Equipment " catalog. You can still AFIK purchase it online from Kent Moore. | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 219 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 69.143.48.201  Rating: N/A |
__. If the tool is like a screwdriver handle with a diamond-shaped wire loop at the tip, then my experience agrees exactly with John's. A *lot* of dish soap solution is necessary and - especially if you don't have a helping hand available at times - it can be a pain as FF says. But there's a "knack" to it and once you get a little experience, it all goes fine. __. Oh, there's also a "sweet spot" for the glass. If the glass is crooked, or too far recessed, or sits too far out, it makes the groove for the strip too tight. Get the glass in the sweet spot and it opens the groove (well, that's not a good explanation, it doesn't really open it but it stops it from being artificially pinched closed) and the strip goes in much easier. Unfortunately, the best way to find the sweet spot is to get the glass and locking strip installed -- but that doesn't help you much if you're struggling to get there. But there is a sweet spot so it may help to find it if you can. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 604 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.202 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for all the good info, this may be as involved as the baggage door hinges which I learned about in a hurry! I had my local auto supply store order one of the screwdriver handle type, it looks nothing like the original in the MM but it appears to be usable for four different sizes of strips. The original type appears to be designed to push the strip down into the gap as well as open the gap. The new type doesn't seem to have this feature but I can't really tell a lot from the photo. Again, thanks to all for all the useful info which I will copy into my How_To file. Paul, The one shown on ebay is exactly the same as the one I just ordered and at the same price tax included. (Message edited by gusc on March 01, 2008) | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 221 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 209.183.51.42 Rating: N/A |
Gus, After you use it post your experience! I have not used mine yet, so I will look for it. Just use lots of soap like Dawn. I've been told that's the way to do it. Let us know. Good Luck, Paul | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 296 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.33.56.82 Rating: N/A |
Gus and Paul the tire soap NAPA sells worked best for me doesn't dry out | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 222 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 209.183.51.47 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Clifford. Had not heard of that. I will get some and try it out. Always good to hear from one who is experienced! Paul | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 131 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 74.244.14.221  Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the tip on the tire soap. On cars I have replaced glass on in the past I have had good luck using goop hand cleaner. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 606 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.54 Rating: N/A |
Paul, I'll be doing the job in about two weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. Cliff, That sounds much better. I used liquid dishwashing soap on the baggage hinges but also had the problem of it drying too fast. I finally started using it full strength and it worked much better. Water makes it dry pretty fast. Tim, I wouldn't use hand cleaner since it is a solvent for dissolving grease. This can't be very good for rubber which is petrolume based. | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 223 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 209.183.55.47 Rating: N/A |
I know this sounds goofy, but. When I installed my bay rubber hinges I used "Persoanl Lubricant". It worked pretty well and is real slick. No humor intended. I did read somewhere that someone else used it. It didn't dry out when installing at all. FWIW Paul | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 904 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.48.5 Rating: N/A |
Ruglide will work nice also. Isn't that p.l.basically vasoline? Smearing it with paste wax might work the best, esp. floor paste wax | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 220 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 69.143.48.201 Rating: N/A |
In my experience, "dish soap" *does* dry out, leaving a sticky residue that helps seal water and dirt out of the groove that the lock strip is in. This is a good thing. | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 138 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 70.110.13.203  Rating: N/A |
Personal lubricant that is in a tube is most likely based on glycerin. The slickest stuff I have ever seen is Astroglide (Water, Butylene Glycol, Xylitol, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium 15) but it tends to dry fairly quickly when exposed to the air, fortunately it is recharged easily by adding water. I will be replacing my destination sign soon with new rubber so I am watching this post closely. | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 242 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 66.90.229.232 Rating: N/A |
"I will be replacing my destination sign soon with new rubber so I am watching this post closely." Great before you do take a look and see if there is a light block piece of aluminum slipped into the rubber on the inside. Please remind me if its slipped the rubber in above the sign or below it. Think below , but prefer to check. FF | ||
| don (Bottomacher)
Registered Member Username: Bottomacher Post Number: 164 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 72.15.86.59 Rating: N/A |
One can of spray silicone will easily do the baggage doors and windows on a normal bus. I've used it for years after watching a glass mechanic use it to install a windshield in my first step van. | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 221 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 69.143.48.201 Rating: N/A |
Laryn wrote: "I will be replacing my destination sign soon with new rubber so I am watching this post closely." Laryn, the info above is all very good but I'd add that the biggest advantage you can have is to have a good fit for the large gasket. After all, it's the part that really does the sealing and holds the glass in; the lock strip just keeps the big gasket in place. As someone noted, you must make sure that the locking strip isn't too short but I also like to be sure that the gasket itself is long enough so that it has "pressure" against the ends. Test fit the gasket into place - be sure it's pressed as completely into the corners, etc. as possible. Then cut it so that it's an inch or an inch and a half too long (depending on size). You'll have to jam the ends together and compress the whole thing but when you do, you'll have a good seal between the ends of the gasket, between the gasket and the body metal (usually sheet metal) and the glass. Once I'm sure that I have the length right to give me some compression, I put a little silicon sealer (black stuff) on the ends of the gasket last thing before I put it all together. Then it's time to put in the glass. You can get a flat blade glass tool made of smooth plastic at NAPA and similar places. One thing that often works is to get a couple of corners of the glass into the gasket and then slide a string around the rest of the gasket (you'll need a helper inside the bus for this, of course). If it works right, you'll be amazed at how easy it all slides into place. I like to tie a loop on each end of the string to use as a handle; once the glass is in place, just snip off one loop and pull the string out. Once you're at this point, with the glass basically in place, be sure it's in the "sweet spot" that I described earlier. Then begin the feeding in the lock strip. As was described, you don't want to stretch the lock strip at all (the compression will stretch it out a bit but don't stretch it by pulling it as you install it). Think of it as "back-pushing" the strip into position as it goes. Then, as described, do the final trim on the locking strip so that there's an overlap that you have to "stuff" into the groove to give compression on the ends of the strip. One thing I've never been 100% certain about is the best place to put the joins. On English vehicles, they put the join for the gasket at the top, figuring that if water gets in the locking strip groove, it will be less likely to leak through the gap area. Then they put the join of the locking strip at the bottom, also hoping that water in the locking strip groove will leak out to the outside and just run away. If you have good compression on the ends of the gasket, good square-cut ends, and a little sealer in there, I'm not sure it matters much where the join between the two ends is. If you have a flat sheet metal area just above the gasket, it may be that that area would "funnel" water towards the gasket - in that case, I might want to put the join in the gasket at on the bottom edge near the right and the join for the locking strip at the bottom near the left. But be sure both the joins stay away from the corners. On the other hand, if there's a "drip rail" or something similar over the gasket, I'd probably put the gasket join at the top center. This will be a judgment call for you. It's not rocket science but it's one of those jobs that a little care and thought will make a big difference. It's *possible* to get these things in so that they seal perfectly - it's also possible to screw them up so they leak like a sieve! Good luck with yours! BH NC USA | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 140 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 70.110.13.203 Rating: N/A |
FF, I will check and let you know what I find. Bruce, Your post will be printed and placed with my bus manuals. That’s a great post for all of us DIY folks. Yours is a good example of what I would like to see more of. Where in NC are you? My inlaws live in Garner. Thanks, Laryn | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 222 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 69.143.48.201 Rating: N/A |
Hi, Laryn, I'm about half-an-hours drive north of Wilmington on I40 (about 100 miles towards the salt water from Garner). I hope the info on the rubber glass mounting helps you. (BTW - If you *really* get the gasket pushed into absolute contact with the corners, you don't need so much overlap at the ends -- but it's really hard to do that. The gasket "settling" into the corners is a lot of what loosens the overlap -- and the resulting pressure to close the gap -- as you finish the install.) | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 622 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.208 Rating: N/A |
Thanks to all you guys who gave me good advice on installing the window. I bought one of the Lisle 47000 lock strip tools and it works like a charm. If I had designed it I would have made it so it can be pulled straight by the screwdriver type handle instead of having to be pushed. Even better, I would have made it so it can be used both ways. Even so it is a bargain at $13. I was amazed at how fast that simple tool zapped that lock strip into place. I also got the tire soap and it is much better than dish washing soap. I will be using it for baggage door hinges also. It can also be used as tire and rubber dressing kind of like Armorall but does not damage rubber like Armorall. I also got two large suction cups with lever suction releases and would not have wanted to attempt the job without them. I did the whole job alone except I got my nephew to help me lift the large center glass into place. Cleaning up the old glass was the most work of the whole job and took the most time. My gasket just happened to fit exactly so I didn't need to cut any off the ends to make it fit. I was very pleased about that. I don't know where the gasket came from. I got it with one of the window sets I bought and had another gasket that came with the bus. All and all a very pleasant experience that I had been dreading for six months or more. I couldn't pull on the tool because in that position there isn't enough space for the lock strip. I pushed on it all the time while rocking it back and forth and it appeared to stretch it some anyway. I cut it off slightly more than an inch long, pushed the end in so that the strip looked like an inch worm, slowly and steadily pushed down that hump until it was flush but a bit wavy. I didn't think that was possible but decided to try it anyway and it worked fine. Took probably 20-30 min to work it down. Now it remains to be seen if that helped correct the stretching. | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 942 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.48.5 Rating: N/A |
Glad it worked out for you. Probably would be a good idea to apply a coating of the rubber lube once a year to all the window rubbers to keep them in good condition. |
