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Tip up rear window

KitfoxJoe

Active Member
Hello all
I installed my rear window(tip up) and the skin is puckering up between the screws. I know I am not the first with this problem. I have done a search to see what others have done but found nothing. I was thinking of enlarging the holes in the window itself but do not know if that will help. Any suggestions? Thanks joe
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=rw3n90" target="_blank"><img src="http://i68.tinypic.com/rw3n90.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>
 
Last edited:
Hello all
I installed my rear window(tip up) and the skin is puckering up between the screws. I know I am not the first with this problem. I have done a search to see what others have done but found nothing. I was thinking of enlarging the holes in the window itself but do not know if that will help. Any suggestions? Thanks joe
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=rw3n90" target="_blank"><img src="http://i68.tinypic.com/rw3n90.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

I did not have this happen and sweated the drilling to avoid it. It seems to be caused by not having the plexiglass pushed hard against the skin when drilling. Of a big change in temperature. (decrease)

Lets see, you might be able to take some paper (large sheet) tape over the outside of the skin and precisely locate the holes on the paper. Then overlay on the outside of the plexiglass to see how far off the holes are. It may also be a good guide to elongating the holes without wrestling with the installation multiple times. A test would be to make an aluminum strip (with dimples) from the pattern and see if it fits. If it works then do it on the plexi.

If it was me, I might consider making a drill guide and/or countersink guide to clamp to the plexiglass (at each hole) to prevent more wandering of the tool during elongation process.

Just some ideas, not from experience. FWIW

Good luck . . . Talk to Gus at Vans, or send Scott (rvbuilder2002) a PM. They have seen (and repaired) it all.
 
I used rivets, per plans, and not screws. Those rivets were a CS variety. It is the fitting of the male and female flared surfaces that dictates the alignment, not the screw hole. I don't see how enlarging the hole would help, unless you also make the counter-sink deeper, allowing movement of the male flare (i.e. dimple) inside the female flare. This could introduce unwanted pressure on the plexi with the nut, as all of the holding pressure will now be via the nut against the plexi with no backing support (usually provided by the tight fitting flare/flare interface.

Larry
 
Last edited:
I used rivets, per plans, and not screws. Those rivets were a CS variety. It is the fitting of the male and female flared surfaces that dictates the alignment, not the screw hole. I don't see how enlarging the hole would help, unless you also make the counter-sink deeper, allowing movement of the male flare (i.e. dimple) inside the female flare. This could introduce unwanted pressure on the plexi with the nut, as all of the holding pressure will now be via the nut against the plexi with no backing support (usually provided by the tight fitting flare/flare interface.

Larry

Larry - this is a 7, screws are per plan.
 
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