How-to Guide: Replacing rear windows with pop-outs

[JWA]

Great tutorial--no doubt very helpful to those not accustomed to working with glass etc!

Since I'm in the glass biz I'll add a few comments aimed towards the neophytes. BrianW does a great job here so I'm just adding a bit of info for thought. Mind you I've replaced these lites numerous times and sadly have broken my share of them too.

-Be very, very careful to remove ALL butyl material from both the window AND door frame! This is vitally important, trust me!

-Use a sealant like silcone RTV in 10 ounce caulking gun style tubes, they're easier to dispense and just about as cheap as the smaller toothpaste-sized tubes anyway. I KNOW the butyl tape sealant requires no special steps but unless you're somewhat experienced with this whole process it's very, very easy to break your new glass. This is because the butyl tape deforms by design but offers resistance which can bind and twist the glass in a way that breaks it. I've done this myself before switching to the RTV sealant.

-Be certain to align the special bolts properly where the shoulders fit through the glass, assuring they're properly seated in the glass. This is just another pinch, break and "Oh, Crap!" point. Check adjoining lites to acquaint yourself with the finished look which is what you want to achieve.

-Tighten each nut no more than a few turns at first, just until you feel them begin to clamp or slightly resist further tightening. The pattern of tightening isn't too important, just that each bolt is drawn down somewhat equally.. Once the glass, its plastic spacer and sealant is compressed enough you'll feel the nut seat and basically "lock up" signaling its time to stop tightening! For this operation I'd use a nut driver or palm ratchet, nothing larger than 1/4 or 3/8 drive.

-A few days after this type of installation re-check your fasteners as they've been known to work loose. Whether using butyl tape or RTV the glass isn't in danger of falling out but good to keep the bolt/nuts tight anyway.

Hope this is even partially helpful, feel free to comment or question anything I'm posting here.

Great write up again BrianW---kudos!

[BrianW]

Thanks for the extra hints, JWA! I added some of them inline with the instructions, attributed to you. One thing I don't understand, though, is how the butyl might crack the glass? In these windows the frame is completely separate from the glass, and the butyl goes on the frame, not the glass. So when you are tightening the the bolts and consequently compressing the butyl, it's only the plastic frame, not the glass, that is being stressed. Indeed, you could even completely remove the glass (just two bolts at the hinges at the top) and install the frame separately, I think.

[JWA]

Replying a bit late BrianW---sorry 'bout that!

The window is a single layer of tempered glass that is quite hard and unlike annealed and/or laminated glass (like the windshield) is prone to breaking when slightly stressed. If anything between the glass, the plastic spacer and door frame forms a "high spot". As the bolts are tightened stress due that "high spot" to twist or warp the glass is introduced which can lead to breakage.

Carefully applied the butyl tape is OEM and not a bad idea at all. My thoughts were to effect the same sealing and retention action with a material that is quite forgiving and pliable, that removes most chances for breakage due this twist or warping.

Hoping to NOT add TMI that serves only to confuse!

[carringb]

A note on the window trim....

The trim pictured is not factory trim. It is very common conversion van trim however. The factory trim doesn't have that squared-off profile to hold blinds. The factory trim different for pop-out and non-pop-out windows. So anyone with factory trim will need to either swap trim panels, or notch the non-pop-out trim and add than plastic shim below the latch. Just an FYI so somebody doesn't find this out the hard way while doing the swap.

[BrianW]

Originally Posted by carringb

A note on the window trim....

The trim pictured is not factory trim. It is very common conversion van trim however. The factory trim doesn't have that squared-off profile to hold blinds. The factory trim different for pop-out and non-pop-out windows. So anyone with factory trim will need to either swap trim panels, or notch the non-pop-out trim and add than plastic shim below the latch. Just an FYI so somebody doesn't find this out the hard way while doing the swap.

Thanks CarringB, didn't know that. Good point to make! As usual you are an amazing wealth of E-van knowledge. I've added your comment inline in the directions.

I would assume, though, that anyone with an actual SMB-built van would have those aftermarket trim pieces, right?

[BrianW]

Updating to add a link to my follow-on post about adding screens to the rear tilt-out windows. Write-up is here: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=11256&p=106936#p106936

[humphrw]

Any chance you have the part numbers for those back windows, I'm interested in potentially doing it but am a "novice" at this point.

[Ford_6L_E350]

I had the P/N's in another post, but it doesn't matter - they are No Longer Available from Ford. And you don't need the P/N's to get them from a junkyard.

Mike

[shadzima]

When I left the junk yard Sunday I swore that was my last trip, uuughhhhhh..... Got to stop reading this forum.

[humphrw]

P/N's help people find aftermarket parts...