Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 09:44:22 -0300
Reply-To: "Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)" <Pascal.Giasson@GNB.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)" <Pascal.Giasson@GNB.CA>
Subject: Re: Supplier of sliding window guide
Content-Type: text/plain
Hi,
In an effort to keep my previous message short I agree it was a little
confusing. I modified my aluminium window slides (the ones glued to the
sliding windows) this past weekend because I was tired of frigging with the
new plastic guides that would inevitably fly off on the highway when my kids
opened the windows (the new plastic guides need to be slightly modified to
fit the older vanagons and then they need to be glued into place, pretty
hard to get a good glue job in that spot). I had bought two spare guides
this spring in anticipation of needing them eventually. In order to modify
the aluminium slides to make them properly accept the new plastic guides you
have to remove the windows. To do this you have to remove the window latch
(I used a flat screwdriver bit to remove the latch's retaining screw. I
loosed the screw with the flat screwdriver bit and a small adjustable
wrench, then I finished removing the screw with the screwdriver bit with my
fingers). I then removed the rubber window channel so that I could lift the
sliding window up and then supposedly out. This is where it got a little
tricky for me, because it would not come out like it was supposed to. I had
to use some of those big clamps that can be used to spread thing apart and
spread the aluminium window frame apart just a little bit so that the window
would come out (I also had to use a wide scraper in the middle of the window
(between the window glass and the aluminium frame) to ease the window out
with very little force). This whole process only took about 5 minutes on
the second window (once I had figured out how to get the window out). Once
I had the window out, I looked at the new plastic window guided and figured
out how the aluminium window slide had to be modified for the new guide to
lock into place. Pretty hard to descried this part but it will be evident
once you look at the aluminium slide and the new plastic guide. Here is my
attempt to describe what I did: I lined up the new plastic guide on the
aluminium slide and marked the little ridge inside the aluminium slide where
the plastic guide should lock into it (you can see the locking part on the
new plastic guided). I then took my dremel and took a little notch out of
the ridge of the window slide for the guides to lock into it. I then had to
shave off a little bit of aluminium ridge from the notch that I made to the
end of the slide so the guide would slide in properly. Hope this clarifies
what I did, but I agree it still sound confusing...but once you get going
you will see what needs to be done...and my description will likely make
more sense. Please feel free to pmail if you have any other questions.
So the purpose of my first email was to try and find a supplier of the new
plastic guides because I only had two and need another two to complete my
job (I am using two old ones that keep sliding out in the meantime).
Pascal
-----Original Message-----
From: zolo [mailto:zolo@foxinternet.net]
Sent: October 25, 2004 3:16 PM
To: Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)
Subject: Re: Supplier of sliding window guide
It is confusing to me. It sounds like that you are telling us how to fix it
so it can not slide out. Now you say that you need more because you have
lost them.
If you know how to fix it, it can not be lost, I guess.
I have the same problem. I bought them last time at the dealer and they are
the kind that supposed to fit the new Vanagons. Your way could have it make
it stay on. I just did not really understood what you would grind out.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Giasson, Pascal (DNR/MRN)" <Pascal.Giasson@GNB.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 5:48 AM
Subject: Supplier of sliding window guide
> Anybody find a supplier of the little plastic sliding window guides?
> I bought some from the Busdepot a while ago but the last time I tried
> to get a few they were no longer available, and the VW dealer says
> they are discontinued. FYI, some of you may have done this already to
> keep those little guides from sliding out of the older vanagons (my
> westy is an '84) but I used a dremel to modify/update the aluminium
> track (the one that is glued on the sliding window) so that the
> updated/newer plastic guides snap into place (I took a little notch
> out of the inside ridge and shaved down the ridge from my notch to the
> end of the track) ...I got tired of modifying the updated plastic
> guides to fit my '84 and gluing them into place only to watch my kids
> open the windows and see the pieces eventually work loose and fly
> off..argh!!! Anyway I had two spares and now nee another
> two. Thanks.
>
> Pascal
> '84 Westy
>
