Community Forums

getakey · 07-11-2011, 05:12 PM

Own '04 40 ft Monaco Windsor & have replaced 3 windshields in 3 years due stress cracks. Level & pack-up as per manual & have comfirmed with factory. I have the rig in to a collision center to rebuild the opening. Any advice and/or experiences from RV owners who have had similar stress problems?

Monacoach · 07-11-2011, 06:14 PM

I never use auto level for that reason.

waco kid · 07-12-2011, 10:01 AM

I just left Monaco for the same thing, they dry fitted the new windshield and found they had to remove some material in one corner of the opening and add to another. Insurance paid for the windshield and installation, I paid $350.00 for the extra labor at $109.00 an hour. Thats less then I expected. My last windshield lasted over a year and a half so I hope this works......Bruce

tjy · 07-17-2011, 06:53 PM

We're on windshield #3, first one cracked on the inside above steering whl.. #2 lasted 12 hrs, wife spotted it on her side starting from the "south" and headed "northeast". #3 looked fine but It started whistling on the right side. The supplier of the windows (duncan systems) sent another windshield to the rv dealer, It was cracked IN the crate, ditto with next one.

Duncan sent another one to grw in ormond bch fla. This one ok in the crate, Glass installer did his thing and we headed north to Iowa.
Well we get into the trip

yep It started whistling again on the drivers side and I/we can see a gap on the very side of the window like its not all the way in the seal..To make a long story end Another glass shop who does rv glass says its something in the front cap/windowframe, We have had the coach since late 06..It's a 07. I'm thinking all these replacements are not " genuine" monaco windows and don't fit quite right.

Do you think i'm on the right "road"?
Ps. We have around 18,000 miles on the clock and other then the first original crack, Have not had an Issue with leveling/airbag dumping whistling flexing..Wish I had kept the first window.

Dan C · 07-18-2011, 09:14 AM

Just before the old Monaco went bankrupt, they knew they had a structural problem with one piece windshields on certain models. After we lost the first windshield (upper left corner) to huge cracks coming out of a parking lot, on our 07 Camelot, I called Monaco and at first they tried to say it wasn't their problem. I persisted, and got someone on the line that admitted there was a problem, and that Monaco had come up with reinforcing braces to strengthen the entire front cap. I had the kit shipped to the Paint Department in Chino, CA who at the time was an authorized Monaco repair facility. The installation was scary, as much of the front molding, curtains, and just about everything except the cabinets had to be removed. The braces were welded and bolted on both sides, and up over the top. This was done in 08, and we're still on that 2nd windshield. The owner of the Paint Department showed me when everything was removed, how flimsy the top of the front fiberglass was, before the brace was installed. He said that the one piece glass was part of the front support, and if it didn't fit exactly right, the front cap movement would break the glass where ever it was stressed against the fiberglass. I'm sure the new Monaco won't accept the old problem, but there was a fix, rather than the continued replacement of windshields. At the time, the labor to install this reinforcing kit was close to $3,000!

BigSkyBob · 07-18-2011, 06:00 PM

The windshield in my 08 Camelot cracked just driving down the hiway. It was still under warranty so we took it to the factory service center in Harrisburg, OR. They installed what they called a halo kit that was exactly what a previous poster had described. The halo kit was very extensive and even involved some bracing in the generator compartment. Then they dry fit the new windshield and had to grind away some fiberglass along the top that was contacting the glass and add some along the lower left side. The second windshield has been in there over three years without a problem (knocking on wood) so apparently they knew of the problem on some coaches and stepped up and repaired them. My windshield wraps around on the sides but the 09 and newer Camelot's have eliminated that curve on the sides of the windshield.

tjy · 07-22-2011, 06:41 PM

Just to update on the

windshield, We went up today and picked up our coach after a month in the repair shop to replace the seals and have the "slide-out topper cover" replaced on the big driver side slideout.

While up there a glass company came and "resealed" the windshield, It looks to be in the gasket all the way around. I drove purposely over bumps on the way to my home (30mi) to see if it would shift and

..(tapping on wood) so far so good no whistle.

tom

CoCoDave · 07-23-2011, 08:46 AM

For those needing windshield glass, Coach Glass in Eugene, OR, would be one I'd get a quote from. (888-777-6778) You order the replacement from them, they ship the glass to one their installers in your area and bill you from Eugene (no sales tax). Don't know if that makes sense for places a long way from where the glass is shipped from. They do have a good reputation around here. Two months ago I got a quote of $904 to replace the driver's side in my 2001 Diplomat. That was all-in, out-the-door at our local auto glass shop 5 miles away.

All that said, it does not follow that all auto glass shops could perform some of the corrective measures like welding in braces, altering the opening in the cap, etc., mentioned above. You would have to make sure that your shop and Coach Glass were in sync with the work to be done if it's not a vanilla replacement.

FWIW

jennydevlin · 08-16-2011, 07:41 AM

I have an 07 Monaco Diplomat and have replace the wind shield 4 times because of a stress fracture in the same place every time. Very frustrating.

getakey · 08-17-2011, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjy

Just to update on the

windshield, We went up today and picked up our coach after a month in the repair shop to replace the seals and have the "slide-out topper cover" replaced on the big driver side slideout.

While up there a glass company came and "resealed" the windshield, It looks to be in the gasket all the way around. I drove purposely over bumps on the way to my home (30mi) to see if it would shift and

..(tapping on wood) so far so good no whistle.

tom

We got our 04 Windsor out of the collision repair shop last week. They had to make the opening larger. They dry fitted the windshield and had to make the opening larger on both corners. The trip home, 65 miles and no stress cracks yet. Looking back, we stress cracked our first window shield at a Monaco Rally 3 years ago and they had a difficult time getting the new one in. The installers should of known then that there was a problem and the fix was to make the opening larger. Instead the factory reps at the Rally jacked the rig at different angles until it popped in. TOO small of an opening. Anyway that is all behind us and we are looking forward to a 4 month trip starting at the Monaco Rally in Albany to the east coast and back. We love our Windsor and enjoy the RV lifestyle while traveling this beautiful country.

Thanks!!
cgetakey@att.net

getakey · 08-17-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjy

We're on windshield #3, first one cracked on the inside above steering whl.. #2 lasted 12 hrs, wife spotted it on her side starting from the "south" and headed "northeast". #3 looked fine but It started whistling on the right side. The supplier of the windows (duncan systems) sent another windshield to the rv dealer, It was cracked IN the crate, ditto with next one.

Duncan sent another one to grw in ormond bch fla. This one ok in the crate, Glass installer did his thing and we headed north to Iowa.
Well we get into the trip

yep It started whistling again on the drivers side and I/we can see a gap on the very side of the window like its not all the way in the seal..To make a long story end Another glass shop who does rv glass says its something in the front cap/windowframe, We have had the coach since late 06..It's a 07. I'm thinking all these replacements are not " genuine" monaco windows and don't fit quite right.

Do you think i'm on the right "road"?
Ps. We have around 18,000 miles on the clock and other then the first original crack, Have not had an Issue with leveling/airbag dumping whistling flexing..Wish I had kept the first window.

We got our 04 Windsor out of the collision repair shop last week. They had to make the opening larger. They dry fitted the windshield and had to make the opening larger on both corners. The trip home, 65 miles and no stress cracks yet. Looking back, we stress cracked our first window shield at a Monaco Rally 3 years ago and they had a difficult time getting the new one in. The installers should of known then that there was a problem and the fix was to make the opening larger. Instead the factory reps at the Rally jacked the rig at different angles until it popped in. TOO small of an opening. Anyway that is all behind us and we are looking forward to a 4 month trip starting at the Monaco Rally in Albany to the east coast and back. We love our Windsor and enjoy the RV lifestyle while traveling this beautiful country.

Thanks for reply!!
cgetakey@att.net