Community Forums

Ohorn · 03-14-2012, 08:02 PM

I have a 1998 Diplomat that has front window issues can some advise needed please!

Problem both the front windshields have started to sag out of place! It looks like from the top or corners or like the gasket has gotten weak. Any help or advice or solutions is needed and appreciated.

Thanks so much for looking!!

vito.a · 03-14-2012, 08:06 PM

My 1997 Windsor had the same problem about 5 years ago. I had an RV windshield specialist reset both windshields with a new molding.

I just looked and they are doing the same thing again. Large gaps in the upper corners. Oh well!

mfire1339 · 03-14-2012, 08:11 PM

Can you put up a photo? Maybe have a mobile glass installer look at it.

Mike

86 Cavalcade · 03-15-2012, 04:53 AM

I tried to reply to this a few moments ago and it did not get sent. I have a 2001 Diplomat and have found out that these front fiberglass caps are attached to the dash cowl board. Monaco installed 2 small sheet meatal brackets above the winshield wiper assembly. These are hard to see but if you open your generator access door and look up above your wiper motor and arm assembly you should be able to see them. I have some pictures I am going to try to attach but I am having problems staying online. The pictures are not my pictures but were taken by another guy that has the same year Diplomat as mine. My screws are missing and in my opinion allows these caps to sag down some and even worse they sag forward because they have no support in the middle. I am going to try to attach 2 pictures. George R. 2001 Diplomat

Ohorn · 03-15-2012, 09:39 AM

Hey Thanks!
How du you fix your window issue, I have a window guy comming this afternoon to look? Also what is a good price to reset me windows?

Thanks!

86 Cavalcade · 03-15-2012, 10:10 AM

I just removed my wiper assembly to get a good look at the problem on my windshield and here are 4 pictures if I can post them. You can see how the cap has moved forward about 3/8" and it has dropped about 1/4" by looking at where it has pulled loose from the expanding black foam that Monaco used for air and water sealing. George

Ohorn · 03-15-2012, 01:57 PM

How do you plan on fixing the problem and is the bracket screwed or rivited on? Just trying to put together a plan also have you had any quotes on resetting the glass? I will let you what my glass person says tonight?

Thanks!

86 Cavalcade · 03-15-2012, 02:39 PM

I removed the wiper assembly and am going to try to lift and push the cap up and back where it needs to be and then install the brackets. I am going to install an additional bracket in addittion to the (2) Monaco used. These windshields set on fiberglass and not metal as they should. If you have this problem I don't think resetting your glass will fix the problem long term. Once these brackets fail there is nothing to prevent the fiberglass cap from sagging and even worse it moves forward. This is easy to see if this is a problem if you have a gap between the windshield rubber moulding and the front edge of the padded dash you may have the same problem I do. You could still have this problem if the your cap is sagging also. George

Ohorn · 03-15-2012, 06:58 PM

Thanks I will look at mine tomorrow! I had a guy tell me it would cost $600 to reset the glass? He told me he does lots of RV a year and he thinks its body flex that causes it?

Thanks!

86 Cavalcade · 03-16-2012, 01:09 PM

I got my cap pushed back almost where it was and it would not move any more. I installed the 2 original brackets and added a 3rd one also and used #10 sheet metal screws to mount all the brackets. I used 1" long ones up into the cowl dash board and 3/4" long screws into the cap. You are limited where you can install these brackets because this font cap only has plywood in certain areas. I have to install the wiper assembly and remount the generator access door and I will be done with this project as far as I know. George

Ohorn · 03-16-2012, 04:29 PM

Question did you do this with the windshields still in and waht did you use to raise the cap a jack?

Thanks for your help!

86 Cavalcade · 03-17-2012, 03:54 AM

Once I had removed the wiper assembly and the 2 brackets I then used a 60" long 2 X 4 with a 18" 2X4 on the top in the form of a "Tee". I jammed the end of the 2X4 into the ground and would push the cap back by hand and as I pushed the cap back I would place shims between the top of the Tee and the cap. If you could use a jack of some type without breaking something it would make this a lot easier to do. On my coach I had to be pushing the cap back and up at the same time to try to get it back in the original position. If your bracket screws are not loose or missing like mine were I don't know what to tell you. The screws that went into the front cap on my coach were still there but were loose but the screws that go into the bottom of the dash cowl were gone. The screws that you see in the pictures were installed on the way home while I was in AZ after I discovered this problem. On one of the original brackets the screws had elongated the holes to about twice the size of the holes in the other bracket. I know there are other mounting points for these cap to body construction but I did not see what I could do about any of them. I did not remove my windshields to do this although I am sure it would make this project easier to do. Doing this by yourself is not easy either but that is what I did. I could not tell that my windshields had dropped down because of this problem but they probably did although I could not tell by looking at them. As you found out it costs quite a bit of money to remove the front windows and most of these guys won't say they won't break them getting them out. Also I have heard it is hard to get the correct rubber moulding if you tear it up. Those are the reasons I did not try to remove my windshields to do this. Good luck, George

vito.a · 03-18-2012, 07:00 PM

So is the front cap moving around causing the windshield to come loose?

86 Cavalcade · 03-19-2012, 05:09 AM

I am no expert on these windshield issues at all and had never had any problems with the windshield until I noticed after I had arrived in CA that I had a gap between the windshield moulding and the front edge of the padded dash where it had always been. You could tell where it had normally set beause the rubber had left black marks on the padded dash. I sent Monaco an email asking if they had a as built fabrication print showing where the front cap is attached to the body and got a response they did not have a print they could furnish me but the guy did tell me that these caps are attached to the dash cowl board. I thought that there had to be someplace where the cap was attached under the windhield in the center to stabilize it and keep the cap from sagging and moving forward due to the weight of the windshield glass. That is when I noticed these brackets and by using a mirror and a flashlight I could see that my attachment screws had fallen out of both brackets. I was able to get 2 screws in one bracket while I was in AZ, but, I was not able to push the cap back in position. On my coach these brackets and screws are almost totally hidden by the wiper assembly which I had to remove to make the repair. I am sore and my hands are all scratched up but I got it done. As I said in an earlier post I know these caps have a lot of attachment points but these 2 brackets were the only ones I could find in this area that were causing this problem. Good luck, George R.