HELP - Windshield gasket problem.

[DandS]

Traveled to Columbus Indiana today for a long week-end here visiting family. On our last leg on I 65 south of Indy, heard a terrible noise start up.....sounded like a wheel drum squealing. After DW and I looked and tried everything, noticed something didn't look right with the windshield gasket and doing a little poking discovered the gasket had become dislodged for a 3' length in the center where it meets the dash and I could actually see daylight coming thru a gap. Noise we heard was actually wind noise and by pushing on the gasket, DW was able to stop the squealing.

Has anyone had this happen and what is the fix Do I need an RV shop or a glass installer

Will driving with this condition cause the w/s to come out ? I'm 350 miles from my home dealer and maybe 200 or so to Nappanee, thought maybe some duct tape might seal the gap and get me home ??? Any help appreciated..........

["007"]

Use some duct tape for now I traveled from Alberta, Canada to Newmar with tape when windshield popped out on top of opening.
The gasket was torn in center at bottom of windshields and had to be replaced and new sealant added than cured by Newmar at their repair center.
If the gasket isn't torn a glass company maybe able to reset both windshields in same gasket after they clean all old sealant off fiberglass and gasket.

[DandS]

Thks 007 - I have a one piece windshield and it doesn't appear the seal is ripped, just dislodged from the bottom of the glass. Plan on calling Newmar today and see if it's possible to get in on way home next week. Duct tape it is !

What causes this situation ?

["007"]

If when leveling your jack in front, especilly on uneven site and on auto level will twist the chassis frame and cause windshield to pop out.
Can happen on two piece windows also.
If thats the case use manual leveling and drop jacks together both on one side front & rear than drop on other side both front and rear.
Lift the same chassis rail for both jacks.

[DandS]

Talked to Chad @ Newmar this am, he can't get me in next week due to busy schedule and holiday. Advised me to take it to my dealer when I get home. Stuffed a foam gasket in gap and duct taped over so should get me home hopefully. Thanks for the comments.

[DandS]

Motorhome is presently at dealership for re-install of windshield. When I questioned service mgr. on rate of occurrence he responded "very common, happens all the time." I find it hard to believe that windshields are popping out of motorhomes right and left but maybe I'm wrong. Would be curious to hear how many have had it happen ?? Also, with Newmar, is the windshield considered part of the "structure" ??

[AFChap]

Not uncommon at all ...more common with some brands than others.

[njs42]

Yes windshields come loose with more regularity than they should. I'll spare you the rest of the story.

And as too duct tape, I was so happy to find that it is sold in colors now, I patched my windshield gasket with black and made it to repair and no one was the wiser. Kept me from feeling foolish with that siver stuff plastered around my windshield.

A small but worthy accomodation from 3M I guess.

["007"]

On a Newmar make sure you lift same chassis rail front & back jack together whether its the passenger side or drivers side which ever is first where the yellow light is.
You will not twist the frame and pop the windshields.
If your on an unleveled site lower jacks manually its when on a unleveled site and you let the AUTO do it and a twist to chassis frame will occur.

[DandS]

Atwood jacks on my coach only work in pairs so twisting not an issue but I can understand how it could be with an independent jack system. In my case, the seal came off the windshield traveling down the highway.......not sure what caused that. Service mgr. seemed to think bad cure of sealant at factory was cause but if so, it took almost three years to come loose.

[njs42]

Dand S: You are correct, it can take time for a windshield to "work loose". Going in and out of service stations where you hit a drive at an angle twist the frame a bit, uneven terrain of any sort does the same.

Our coach was backed into when it was but six months old. It required replacing the front cap and windshields. From that time forward two things happened. First a thin oil like substance would run down the inside of the windshield, as soon as that stopped then number two occurred. The windshield came loose at the corners.

Basically I believe that these windshields are suppose to "float" in the gasket. When the gasket/sealant dries then they are subject to coming loose. The exception would be a very properly fitting and engineered windshield set up. Mine is not, it is a big wrap around design, nice thought just impractical.

In order to fix mine after three abortive attempts extra fiberglass was added around the windshield opening and then the windshields were in essence "glued" in place. It appears to me they used a product similar to Permatex. I had some pulling in one corner but it did not seperate and I patched the "tear" with Permatex.

I am very cautious when I level. My rear jack work independently and I cannot think of anything worse for sparing stresses on the front of the coach.

At any rate six years no problems since. I live in dread of the time I take a rock big enough to crack my windshield knowing that it must be "unglued to replace".

My windshield has taken some hits and I have them "fixed" immediately. They look like I have been in a BB gun battle, but no cracking so far.

[DandS]

THREAD UPDATE: Had a nice surprise yesterday when I received word from Newmar they will cover cost of my W/S reinstall as a "good will" gesture. I had questioned them whether this was covered under their "structural" warranty, which it is not, but after some back and forth emails, they said they will cover it.
What a company, glad I own a Newmar !!!