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Joebinks · 01-19-2014, 05:00 PM

I have a 2004 National RV Sea Breeze 8360. I was leveling after it had settled at home. I had just stopped and I was still in the drivers seat when there was a loud "BANG" then the corner of the windshield over my head shattered. I had the windshield replaced but the center seam never was tight enough to stay sealed, there is a constant whistle (I believe through the fiberglass above the windshield) and the top front appears to sway a lot. The new windshield broke at about 100 miles in the same corner while driving on a flat road - Thruway.
So my question is has anyone else had this experience? I'm concerned the frame is broke but I'm not sure where to look and I can't ask National RV.

BFlinn181 · 01-19-2014, 05:49 PM

Sorry to hear of your problems. When they replaced the windshield, did they only deal with the broken half or take out, reseal, and re install the other side too? The side that broke could have been pinched by the other side being pushed out of position, or fail to seat properly because the unbroken side could is slightly out of line. Good luck with it.

Theberrys · 01-19-2014, 05:52 PM

Do you still have the heavy glass tube TV in the overhead? These cause a lot of movement in the front cap and will cause windshield problems.

Dick

Doggy Daddy · 01-19-2014, 05:55 PM

Get a referral to a RV Repair facility from your insurance company. Let them remove and inspect the frame and rubber gasket. Also check if the windshield was made in China or USA. Demand USA.
I had a similar problem, the manufacturer referred me to a place to get my windshield replaced and they did a bad job. Result was the windshield slid down and air/rain could enter. As the manufacture referred me to the facility, they were liable for warrantee work. I was sent to another facility after complaining and they reset the windshield properly at no charge to me.

1oldMarine · 01-29-2014, 03:41 PM

Bought a motorhome that had the same issue, had the windshields pulled, new seal installed, then re-install, no issues since. As to leveling, always raise the front jacks first, give yourself at least 3-4 inches of travel otherwise your rear jacks will torque the coach and pop or break the windshield.

gruelens · 01-29-2014, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1oldMarine

As to leveling, always raise the front jacks first, give yourself at least 3-4 inches of travel otherwise your rear jacks will torque the coach and pop or break the windshield.

I disagree as many coaches have automatic jacks. If the back end is low, the rear jacks will push first. I believe the issue is the integrity of construction of the house, especially up forward. Take a bunch of factory tours and you will see that not all MHs are created equal.

Davdeb1 · 01-29-2014, 04:06 PM

That "Bang" you heard was a weld or rivet breaking. That will have to be addressed first before you replace another windshield. You need a good RV body and frame expert, and I have no suggestions as to where one is. Maybe someone on here knows of such a place in your area.

BFlinn181 · 01-29-2014, 04:12 PM

I don't have auto leveling jacks, but I do lower them 2 at a time. 2 front, 2 rear, or 2 left, 2 right, always in pairs. That way less chance of twisting the frame.

Since the original windshield replacement left issues in center line and top, I still think the unbroken side was out of position and whenever installing a new half, the other half should also be removed and remounted.

**JohnRR** · 01-29-2014, 09:55 PM

Good luck with your search.

inspector8 · 02-15-2014, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Sorry to hear of your problems. When they replaced the windshield, did they only deal with the broken half or take out, reseal, and re install the other side too? The side that broke could have been pinched by the other side being pushed out of position, or fail to seat properly because the unbroken side could is slightly out of line. Good luck with it.

My windshield cracked after a tow truck pulled my MH off a curb. Thanks for the tip on having unbroken side reset and sealed too. Haven't had damage fixed yet so I hope AARP Hartford will pay for resetting unbroken side.

Theberrys · 02-15-2014, 05:16 PM

Your Sea Breeze no doubt has Power Gear Levers like most of that vintage National models. These have the front jacks connected together hydraulically so they behave like one jack positioned on the center line of the coach. With this set up you need to lower the front jacks first until both are on the ground then the back jacks till both are on the ground. When you level side to side you do it with one of the rear jacks only. With both front jacks on the ground the coach will pivot side to side without tweaking the frame because the fluid will flow from one front jack to the other, one up one down effectively like one jack in the middle.

So if indeed you have a Power Gear system always lower the front first, then the back and then do the side to side. One way to tell is look at the reservoir tank for the jacks, if it has three valves then yours is like I described. The valves are the three round things just above the black tank in the attached picture. Your tank is probably up front just behind the headlights on the drivers side.

Dick

two2go · 02-16-2014, 07:42 AM

I believe the windshield frame flexes too much from stress transfer from the chassis. Sorry National, but your Dura Frame is not so solid. My left windshield cracked with a loud bang from driving at an angle over a shallow dip. I also had a slide-out arm cover panel pop off from getting pushed against the adjacent side panel when adjusting the rear jacks side to side per Dick Berry's routine above. My chassis is a real twister. I can tell from all the creaks while driving over uneven surfaces.

macstonedude · 03-05-2014, 04:31 PM

Had the same problem when I had a brain fart last year and started to level the coach without having all four jacks down. TheRge bang and cracking of the driver side glass was due to the stress put on it from the twisting. Always (as others have ready stated) put the four feet on the ground first before lifting one side or the other. In my case the opposite side windshield was shoved out of position as well. The glass techs removed, cleaned, the. Set the passenger side glass in place and then then installed the new driver side glass. Works well (now). Duncan glass worked in conjunction with the insurance to get me back on the road (without ten yards of gorilla tape holding the windshield together).