Mounting E-Bay Windows

[Wishbone_aaa]

I see a number of RV windows listed on E-Bay. However, they are without the trim ring.

Never having worked with RV windows, how does one mount the window? As I understand, the trim ring clamps the window in place. I rather not drill the outer frame for face mounting.

Can anyone give advice as how to use these windows?

[parnold]

I chose to drill through the outer frame, but you could also drill through the sides into your walls if you have good wood there. My walls are 3/4 plywood, so I wouldn't try to screw anything into the edge of that, just asking for trouble.

[grant whipp]

That's the thing about Ebay (or other) windows ... if you or the seller don't know who the mfg. is, you can't contact them about getting clamp-rings ... and, if the company is out of business (a very likely scenario), you are doubly out of luck. If you can determine mfg. (and they are still in business), getting the 'rings that will fit your walls could be almost as costly as the windows themselves ... ...

However, I have heard of folks who have installed the windows without the clamp-rings, and simply glued them in place with that black windshield mounting adhesive.

Good Luck, and as always ...

CHEERS!

Grant

[Miriam C.]

I am with Grant here. Before you buy from E-bay find out the manufacturer and check other sources of rings.

You might also check with your local salvage yard for windows and/or clamp rings. You could also make them out of wood. I am assuming you will not be kicking them out from the inside!

[parnold]

If you are not willing to be creative, then buck up and pay the price for new windows with all the fixin's. I got two windows, and two hatch doors for less than the price of one new window. For me it was worth it to be a little creative. If I was striving for a top quality build I would have payed the price for new ones.

[Toytaco2]

Welcome to the forum Wishbone. Good to have you on board.

Like yourself, I started out not wanting to drill holes in my windows either. I did get all of my windows off Ebay, but, no trim rings. Mine are Hehr branded windows so trim rings could be located from the manufacturer, but at a cost almost what I paid for the 3 windows I used in the TD.

Finally I decided to use black finished square drive screws and drill through the window frames after all. The screws look to me like "high tech rivets" and give a look that I actually like after all. Most of the time you don't even notice they are there. I had to look hard to find a pic in which they are actually visible. If you look close in the pic, you will see them.



But if you just want trim rings, I understand that as well. There are many other places in my build where I didn't compromise my original ideas at all.

Good Luck,

Mike

[Wishbone_aaa]

My thanks to all those that replied.

Just discovered that there is a rv salavage yard in a neighboring county so after "the ice flow goes out" there may be a road trip to check things out.

Don

[Miriam C.]

You can get trim rings from Colaws salvage outside Joplin for Hehr windows. I changed mine because I wanted a wider ring. Just cut the thing and put it on...

http://www.colawrvsalvage.com/

[MKE_Tear]

Welcome to the forum Wishbone. Good to have you on board.

Like yourself, I started out not wanting to drill holes in my windows either. I did get all of my windows off Ebay, but, no trim rings. Mine are Hehr branded windows so trim rings could be located from the manufacturer, but at a cost almost what I paid for the 3 windows I used in the TD.

Finally I decided to use black finished square drive screws and drill through the window frames after all. The screws look to me like "high tech rivets" and give a look that I actually like after all. Most of the time you don't even notice they are there. I had to look hard to find a pic in which they are actually visible. If you look close in the pic, you will see them.



But if you just want trim rings, I understand that as well. There are many other places in my build where I didn't compromise my original ideas at all.

Good Luck,

Mike

Ditto on the high tech rivets -- it looked so much better than I had ever expected!

My window came off of eBay, either from an old RV camper or more likely a pickup truck. The size (and price!) was perfect for where I wanted to install it.

I had to dig through the specialty black drawer of screws at the local hardware store, and not the big box stores, to find them. You can actually see the pencil line that I used to keep all of the screws evenly spaced and at the same height.

I glued it to the outside with PL Premium (Polyurethane Construction Adhesive) and then sealed it up with a clear silicone. Each screw was also sealed.

I ended up making a homemade wooden clamp ring on the inside (it took multiple templates for that), and it was three layers of half inch plywood...so 1 1/2 inches thick, a good amount for the screw to sink into. Pretty sure the wooden clamp was glued on the inside with Titlebond.

A lot of work, but love the final product...and knowing that I did it all myself is a pretty incredible feeling.

[dh]

Just a side note, even if you do find RV windows WITH the clamp ring on ebay (or anywhere else for that matter) the standard RV wall thickness is 1 7/8", I haven't seen a lot of teardrops with walls that thick. On top of that, many manufacturers do not make a trim ring for anything other than 1 7/8"