![van porthole window van porthole window](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/30/e1/fb/30e1fbf45592ab1b95a4d22ebf791595.jpg)
- Van porthole window install#
- Van porthole window plus#
- Van porthole window free#
- Van porthole window windows#
I have heard second hand reports of (lower operable) window mechanism failure, particularly in the door. It looks fine, and I’m probably the only person to notice that it seems off by 1/16″ or so. In my installation, the driver’s side lower rear corner didn’t appear to snug up as tightly as I’d like. If I lived in Seattle, or in a damp forest, I’d consider sealing up the gap.
![van porthole window van porthole window](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTiWoYjdZvM/Tp-sc7llwkI/AAAAAAAAAIc/dij7lUYxbPk/s1600/20111018170441.jpg)
I haven’t seen a need to do that, but I am in a dry climate. I’ve read that some people caulk around the edge of the window, so that moisture and algae don’t get a foothold. There is the potential for dust to build up in the few inches of overlap.
Van porthole window windows#
Van porthole window plus#
I estimate that I spent 2-3 hours for the first window, plus paint drying time.
Van porthole window install#
Install timeĪs with most of these projects, the first one takes twice as long as the second. I sprayed the window for several minutes around the edges and didn’t get any leakage inside. Vastly improved visibility for pulling out, lane changes and general road safety. The CR Laurence window is designed to clamp to the window opening with a trim ring and screws. I let the paint dry overnight and finished in the morning. I also painted the edge with a couple coats of Arctic White paint for good measure. None of the edges are visible once the window is installed, but need to be protected from moisture and rust anyway. Then I sprayed self etching primer into a jar, and used a disposable paintbrush to paint all exposed metal edges. Rather than deal with a ton of masking and overspray, I just put a stripe of tape around the edge of the cut. The next step was to apply primer and paint to any exposed metal. After a few passes, I had a perfect fit and the window slid in easily. It took a few test fits with my lovely assistant holding the window from the outside while I marked high spots on the inside. I ended up having to grind down some high spots and cut a bit closer to the factory template. I started with the slider window and was a bit conservative on the first cut. My lovely assistant holding the window for a test fit while I check the inside.Īfter the hole was cut, I went back with a file and angle grinder and cleaned up any cutting imperfections, and burrs. Note that you will have to cut through the two stiffeners for the window opening as well. When that wasn’t possible, I drilled a few extra holes and traced the curve by “connecting the dots.”Īs I was cutting, I used lots of wide blue tape stripes to keep the cut metal from rattling and sagging into the van. That said, I did try to cut the corners from the inside, following the edge of the factory cutout.
Van porthole window free#
On the inside, there were raised parts that made it a trickier free hand cut from the inside. In my case, I chose to do most of my cutting from outside the van since the foot of my jigsaw could sit flat against the outside of the van. Once the window template was transferred to the outside, I carefully cut out the opening with a fine toothed metal jigsaw blade. Then I used a level and sharpie to draw the straight edges of the window opening on the van. Once I drilled all the way around the factory opening, I covered the outside of the cut with tape to protect the paint from the foot of my jigsaw when I made the cut. Simple!įirst steps- Following tips I found on the Sprinter Forum, I started by drilling small holes from the inside around the factory window cutout. You “just” need to cut around the factory window stamps to make the opening, file/grind off any burrs, test fit, prime and paint any raw metal edges, and systematically clamp the window to the opening. The CR Laurence windows follow the factory window cut outs. Installing the CR Laurence windows was pretty straightforward. I got my CR Laurence windows from Amazon for $535 (including shipping), delivered to my door in two days. Measure 10 times, take a deep breath, and cut once. The first hole you cut in your van is the hardest. I found enough online resources to be comfortable in tackling the project, but step-by-step guides were scarce. I picked up the CR Laurence windows from Amazon and immediately spent hours researching window installation on the internet.