Rear Window Fitment

[CharlieWaffles]

I placed my left rear window in place on the canopy today. I see in the plans Vans says to use washers to get the window to level with the canopy exterior. But in the forward middle of the window, the channel in the canopy is very shallow and the window is buldges out even with it is laying flush against the flange.

Is this common? Are people just leaving it for the their painters to fix body wise or building this up themselves?

 

[N15JB]

It is very common. Another example of quality fiberglass parts. Use washers to bring the window out flush with the canopy, then after adhering the windows with the adhesive of your choice, you or your painter get to bodywork it to make it pretty. I did my own; it wasn't any worse than any other part of the fiberglass work.

Jim Berry
RV-10

 

[Phil]

Yep. You'll develop a trained eye to catch the (many) deviations in the cabin top as you get further in.

Your current perspective is that the cabin top is correct, but the window isn't.

However, the window is perfectly fine but your cabin top isn't. Run your finger down the cabin top and you will find a flat spot right there where the window is bulging out. Trust your fingers and not your eyes.

You see it now, but you didn't see it before. Neat huh? The fingers are more revealing than the eyes.

BTW - I didn't use any washers anywhere.

Phil

 

[CharlieWaffles]

Actually I did notice the flat spot and had first figured I would build up the canopy, but wondered if this was the common practice.

 

[paul330]

I have just finished fitting all my doors, windows and windscreen - sooooooo much "fettling" to do to make everything flush. Not, I have to say, my favourite part of the build but it certainly starts to give it that "finished" look

 

[Phil]

It appears that the fiberglass manufacturer has two molds best we can tell. But that flat spot is on every cabin top I've seen.

There are others you will find.

 

[rleffler]

It's almost like they took a belt sander to flatten that radius to get the cabin cover to fit in the crate. Pure speculation on my part.

My doors and windows were both proud at that point on both sides. As others have stated, just build up that rail with 3/4" strips of fiberglass. You can see photos on mykitlog site. I just did that last week myself. I left all the windows off and are just about the last task I have to complete before everything goes off to the painter.

 

[paul330]

It seems to me that the whole fit of the canopy, doors, windows is problamatic. Having got everything in place, then you have to do the windscreen fillet, fill the window gaps, put some glass over the joins and then fill and rub down to make everything fit. If the original fit is within 1/16" then I think you have done well.

 

[aerhed]

Here ya go, take it or leave it.

The green ones weren't any better than the pink. Those flat spots on the door post and the windows are really inexcusable. The glass guys have had years to correct those molds and should have done it. Fixing just those areas probably costs the average builder 10-20 hrs realistically and most probably don't get it perfect. The inside "T" top area is another spot. A little more care or just squegee work during layup could save buiders time. You would think the guys at VANS would push this more. The better looking their airplanes turn out, the more they'll sell. Just stupid, I think. Come to think of it. I reckon the cabin cover molders owe us 10 builders about 6-8 thousand hours collectively. Class action anyone? Just kidding....sorta.

 

[bwestfall]

Mark your missing the obvious fix... I'll bring over my belt sander and we'll thin down that plexi nevermind the scratches you don't really look through the window right there anyway... ha!