Bigfoot Front Window

[Mark W.]

Hello All,

We are new Bigfoot owners having just purchased a 1979 this summer. After a very dry month, we have finally had our first significant rainfall. Apparently every window in the trailer has a leak of some sort! The worst offender by far is the front window! Seems the sliding portions are not sealing very well, if at all. Water seeps in at the joints between the slider and the solid middle section filling the bottom track and spilling over onto the little shelf below.

We were trying to locate pictures of newer models to see if the window design has changed, however most pictures we find have the front window covered! Our thought is that it may be better to replace the 3 glass pieces with one large piece (if this is even possible). We are at a loss as to how to seal the slider, and by the looks of the window, this has been an ongoing problem. We are very much open to suggestions!

If we can be so bold, we have one more question
If we search by more than one keyword e.g. Bigfoot window, we get all posts containing either word! Is it possible to only get posts that contain BOTH words?

Thanks very much!
Mark & Melissa W

[Tom Trostel]

Mark,
The front window on our 1980 has 2 pieces of glass with a vertical aluminum band in the center. It does not open. It does not leak.

1980 Bigfoot :: front dinette picture by tomNjo - Photobucket

[BobB]

The first thing to do is make sure the drain slots in the bottom of the frame channels are clear. If the window still leaks, you are probably going to be removing and resealing the whole window. Sun-view is the most recent supplier of Bigfoot windows, but I don't know if they supplied them as far back as 1979. I am not an expert on removal or resealing.

RV Windows by Sun-View Industries

[Lainey]

Welcome Mark & Melissa,

The front window on my 1989 does not open. I wish it did open, it would make for a nice cross breeze!

This is a really great post to read before redoing your windows:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ing-24715.html

To search for certain phrases I find it best to use a google search that only searches this site. In post #5 on http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post219435 is a custom search Janet set up that you could try.

[Michael Pupeza]

My 1993 Bigfoot 17 Center Bath has a single non-opening window in the front. So, I guess that is how Bigfoot solved that leaking problem.
However, before you change out the whole window, see if the sealing strips are still flexible and in their proper position. Sometimes, if the window is slid open or closed when dry the stripping folds over and doesn't work right. Also, check the bottom outside channels, making sure that they are clean, and that there are drain holes for the runoff. Sometimes, the drain holes are on the inside by mistake - I've seen that in several RVs. From your picture, I don't see any outside drain holes. Maybe that's all it needs. Or even channels at each end for runoff!
Replacing the weatherstripping may be a good thing to try. I have seen, in this group, quite a few people have found the proper rubber stripping to do this.
It'll be far easier and cheaper than replacing the window.
Good luck.
Mike

[Mark W.]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

By 1980 Bigfoot must have resolved the leaky front window! I am wondering if 1979 was the first year for these Bigfoot trailers...

The sliding windows are nice in terms of the cross breeze, and in a way it would be a shame to lose that. Plus the extra money to replace the window could be spent upgrading the interior to look more like Tom's!

We did notice drain holes in the tracks below the sliding portion of the window. There is also a rubber "bug strip" over the channel, and then of course the rubber window channel by the slider. The rubber channel is kind of brittle, so should probably be replaced. I would like to try to remove the slider from the frame and check the strip between the windows and clean everything up...including the drain holes. The middle solid window could also use resealing aroung the edges between the glass and the frame. Maybe that will help stem the flow!