Albin-25 Rubber Fixed Window Glazing?

[NickScheuer]

Is it reusable after being in-place 38 yrs? I'm thinking it is not, but open to ideas from those with experience changing out windows.

[Desertboater]

We just replaced the forward cabin window that faces the bow and re-installed the port and starboard forward cabin windows - all with new weatherstrip manufactured by Cooper Standard. Attached is the portion of their catalog showing the different weatherstrips. The link to their catalog is : http://www.cooperstandardperformance.co ... nt/catalog

Cooper Standard is also Stanpro and there are instruction sheets on their web page for installation of the weatherstrip. Unfortunately the 2 piece weatherstrip instructions start by telling you to follow the first few steps on the 2 piece weatherstrip instruction sheet, so make sure you download and print both the 1 piece and the 2 piece instructions. Some of us don't read instructions until at the job site - fortunately smart phones allow one to correct such mistakes and obtain the missing info.

The weatherstrip for the A-25 is the 75000463, also known as AS-1456 for use with 1/4” Glass Panel and 3/16” Body Panel. This weatherstrip requires a locking strip to be inserted as noted in the table on the last page of the attached catalog cut sheets. The locking strip we used was the 75000675 / 75000478 also known as AS-789.

We ordered from Perfect Fit in Seattle and purchased 100 feet of each to do all the windows on our A-25.
http://www.perfectfit.com/15976/154177/ ... t-Etc.html
The Cooper Standard web page shows who the distributors are.

The person at Perfect Fit did not have the correct tool for the job & stated that the $6 generic tool he suggested (i.e., had in stock) would do the job. It did not - in fact it broke within 15 minutes of starting the job. Fortunately the owner of the glass shop that cut the new window had the correct tool and loaned it to us. It also helps to have 2 or 3 small regular screw divers and a 1"paint brush handle or similar size wood/plastic (non-metal) "pusher". When the correct tool pops out of the channel, you will need to use the small screw divers and the pusher to force the short length of lock strip that will not be fully in the channel when you get the tool back into the lock strip channel.

The correct tool is made by CR Laurence, part number CP221 CRL Straight Tip Locking Strip Tools for GM, Chrysler, and Many Imports. There is also a CP220 left hand tip tool that will make going around the corner of the forward cabin bow window easier (we did not have this one).

http://www.crlaurence.com/crlapps/showl ... elID=20902

Here is a write up on A-25 window replacement that we saved years ago in anticipation of this job. Even the correct tool will "pop out" of the weatherstip channel if you go to fast - by the 3rd window we were pretty experienced and it took much less time to install.:

Hope this helps

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"I just replaced the front and rear cabin windows on my A25. It wasn't an easy job, but the new windows are in, and look great. I am located in Vancouver, BC, so I ordered the weatherstripping from Hi-Tech Glazing in Surrey, BC. More expensive than Perfect Fit in Seattle, but not enough to warrant a special trip to Seattle. As others have mentioned, you need the weatherstripping, the insert strip, and the special tool to install the insert strip. I also bought a tube of 3M bedding compound.

Taking the old windows out was easy. Pull out the chrome insert strip, then pry out the windows using a couple of small screwdrivers - like taking a bike tire off a rim. I took the windows to a plastics shop and they cut new ones using the old ones as templates.

So with new windows, weatherstripping, tool, and bedding compound, we were ready to go. You need at least two people for this job, maybe three. We fit the weatherstrip and cut to length according to the instructions - 1/8" longer for every foot of length. The rear window amounts to about 8', the front one is 9' of weatherstripping. Then we put some of the black bedding compound in the weatherstrip grooves, and tried to insert the window. That turned out to be very difficult, and soon we had bedding compound all over ourselves and the window, with a lot of foul language in the air. At some point it became obvious this was not working, so we gave up, tossed out the weatherstrip and cleaned the goop off of ourselves and everything else with varsol. Then we tried again with a fresh strip, no goop, and lots of soap and water. Still no go.

It turned out that the new weatherstrip was 1mm thicker in the middle section than the old strip, and the new window was about 1mm bigger all round than the old window. So the next day we took the windows back to the plastics shop, who graciously trimmed them down by 2mm all round. Back at the boat, things went much more smoothly. Lots of soapy water applied by spray bottle - careful use of a small screwdriver and thin scraper, and we were able to insert the window without too much trouble. The bigger window was harder, as the weatherstrip kept falling out of the window. This was where a third person would have been useful to hold everything in place from inside the cabin.

Once the windows were in, the insert strip needed to be, well, inserted. The weatherstripping was so tight that it didn't look possible to get the insert tool into the groove. But applying lots of soapy water was the key, and amazingly, the rubber stretched out to allow the tool into the groove. It took some effort, and care, to slide the tool around the groove. Push too hard and the tool would jump out of the groove, and then leave marks in the rubber where it was re-inserted and the strip pushed into place with a screwdriver. I have new respect for tradespeople who can insert a window without leaving marks on the rubber.

We didn't bother with the bedding compound in the end because we didn't think we could use it without making another big mess. The rubber seal is so tight that I am sure it won't leak, but time will tell. Right now I am amazed and pleased that the new windows are in. Its' still a surprise to go into the cabin and see out the front, which was previously so cracked and hazed that you couldn't see out at all.

The weatherstrip number should be AS-1456, you will need the lock as-789 or as-737 and the tool.
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