Frozen Window

[chuckstp]

Both of the front sliding windows in my IIA are frozen and will not slide. Yesterday I took one off and inside where it is somewhat warmer. I sprayed a teflon lubricant, and even ran a razor blade around the perimeter between the window and the weather seal to free it. The manual is of little use because its advice is to slide the window in order to expose the mounting screws. Anyone have thoughts or suggestions on how to remedy the problem?

[ignotus]

Not likely but there could be a screw head sticking up(bottom) or down(top) stopping the glass from moving. The other thing is if you have the cloth seal it can fray and bind or the moss grows and fills up the seal with roots and gunk. I would say just keep at it, pry a little bit but try not to pry on the glued on handle as it will come off.

[chuckstp]

I suppose that is one risk I do not have since there is no handle glued on. The only think available to move the window is the metal strip which holds the rubber wiper between the two pieces of glass. Well, I'll keep at it on and off and we'll see what happens.

[lumpydog]

Also, metal contracts with cooling... the tracks are metal and so is the window frame. Consider that...

[chuckstp]

I didn't consider the issue of thermal expansion, but I did try it outside in frozen but not so bitter cold, but I also brought it in the house as well. I took the window off the door so I could take a look at it with the hopes of finding some way to disassemble it. It also had the advantage that my fingers don't go numb so quickly.

[o2batsea]

Rocky Mountain (http://parabolicsprings.com/products.html) door tops.

[stomper]

Is this a recent problem as the cold weather started? Is it just the moisture freezing the glass to the slides, or is it binding? Every Autumn, I try to saturate the cloth slides with WD-40 to resist water from penetrating the cloth and freezing. After a night indoors, you should know if it is ice or a mechanical issue.

[chuckstp]

This is to the best of my knowledge, been this way since I acquired the vehicle. It had sat for a decade or so and there are a number of things which had frozen like the tin-man. It could be that in the longer term new windows might be in order. The one good thing is being easy to disassemble, I can always take the window off if the warmer weather ever decides to make it to these parts again.

[o2batsea]

Yah well the fuzzy window tracks have regular mild steel innards, so they rust to smithereens. Getting them out is usually a curse-filled afternoon of working funked-up hunks of the stuff out with pliers, chisels, drills and vise grips. Once out, the door top channels are often just as rusted away as the guide channel material. Then you're looking at replacement door tops.
Might as well bite the bullet and get the RM door tops now and be done.

[Les Parker]

Or Defender door tops and have dual sliding windows, a real plus on the rare hot day in Vermont !

http://www.roversnorth.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=PLC835

[stomper]

I don't usually subscribe to the throw away and replace mentality, but in this case, I would have to agree with o2batsea. When you order the RM tops, ask if they have any damaged sets. They are usually discounted in price, and the damage is a light scratch or two on the glass that you will never notice.