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Topic: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath (Read 359 times) previous topic - next topic
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Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Hi All,
My first time posting here so I hope I'm doing it correctly.

My family recently purchased a used 1999 26.5 rear bath. We have no window screen frames on the large windows. I've been scouring the internet trying to find replacements or ways to build replacements. I ordered some parts from Pelland but they don't seem to be the right ones. I've also searched the forums extensively but can't seem to find anyone talking about my exact issue. If any of you awesome people have any suggestions or hack ideas I would love to hear em'.
Thanks in advance for any help!
John
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #1 –
I take this to mean that the new-to-you 1995 lacks window screens, not just "frames"? In other words, the entire screen/frame assemblies are missing? You might want to call the factory; I don't think that the basic window size or shape has changed, but there may well be a difference in how the sliding screen assemblies fit/lock into the window frame channel between 1995 models with single pane windows and the dual pane windows that are used now. 
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #2 –
Hi Joan,
Thanks for the response!
It's a 1999 not 1995. I did try calling Lazy Daze and they said they have no relation to the window makers and in fact the window makers were bought out by someone else apparently. The pieces I received from Pelland with the radius corners don't seem to have a channel in them that fit the way the screens ride on the track on the windows where I do have screens.
And yes, you are correct, it's not just that I lack screens, I lack the entire frame assembly that holds the screens.
I'm thinking I may have to MacGyver something using velcro to just create screen frames and stick them to the window housing. Seems to me that is the only option, since its hard enough to find any screen frame systems that have radius corner attachments other than the ones Pelland carries.
John
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #3 –
Quote from: JohnDon  - 
I did try calling Lazy Daze and they said they have no relation to the window makers and in fact the window makers were bought out by someone else apparently.

They may have been referring the Hehr, which was purchased by Lippert Industries.

RV and Trailer Windows | Lippert

Not a solution, but possibly a new place to start looking. 

Lippert Components acquires window and glass business of Hehr International...

Rich

2003 MB
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #4 –
Hi John. Pictures help a lot for a situation like this. I also have a '99, and the track where the screens go is built in to the frame. The screens are a separate sliding assembly and are inside the rig. The inside sliding window slides away to where the other half of the glass is, leaving the screen in place. The screen also slides open.   RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #5 –
Thanks Rich, I’m definitely gonna call this company on Monday!

Thanks Ron!
The way you described the 99 is exactly how mine is. I have screens and screen frames on the smaller windows and they operate just as you said, so I figured the big window screen frames did as well. The issue I’m having with the parts i ordered and received from Pelland is the straight frame part looks like it would work (even though the frame material is a little taller than the other window screens) because it has a “U” shaped channel that will receive that single metal track you talk about on the inside of the window. The other and bigger problem is the rounded or radius corner joint pieces you attach to the straight screen pieces does not have that “U” shaped channel; it’s just solid so it won’t connect to the track at all. The Pelland parts are the only rounded frame systems I could find online. For a solution I’m thinking I’ll try and build the frame to a size that fits against that exposed 3/8” track it is intended to ride on, but since it can’t ride on the track I’ll put Velcro on the part of the track that faces inside the coach and put Velcro on the back of the screen frame that faces back towards the window. I think that should hold the screen on and still allow me to open the glass window as intended. I really wish I didn’t have to do it this way but I’m not sure at this point I see another option since I can’t find the proper screen frame parts anywhere.
I’ll try and post some pictures when I can, and if the hack I plan to do works I’ll post those too. I’m not sure it’ll be that helpful to anyone cuz no one seems to have my problem when I search the site. In fact when I called Lazy Daze and told them my issue the lady on the phone said “wait, you mean you don’t have any screen frames at all???”. I had a feeling at that point this was gonna be a strange and hard to solve problem 😆
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #6 –
"...when I called Lazy Daze and told them my issue the lady on the phone said “wait, you mean you don’t have any screen frames at all???”. I had a feeling at that point this was gonna be a strange and hard to solve problem."
----
I'm with her! I wonder what happened to the original screens in your rig? The screen material may have been damaged, and the previous owner just dumped the whole assembly rather than replacing the screen itself. Odd, but some people do odd things!  ::)

YMMV, as always.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #7 –
I know huh Joan!? I thought the same thing! What happened that could cause all 3 screen frames from the big windows to be missing entirely? Why would someone not want screens on their big windows? Makes no sense to me and the people we bought it from weren’t the ones who disposed of them so it will forever be a mystery.
I hope my fix works. 🤞
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #8 –
OK John; can't say I've spent much time with my screens, so today I went and looked at my screen in the shower.  Turns out there isn't a track!  The screen frames are pretty thin and flimsy. They have a slot all the way around except on the flat side at the half window.  The slot rides on the edge of the innermost window track. The window handle keeps the screen in tight when closed. When you open the window, you can open the screen as far as the window is open.  I don't use a hose through the window to flush the black tank.  The TK doesn't need that.  So I would have seen that more often if I did.  The glass is thinner than the track, and is inset enough so the screen sliding doesn't rub on the glass.
   I can see if a screen fell off, that people might not figure how to put it back in. When closed the screens are inside both panes of  windows. Exposed on the inside. The slot must be extruded into the metal.  I have pictures, I'll try to load them into LDOF soon.  (Had to get another laptop since display went bad, new one is very uncooperative.)    RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #9 –
Hi Ron,

Thanks for taking the time to try and help me by investigating your window screens, I really appreciate it.
Here are those pictures I promised you.
The first 3 are my kitchen area window. This window has a screen, and it is made of thin metal and operates just as you described yours. That thin vertical piece of metal you described was what I was referring to as the "track" it rides on. Wish I had a way to get replacement parts that look just like these.
The next 3 photos are of one of my large windows (above the barrel chairs) that doesn't have screen frames. You can see that vertical "track" clearer here.
The last 4 photos are of the parts Pelland carries (I actually think I ordered the wrong size radius corners, they have two options, but they are both constructed the same way so the problem I describe is the same with either); the straight metal screen frame part, and the plastic radius corner part. As you can see the size of the metal straight part is larger than what our windows on our 1999 uses, but at least it has a "U" shaped channel to receive that vertical "track" on the window frame, so I think I could make it work. The real problem is the radius corner part has no "U" shaped channel. This is why I think I am going to build the frames and try to secure them on the side of the vertical "track" area using velcro. This seems to be the only solution I can think of to give me family a screen to access some fresh air from those big awesome windows.
The last picture is a drawing showing my plans to do this hack.

If you have any thoughts on this idea or better ideas please let me know.
Thanks!
John
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #10 –
Quote from: JohnDon  - 
Hi Ron,

Thanks for taking the time to try and help me by investigating your window screens, I really appreciate it.
Here are those pictures I promised you.
The first 3 are my kitchen area window. This window has a screen, and it is made of thin metal and operates just as you described yours. That thin vertical piece of metal you described was what I was referring to as the "track" it rides on. Wish I had a way to get replacement parts that look just like these.
The next 3 photos are of one of my large windows (above the barrel chairs) that doesn't have screen frames. You can see that vertical "track" clearer here.
The last 4 photos are of the parts Pelland carries (I actually think I ordered the wrong size radius corners, they have two options, but they are both constructed the same way so the problem I describe is the same with either); the straight metal screen frame part, and the plastic radius corner part. As you can see the size of the metal straight part is larger than what our windows on our 1999 uses, but at least it has a "U" shaped channel to receive that vertical "track" on the window frame, so I think I could make it work. The real problem is the radius corner part has no "U" shaped channel. This is why I think I am going to build the frames and try to secure them on the side of the vertical "track" area using velcro. This seems to be the only solution I can think of to give me family a screen to access some fresh air from those big awesome windows.
The last picture is a drawing showing my plans to do this hack.

If you have any thoughts on this idea or better ideas please let me know.
Thanks!
John
John, did you call Lippert which bought Hehr to see if they had screens? Reply #2 above?

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #11 –
Hi Chris,

Not yet man, but my plan is to call them first thing in the morning on Monday. I think that's my final hope for getting anything close to what the original screen frames are. I'm hoping they have em, but plan B is to try the velcro solution. I'm waiting to start cutting up and working on those Pelland parts until later this week.
Thanks!
John
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #12 –
Hi All,
Just wanted to update you on the screen frame project.

I've been talking to Lippert (thanks again Rich for that recommendation) with a very nice and helpful sales person named Jana. The emails take a while to come through but I believe she would be able to get me the screen frames I need from what she has found out. However it is gonna take 3-4 weeks to get them to me and they have asked me to take apart my window some in order to verify the sizes (something I'm not too keen on attempting). They tried checking with Lazy Daze but apparently that was no help, and they are concerned with getting the proper measurements so as to not send the wrong size. Also I have not received an estimate on pricing for the screens and shipping, that's something I would have to factor in to my decision making.

I was holding off on going thru with my planned hack for If I could easily get the proper screen frames I could return the parts I purchased to pull off the hack. At this point, with us leaving on a 5 week trip June 11th I gotta do something if I want to have at least one screen solution before we leave. So I've decided to at least build one screen, and probably will build the others as well before we leave. The large radius corners I purchased don't fit the windows perfectly, but they are very close and good enough for my needs, and you really can't find anything else online any better. The velcro strips I purchased from Amazon work great too, almost too good. I think using less might be a better solution if I want to get the screens off in the future without bending them. At present I'm running velcro strips the full length of each aluminum piece. Strategic contact points would probably do the trick.

I don't think anyone else here seems to have the same problem I have, but just in case I've added some photos in the hopes it can help someone in the future.

Thanks for the help everybody,
John
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #13 –
Quick update:
My contact at Lippert, Jana Pontius just got back to me this morning. She made a mistake. Discussing it further with her contacts she has found out that the screen frames for the 99' are indeed obsolete. You cannot get those screen frames at all, so the hack solution is the only solution. That series of Hehr windows is the 4700 series.
1999 26.5 Rear Bath
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #14 –
Thanks for that news John; I'll make sure to keep my screen frames in good shape.  I guess '99 is 'long ago' in car terms.  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
 
Re: Screen frame parts for 1999 26.5 rear bath
Reply #15 –
I'm still wondering what happened to the original screens!  :o

Good luck with the fix; plenty of parts for older rigs have now gone extinct, so I suspect that quite a few of us will be SOL, particularly for critical components.  :(
2003 TK has a new home