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| Vent Window |
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| Old rubber after removing divider bar screw |
After pulling apart the door components in preparation to replace the window runners, anti-rattlers and division bar we found that the rubber on the vent windows was rock hard and the rubber seal around the vent window fell apart as we removed the screw that holds the vent frame to the division bar. We had ordered replacement rubber from Dennis Carpenters and I would recommend ordering the vent rubber when
ordering the anti-rattlers so you do not have to wait around for the rubber vent seals to ship separately.
With the vent window removed from the door frame we cleaned the vent window frame and oiled/greased the moving parts. To do this work you MUST remove the vent window and frame from the door.
Pulling Apart the Vent Window
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| Vent Frame with pivot bolt |
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| Vent Window hinge |
The vent window and frame come out of the door connected to each other by a hinge on the outside of the door about 3/4 of the way up, and a spring loaded pivot bolt located about midway across the bottom of the vent window.
To remove the rubber, we will have to remove the hinge by removing 2 screws holding it into the vent frame and then remove the holding nut, spring and related washers from the pivot bolt allowing the vent window to release from the vent frame. Note the position and order of the washers on the pivot post since these are ribbed and should be put back in the same position they are removed to ensure the vent window only opens half way. We ended up using lots of WD-40 and letting the post sit overnight in order to get the washers off the ribbed pivot post.
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| Remember the order and position of the pivot post washers |
After pulling the old rubber out of the vent window frame we lined up the new rubber. There are some indentations about 3 inches from the top that need to align to similar openings in the frame as well as holes for the pivot post and divider bar at the bottom. When we lined up the rubber and the frame we still had some rubber pushing out of the top and bottom end of the frame, leave this be, when the frame is put back into the door this part of the rubber ensures a tight fit with the window divider.
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| Vent Frame and New Rubber |
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| New rubber was soft and very pliable |
The seals were made of soft rubber and we found out pretty quickly that it snapped into place by inserting the side with the big overhang (frame that will be outside door) all along the frame first and then, holding the frame with your hands, pushing the other side until it snapped into place working your way top to bottom.
Once again, make sure the holes for the divider bar screw and the pivot post line up with the holes in the vent frame.
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| Step 1 - line up and insert side of rubber with wide lip |
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| Step 2 - align grooves, push in rubber |
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| Step 3 - apply pressure to other side of rubber to snap in place |
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| Step 4 - work your way down to the bottom of frame |
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| Step 5 - ensure holes on bottom line up |
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