Sliding windows latch

[Remilisa]

Does anyone have a picture of the latches that belong on the left and right slide windows. I have a 1999 concourse and the windows vibrate open while traveling. Thanks for any help.

[Blue~Go]

If you have a 1999, you may have the same type of windows I have in my (early) '99 Concourse (there was quite a bit of variation between years). Let me ask you to look at something that is a dead giveaway for my type of window (which may be yours; it's a Hehr that is no longer made).

1) They are single pane windows.

2) If you look at the screen panel, along the bottom edge, it doesn't sit fully encased in the track as many screen panels do. Rather it rides along a vertical "fin" of the window frame, and half of the bottom edge of the screen panel "hangs into" the room. (If you are lucky it is riding on its original plastic clips - don't lose those, they are gold.)

So, I'm guessing you are not talking about the handles that you pull on to open or close the windows, since they don't "latch" the windows (they are available to purchase though). You must instead be speaking of the little "lock levers" that turn into place to keep the windows closed. I will have to go look in my notes, but I think those may not be available. However, I believe you could alter a slightly different one to fit, or actually you could use just about anything that would rotate into place and engage the slot (one of mine broke - there are two per window - so I have been thinking about this).

If you look on the forward edge of the sliding window pane, there should be two holes, one just above each handle. They may have screws in them. These are the screws/holes that hold the latch levers on.

Let me take a few photos of mine so you can see what I mean (in the meantime, does it sound like we have the same windows?)

[Blue~Go]

I'm not sure yet if we have the same windows, but I'm going to be on the road soon so I'll at least get some info here (besides someone else may find this later who has these windows). BTW, I think I've written some mini-volumes about the screen clips elsewhere on the forum.

To start with, the handles (not the locks) are the Hehr "pound-on" handle, and they have an associated number of 4700. At least I'm pretty sure that is the handle (I still have all four of my originals). If you look, for example, at Interstate Metals at part number 4700-45, I think that is our handle. You can scroll down on this page:

http://www.interstatervmetalandsupply.c ... ndows2.htm

Note the lock lever just below that pound-on handle (more on that below)...

So on Parkin's page, I found both our discontinued screen clips (I called, I begged, they don't have any more), AND the apparently discontinued lock levers (the windows themselves are no longer made so parts aren't supported by Hehr). For reference and search purposes, that style of lock lever is called a "sweep" latch or lock.

As you will see in the photo below, they show "our" sweep as discontinued and say to use the one below it (which is commonly available). I'm not sure how well or if that one will work.

On the other hand, I found a common metal sweep that does look a LOT like ours at windowdoorparts.com
Might be worth ordering to try (I also saw it in other places, just don't have time to continue the search at the moment). Not sure if it is the same thickness, etc., but it sure looks veeeery similar (might not break like the plastic ones either - what happened to my one that broke is the little tab snapped off the body).

Since we can only put three photos in a post, I'll use reply to put the photos of our actual locks (and a few more notes) in the next post.

[Blue~Go]

Sorry about the horrible quality of these photos. For some reason I can't get the camera flash to work. I lightened them up as much as possible to show the sweep latches (which are exactly the same as the discontinued Parkin ones shown in the previous post.

The main thing to note is that all that happens is the latch catches the *full length* groove on the rear edge of the fixed part of the window. So basically *anything* you shove into that groove will stop the window from sliding open. You could probably jam a popsicle stick in there temporarily. Or later make something that will rotate on the screw like the originals did. If it's tapered than it will wedge, like the originals. (Those metal ones I linked to above do look identical though, at least in the photos - might be great.)

First photo shows the "empty" screw where the one latch of mine that broke used to attach. You can also just see the top edge of the 4700 "pound-on" handle.

Next you can see the sweep latch itself. Here it is part way "open" and not latching the window. It will continue to rotate "open" so the arm doesn't stick out like that normally. Just like in the discontinued Parkin photo, there is no "second wing" like on the newer handles. It's shaped just like the generic-brand silver metal one in the last post. I tried to show the groove it goes into to latch, but as you will see if you look at the window, it is not any special small slot or anything, but rather a top to bottom slot in the fixed part of the window. Easy target to hit

And another. Here it is most of the way latched but not completely.

I'll see if I can do better later on.

BG

[Kirah]

FWIW, my '99 Premier did not have a rotating lock like that.

I have a single-pane sliding window with pulls/latches that seem like they're supposed to click into place to hold the windows (it's been a while since I looked at them, but I think there's a spring inside). They are old, some are barely hanging on at all, and the windows rattle open all the time. They install through holes in the pane.

I bought one of these as a replacement, and it seems right, but I can't figure a way to get the old latch uninstalled without disassembling the window, so they're still shaky:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

I bought some dowels, and my plan for the next trip out is to cut them to length and wedge them into the track. High tech!

[Blue~Go]

So it sounds like the rectangular windows in the '99 Premier are different than the parallelogram (parallelogramular? ) windows in the '99 Concourse. I guess that's not so surprising (although I could also have imagined them to be the same "series" but just different shapes, but it seems that's not so).

I guess we'll see what Remilisa has. With a Concourse, I'm guessing they will be the ones like I showed above, but you never know.

******
BTW, your dowels will be in good company for "crazy" fixes: I made new screen clips for mine out of drinking straws (which oddly, work pretty darned well)
(The top screen clips for the Hehr parallelograms used in '99 are no longer obtainable.)

[Kirah]

Makes sense. I keep forgetting that the windows are different shapes, unless someone points it out to me

[Remilisa]

Thanks to both of you for the replies. Both side windows were missing the latches. The previous owner must have removed them and was comfortable enough not having windows that locked by latch. I found a bag of goodies that I had taken out of the rv when I did my floor repairs and one of the latches was in the bag(it is the same style as the one listed in the Amazon link) I installed it last night and it seems to work and "latch" in the closed position. I'm not sure if the plastic plate washer goes on the outside opposite side of the window or sandwiched under the latch itself. I will take a picture this afternoon and post. I'm still unsure of the what style locking mechanism or needs but will try and use the great suggestions you both provided. Thank you again. More to come.

[Blue~Go]

Interesting. So two '99 Concourses apparently have different styles of windows. That would fit with what the fellow at SE-GI told me, which is that Chinook was switching around a bit between brands.

Or are you saying you have the same style windows I showed/described, but those Amazon locks will fit? Maybe they were something the previous owner bought to try after the original sweep latches broke? I could imagine some other type of latch fitting, since it's just something that engages a long groove with a slight wedge to draw it tight. It would be nice to know which style windows will work with that latch (especially if you had windows like mine for which the original latches are hard to find).

I should probably order some of those metal ones to see if they fit (but that will be later this fall when I have a place to get packages).

Could you post a photo of your windows and the latch? That would be great to see. I'm curious plus for posterity/future searchers.

[Chinnin-about]

I just bought these carpenter's framing square clips and pinched them onto the bottom track (on my 1990).

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/56309958

Now there's some high tech solution goin on there!