Looking at oem inserts from motion for the bus. Has anyone had actual experience with the single pane inserts using the original frames from an mci 9? If so, what are your thoughts, ideas and precautions.
Thanks
Grant
not impressed;they were 5 times more expensive for the same size 29 by 60 single slide w /screen than here in midwest..I have one motion and 3 from bontagers I like the ones here better and can't see price differance..built the same...opinion's are my own ...not to degrade product just price..Bob
Grant,
It is my understanding that you can either order them as custom windows which means they come with a frame and you just switch them out or you can order them as a window that fits into your existing frame. I bought the latter and it was alot of work to get them in, you better have a number of good power saws, a good hacksaw and some talent as a fabricator to get them in.
Bob,
Were the ones from bontragers made to fit in your existing window cutouts or did you have to cut the hole out of the side of the bus and do a "custom" fitting?
Rick
I know people who are very down on Motion Windows, but mine have been good to me. I talked to Storm-Tite also, but more expensive. I spent hours looking for windows at RV surplus places and there are not many matching double pane windows. They have tons and tons of single pane windows. I think Cody was lucky to find the windows he did.
Grant wants insert windows for an MC-9 so going to an RV surplus place isn't going to help him.
Added missing word.
Rick I was putting in slides so I made my own frames...they quoted me 563.00 plus shipping for 29 by 60....I can do a lot of fab for 1200.00 differance for 3 windows...again I'm tight with money and have more time than money..did not question quality! bob
Motion windows: expensive, will fit as an exact replacement, wall thickness is critical dimension to ensure a watertight fit.
Don't go single. Price difference is small to go to dual pane. Major difference in temperature and noise.
Good luck,
Bill
This comes up here often I am still waiting for somebody to post the facts that dual pane works any better than the Thermopane ( 2 pieces of glass laminated together.) this is the way most bus manufactures do it
I ran a few test of my own in the AZ sun and heat and cannot see much difference in the Motion double pane and a single thick pane of glass.
I am one also that think they are overpriced for what you get in results if you really want to stop heat and cold transfer go with a frame less and bonded window like used on later model bus then you have it in check
good luck
I ran a test when I installed our Hehr dual pane windows. In the lounge we have two original angled framed, single pane and two Hehr. The difference in temperature on the inside of the glass was 15 degrees less than single, on a 85 degree day here in Abilene. We could tell a big difference on the inside temp, A/C's don't have to work as hard.
We are about ready to cut down the heat further by installing some solar screens on the outside. I put them up temporarily on the inside and it really mad a big difference. I'm trying to cut our electric bill and keep the inside cooler during our hot summer months.
Don't know if this helps or not. ;)
Paul, the side glass in a 01 Eagle is just safety glass.
Van has Thermopane single pane frame less bonded windows in his 15 all orignal and just a empty shell with 2 roof tops his bus stays cool no heat transfers from the windows it amazes me how the theromopanes work but I heard the windows in his bus are worth 500 bucks each used.
I tried my best to get him to remove the windows and leave me 10 of them but he didn't buy into the deal LOL
good luck
The Hehr windows paul has are a thermopane window, the term double pane gets thrown around a lot, the Hehr windows are a true thermopane window with low E ratings and they are a gas filled sealed window not just 2 panes fitted together, I have the same windows and the difference between them and the regular windows in my eagle is remarkable.
Cody, I just learned something. I thought they were just plain two pieces of glass with a dead air space. Thanks for letting me know how good our windows really are! ;D
Clifford, Now I understand what you meant, although I've never seen that type, which doesn't surprise me. He better keep em! 8)
Grant,
If you are doing all the window cutouts yourself I know that JD at C&J coach has three slider 102 windows that he will sell reasonably. I wanted them so bad but the 102 windows are 6-7" taller than my MCI 9 windows. His number is 952-881-0034. They were in really good shape just sitting there gathering dust.
Good luck with your project and for what it's worth I don't think the dual pane option is a big issue unless you're full timing in a severe temp area i.e. Florida or Minnesota and frankly I think there will be days in either area that will be either unbearably cold or unbearably hot and the windows won't matter as much as great insulation and going overboard on either your AC and heating per square foot to offset those rare stretches of unbearable heat or cold.
Nick probably knows more than the rest of us combined on this issue though
Rick
Not looking to do anything but replace the oem windows with the best option that includes a slider. I would like to know what others have done in the same situation. I would love to take out the old windows, perhaps send the frames somewhere and have returned a new window with sliders.
Thanks
Anyone?
Replacing Oem windows with the same frame and sliders Motion is the only choice you have and Jeff knows that but I would not waste the money for his double panes
I have 2 Peninsula inserts now in our coach and I like them just fine. Single glass. I would like to get two more.
Delivery time- 6 to 7 weeks....
Latest quote:
Thank you for your interest in the Peninsula Glass Co. We look forward to enhancing your bus conversion experience by making sure you are fitted with the very best windows sold in the world. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, our reputation as the leader in quality is unmistakable. The side windows we offer for your MC-9 are replacement inserts™ for original equipment windows. For this application, do not discard your original windows; your original window frame will be necessary for installation (see installation attachment details). These windows are available in either single or dual pane sliders with screens—prices below:
MC-9 Driver Window (pictured attached)
Single Pane T-Slider-$292.00
Dual Pane T-Slider-$375.00
MC-9 Entry Door Window (pictured attached)
Single Pane Half Slider-$292.00
MC-9 Side Window Insert
Single Pane Half Slider-$280.00
Dual Pane Half Slider-$418.00
I'll know how hard they are to install in a few weeks, mine are supposed to ship any day now. Comparing the Peninsula/Motion windows to any other window is kind of irrelevant. Peninsula are the only people who make a quality slider window that is a direct replacement fit for a bus window. Other RV windows are rectangular. If you want windows that fix exactly into the OEM frames, you do not have any choice in who you buy from that I was able to discover. My requirement was to retain the emergency exit feature, as well as an OEM appearance on the outside.
I think the hardest part is going to be getting the OEM windows off the bus, and getting them back on again. They are heavy!
Brian
yes to heavy...I had a 78 model mci 8 and had the windows built at my local glass fabricator...he had all the alum extrusions and built them to fit...beautiful job....again no problem with motion..just price and in my case for the 29 by 60 rounded corner was 563$plus shipping each..nothing special but I saved 1200$on the 3 I needed..Herr....happy bussing...all buses and ownerbuilders are different====that makes this a great hobby....Bob
My local window person could have made the side windows that are rectangular (the middles ones, basically) but couldn't make the front-most or rear-most ones that are angled and have the big radius on the bend to the angle (if that makes any sense at all). Pen are the only people that I could find who could make those ones and guarantee that they would fit. No question the price is high, but they seem to have that market to themselves! I am actually planning, at some point, to take the rectangular windows out and sheet that bit over with aluminium. Figures I would be keeping the expensive windows and getting rid of the easy ones!
Maybe when I get mine finished I will publish a step by step for posterity, if the search function works! I am doing the rear-most windows on both sides.
Brian
The Hehr windows I installed were an exact fit, same radius and size, after I took out the factory windows I lined the outside of the opening with a strip of byutle (sp) tape, never could spell that word lol, then slid the window into place and used a clamp ring to secure it, they are thermopane, tinted sliders with screens, Bontragers had them in my sizes and in both black and white frames, several configurations with both exit and fixed install. I was pleased with the selection they had in sizes for most applications, after having the windows in place for a couple of years now, I'm still pleased with them. I paid 20 bucks each for mine, brand new, the ones I picked up for Paul were slightly more and went on a tour around the country before he got them, there are many companies that supply windows for the bus conversion besides penninsula windows that are exact fits but it seems penninsula has the edge on the marketing campaign.
Cody
Quotethere are many companies that supply windows for the bus conversion besides penninsula
Do you have info on these other companies? I need windows and would love to save some $$$$$
Thanks
Kevin