grand banks sliding window channels
- Thread starter Sequana
- Start date
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Cigatoo
Guru
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2016
- Messages
- 1,905
- Location
- Narragansett Bay
- Vessel Name
- Cigatoo
- Vessel Make
- Grand Banks 36 Classic #715
They are most likely stuck closed because of salt build up. Soak the lower tracks with warm water for a minute or two. I used a dawn dishwashing (squirt) bottle. All of ours, that had not opened in years, opened up. The forward windows are worse because of the salt spray.
Peter Pegasus
Veteran Member
Grupet, can you point to the unit on that url? There are many different window tracks...which one did you use? txs
C lectric
Guru
I offer my own solution used over the last 15 or so years.
Different boat but similar problems.
I had SS channel for tracks for my side windows sliders. If was ratty losing the felt which was bunching up interfering with the window movements.
My glass is laminated safety glass 1/4" thick.
I figured I could do better with UHMW plastic for the tracks. I tried one window and used the UHMW for the track. I cut it on my table saw so there were two tracks, one for each glass pane basically matching the SS track.
I cut tracks wide enough for easy glass movement back and forth. That left a strip of UHMW approx 1/8" wide in the middle to keep the glass panes separated.
I used a deburring scraper to remove the sharp edges, drilled mounting holes and countersunk them in the UHMW to match the existing holes in the wood trim and stop the screws from damaging the glass.
I learned quickly to remove the uppermost track FIRST so the glass could be tilted out for removal. The same for installation so the glass could be tilted in otherwise the glass must be held up into the upper track and the lower new track must be held into place while you argue with the lower glass edge..
It has worked well for many years now. I just got fed up with the SS tracks after a few replacements, their fuzzy liner and eventually the click and chipping from the screws which eventually became exposed.
It's not for everyone I realize but just a different way of doing the tracks. They do not collect salt spray in the felt so even though some are 10+ years old there is still no trouble with them.
Different boat but similar problems.
I had SS channel for tracks for my side windows sliders. If was ratty losing the felt which was bunching up interfering with the window movements.
My glass is laminated safety glass 1/4" thick.
I figured I could do better with UHMW plastic for the tracks. I tried one window and used the UHMW for the track. I cut it on my table saw so there were two tracks, one for each glass pane basically matching the SS track.
I cut tracks wide enough for easy glass movement back and forth. That left a strip of UHMW approx 1/8" wide in the middle to keep the glass panes separated.
I used a deburring scraper to remove the sharp edges, drilled mounting holes and countersunk them in the UHMW to match the existing holes in the wood trim and stop the screws from damaging the glass.
I learned quickly to remove the uppermost track FIRST so the glass could be tilted out for removal. The same for installation so the glass could be tilted in otherwise the glass must be held up into the upper track and the lower new track must be held into place while you argue with the lower glass edge..
It has worked well for many years now. I just got fed up with the SS tracks after a few replacements, their fuzzy liner and eventually the click and chipping from the screws which eventually became exposed.
It's not for everyone I realize but just a different way of doing the tracks. They do not collect salt spray in the felt so even though some are 10+ years old there is still no trouble with them.
GB42-424
Veteran Member
The stainless tracks I've replaced are approaching 10 years and will need to be replaced again. I'll definitely try your UHMW poly approach.
