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How-to: Swap the door triangle windows

20K views 22 replies 17 participants last post by  GreaseMonkey2000 
#1 ·
I recently helped walk a fellow member through the install of some naca ducted Lexan triangle windows, and he suggested that I share the instructions here for others. So here's my guide to a relatively painless window swap procedure.

Here's a PDF file for easier saving/printing: Right-click, save as.


PHASE 1: REMOVAL

1. Remove the door cards.





2. Peel back the plastic splash shield material.
* CAUTION! This stuff can be very sticky and stretchy and can make a huge mess if you aren't careful.





3. Remove the screw at the top of the triangle window.



4. Roll down the door window.

5. Remove the three bolts (10mm) hold the door window onto the window regulator.
* Start with the one at the front and then do the two at the rear. You will probably have to roll the window upward slightly when going from front bolt to upper rear bolt to lower rear bolt.





6. Remove the two window stops at the top of the door (10mm).

7. Carefully slide the door window out of the door. Be careful not to tear any weatherstripping at the edges of the window.



8. Remove the two bolts (10mm) that hold the front window guide rail in place.





9. Slide the top corner of the triangle window weatherstripping off of the frame.





10. Remove the final screw holding the guide rail to the frame, and then wiggle guide rail away from frame.



11. Work the window out of the weatherstripping and remove from the frame.
* I find that it is easiest to work the top corner out first and slide the window backward away from the frame.







 
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#2 ·
How-to: Swap the door triangle windows (Pt. 2)

PHASE 2: INSTALLATION

Installation is basically the reverse of removal, but here are some tips that I think will make it go much smoother:

Tip #1: I find that it is easiest to install the window by making sure that the weatherstripping is pretty much in place on the frame/door and then sliding the window into it.

Tip #2: **IMPORTANT** I find that it makes the job much easier and yields better results if you use something to lubricate the very edge of the window. I use some armor-all style plastic protectant by spraying it on a paper towel and then wiping it along the edge of the window. You can also use a q-tip to wipe the inside channel of the weatherstripping.

1. Start by lining things up in position with the window on the outside face of the door/window frame.

2. Insert the front lower corner into the weatherstripping. Use small flat screwdrivers or something like a butter knife to make sure that the window is inside the channel on both the lower and upper sides or the corner. Use the flat blade to slip the edge of the weatherstripping over the edge of the window as you push/work the window farther forward into position in the weatherstripping. Be sure that you get at least a few inches up the window edge inserted, so that it doesn't pop out during the next steps.











3. The bottom edge of the weatherstripping will probably be a slightly loose fit on the window. Line up the rear lower corner of the window into the stripping as you did the front corner. This should be pretty easy to achieve.



4. Pull the upper corner of the weatherstripping onto the window and get it lined up as best as possible and then Use the flat blade to finish lining up the top/front side of the window in the weatherstripping while pushing the window forward into the frame from the back edge. Things should be lining up pretty well at this point.



5. Begin sliding the rear edge of the window into the weatherstripping on the guide channel by pushing the guide channel on to it and using the flat blade to keep the weatherstripping from turning on to itself under the window edge. The window should now be more or less in place.







6. Adjust everything so that it seems to be lined up and fits relatively well without stretching or stressing any of the weatherstripping. Insert the top piece of the guide channel into the frame, line it up, and screw in the front-most screw to the frame. Now line up the guide channel and screw the bolts in hand tight. *Do not torque them down yet.*

7. Pull the top corner of the weatherstripping in place over the frame and guide rail. When mounting the top corner of the weatherstripping on the door, be sure to line up the groove and slide it in from the back edge. The lip on the weatherstripping is reinforced with metal at the very corner, so you can't just "pop" it into the groove at the corner like you can along the rest of the frame. Once it is in place, screw in the second screw on the top of the frame.



(My weatherstripping is a bit old and beat up/torn, but you can see the groove and the lip lined up here.)

8. Now re-insert your door window, being sure to align everything as you slide it back into the door. Re-install the bolts that attach it to the window regulator. *Do not torque them down yet.*

9. Check the alignment of the window and guide rail and if it seems about right then torque down the bolts on the window. Roll the window all the way up and down to insure that the window is not binding anywhere. If it is binding, adjust the guide channel as necessary (or if necessary, loosen and adjust the window and then torque it back down). Once everything is lined up properly, torque down the guide channel bolts.

10. Install and align the window stoppers. Open and shut the doors a couple times with the windows up just to be completely sure that everything lines up properly. If there are any problems, loosen things up and re-align and then torque back down and test again until it's lined up right.

11. Re-stick the moisture barrier to the door. I find that a hairdryer or heat gun set on low helps to make the goop more tacky and malleable for a better seal, but this may not be necessary.

12. Reinstall the door card.



PHASE 3: CHILLIN'

Have a cold beer (or other beverage of choice) and kick back for a while.

Disclaimer: No guarantees or warranties or any other such assurances. As always, when you wrench on your car the liabilities rests on you. While this process worked great for me, your mileage (and results) may vary.
 
#10 ·
It worked pretty well for me in Gulf Coast Texas summer heat. There were a few days when it was just so hot and humid that all that air blowing over you was kind of like trying to cool off by pointing a hair dryer at your face, but generally speaking it did a great job in all but the worst of the hot summer days. Of course, if you get stopped at a red light or traffic jam, they don't provide any real benefit.

The duct moves a lot of air as long as there is somewhere for it to go. If the windows are completely closed you will create a high pressure zone inside the cabin and the ducts won't work very well, but if you crack one or both of the windows open the ducts will work quite well.
 
#16 ·
There are a few places that sell them, but I just made mine. You can get the naca ducts from Pegasus racing and other suppliers (or the pop out vents from Spruce Aircraft), and the polycarbonate can be purchased from most plastics suppliers and some Home Depot stores.
 
#20 ·
Bumping this great write up because I will be installing a Project G vented window soon, thanks for the great write up! :icon_cheers:
 
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