Crown Window Removal

[GWRider-SKO]

I did not see anything when searching on removing Crown windows other than the following below which does not appear to work.

"As far as removing the windows are concerned, the window latches hold the glass to the frame that moves up and down. Remove the latches, take the top piece of the frame off and then the window will come out by tilting in while pulling it out."

I removed the latches but it does not appear to hold the glass to the frame on my 1990. There does not appear to be a way to remove the actual glass without removing the aluminum border around it which slides up and down the channel? I tried to separate the aluminum border from the glass but it will not come off. Surely, there is an easier way as windows do break and Schools replace them? If there is not an easier way, I may have a glass breaking party :mrgreen:

 

[o1marc]

Close up pics?

 

[Iceni John]

No, don't unscrew the two latches themselves on each window! You need to unscrew the three small Phillips flat-head machine screws on each side that bolt the latch uprights to the window pillars - they may be tight, so use a hand-held impact driver and a moderate-size hammer. Don't use an electric torque driver or you could shear them right off, then you'll have major problems getting the remnants out later. The window will then easily pivot out and up, and you can then separate it from the uprights. Behind each upright will be some thin long shims; keep each upright's shims with each upright, otherwise the windows will not slide smoothly when reassembled. When you put everything back together, I suggest using stainless screws with anti-seize on their threads, then you'll never again have trouble loosening them.

The only time you need to undo the glass's frames is if replacing glass or the CRL gasket around the edges. Occasionally the small rivets shear off, then you can carefully drill them out and rerivet the frames - I did that to two of my windows.

Zachers Bus Salvage in Harbor City CA has a whole rack of Crown windows of all different sizes - call Josh there if you need some.

Crown's window design is the best of any school bus ever made; when you understand their basic design concept you'll gain another insight into the genius of the Crown engineers who made the best school bus, ever!

John

 

[GWRider-SKO]

No, don't unscrew the two latches themselves on each window! You need to unscrew the three small Phillips flat-head machine screws on each side that bolt the latch uprights to the window pillars - they may be tight, so use a hand-held impact driver and a moderate-size hammer. Don't use an electric torque driver or you could shear them right off, then you'll have major problems getting the remnants out later. The window will then easily pivot out and up, and you can then separate it from the uprights. Behind each upright will be some thin long shims; keep each upright's shims with each upright, otherwise the windows will not slide smoothly when reassembled. When you put everything back together, I suggest using stainless screws with anti-seize on their threads, then you'll never again have trouble loosening them.

The only time you need to undo the glass's frames is if replacing glass or the CRL gasket around the edges. Occasionally the small rivets shear off, then you can carefully drill them out and rerivet the frames - I did that to two of my windows.

Zachers Bus Salvage in Harbor City CA has a whole rack of Crown windows of all different sizes - call Josh there if you need some.

Crown's window design is the best of any school bus ever made; when you understand their basic design concept you'll gain another insight into the genius of the Crown engineers who made the best school bus, ever!

John

Thanks, however I was able to figure it out and removed more than half of them earlier yesterday. I had to do the following for each window which is similar to what you mentioned. However, I find it easier to remove the latches, so they would not engage while trying to get the slides out from the outside.

1. Removed the 2 latches held on by 3 screws each.
2. Removed the 6 machines screws (3 per side) for the vertical latch brackets.
(I discovered that someone in bad judgement used regular screws on some)
3. Removed the outside aluminum covers for the window pillars by removing the 5 or 6 phillips screws (except for two of the covers in the rear which are wider and have a few more screws).
4. Gently insert a flat pry bar or large flat tip screwdriver between the pillar and vertical latch bracket to get the adhesive to release. You may have to work up and down to avoid damaging the brackets (unless you don't care and will not be reusing them like me).
5. From the outside of the Bus, pull each vertical latch bracket so that it clears the upper drip edge and slide it up and out. The shims may come with it but many times it was still stuck to the pillar by adhesive. Btw, the adhesive was the worst part of the removal.
6. Slide the window up and out.

I also had to drill out a few of the outside phillips screws in step 3 because they were seized by corrosion.