Dinette window won’t close completely

[Bmackr6]

We have a 2016 260tbwe Springdale that has a crank to open/close horizontal window.
It will not close all the shut now on one side.
The side closest to the rear will close but the opposite side there is about 1/4 gap and the wheel crank will not turn any further.
I can’t figure out if there is a way to adjust.
There has been damage, no impact that I can see?
One day we won’t to close it and now we always have a gap?
I also need a screen for this same window.?

[chuckster57]

If your talking about a “frameless” window I would be looking at the fingers that extend from the center, making sure they are even, and the rollers are in the track. There should be some numbers printed on the glass on the exterior to help with sizing for the screen. Measure the window flange to flange too.

[Bmackr6]

It’s not a frameless window.
The inside handle is cranked closed all the was till it stops but it still leaves this gap?
I don’t know if it matters but the crank to close is on the same side.
Also if I open all the way and then go to use the crank to close, the window has no closing movement until 3-4 turns and it then falls most of the way closed.

[LHaven]

I'm interested in following this, because my similar window is developing this same problem. When one edge is shut tight, the other edge is slightly ajar. Unfortunately, this is the windward edge when we are traveling, so I'd like to know how to adjust this.

As far as the "no closing movement until 3-4 turns," this is normal for this style of window mechanism, both opening and closing. It's just the slop in the worm gear.

[chuckster57]

I would be looking at the arms. When open is the window open the same amount at both ends? And as stated, there is some slop in the gears.

[Bmackr6]

The arms seem both fully extended when open full stop.
I don’t detect any slop, I took the handle off and the plastic teeth look good too.
It just seems that once the left side contacts the frame, the right side is sticking out a little, and I can’t turn the crank anymore it’s all the way to it’s stop?

[JRTJH]

It is probably one of two issues.

First, the gears INSIDE the window drive are broken/stripped. That would explain why the window "falls" when you start to close it. The gears pull it in until it hits the "stripped part" then the window drive "falls" until it hits the good part of the gears again. The fix is to replace the gear drive assembly, probably a $5 part at any RV supply store.

Second, the "torque tube" (the tube that connects the drive side to the follow side of the window) is twisted. That would allow the follow side to close before the drive side and there's not enough force to continue to close the drive side once the follower side is "completely closed". The fix is to replace the torque tube AND the gear drive assembly.

It's possible that both of the problems above exist. You could have, in the past, opened the window too far or closed it too tightly, twisting the torque tube AND stripping the gears..... I know, I know... I call that "gorilla operation".... but you'd be surprised how many I see with both problems...

Now, in addition to these, the follower arm may be bent, causing it to close before the drive arm. I don't think this is your problem based on your comment that when you start to close the window, it comes in a bit, then falls most of the way, then starts cranking in again. Sounds to me like the gear drive is stripped "INSIDE" the mechanism, not the teeth on the crank handle or the arm the handle screws into, but the gears INSIDE the box.

ADDED: Here is a photo of the window crank assembly. You can see the gears that drive the arm assembly (that attaches to the torque tube) but not the gears that drive that part (which are on the end of the crank handle part).

[flybouy]

I think John's assessment on the gears/rod is most likely the issue.
I'm curious why you need the screen as well. A couple of years ago our unit was burglarized while in a storage lot. The culprit pried open the window which is close to the entrance door. He reached thru and unlocked the door to gain entry. In doing so, he damaged the window mechanism and destroyed the screen. The bad guy broke into several, actually many units the same way. On some the crank window was next to a larger slide window that he could climb thru.