Reata Walk Thru Windshield Adjustment

[flemij1]

The movable windshield on my 2006 Reata 1850 has sagged and now hits at the top corner and the bottom is rubbing against the fiberglass.

I have tried shimming the port side glass just by the hinge with a couple of ss washer but the top corner still hits. The washers also prevent the rubber gasket on the bottom from sealing so this does not seem to be a good solution.

Any ideas on how to fix this easily or is it best done at the dealer?

[PJM]

FlemiJ1

The windshield are hard to adjust because there are bolts that go all the way though the fiberglass with nuts on them and between the bolts are screws. You almost have to take it off and re-drill and reposition the windshield. I would check with a dealer because I had a boat with a similar problem

[cc-rider]

My center windshield is starting to sag too. I think I'm going to call Ranger to see what their solution is....they should have reinforced these center sections...

[went522]

The movable windshield on my 2006 Reata 1850 has sagged and now hits at the top corner and the bottom is rubbing against the fiberglass.

I have tried shimming the port side glass just by the hinge with a couple of ss washer but the top corner still hits. The washers also prevent the rubber gasket on the bottom from sealing so this does not seem to be a good solution.

Any ideas on how to fix this easily or is it best done at the dealer?

I've had mine adjusted by the dealer a few times now...just ended up sagging again.

The issue on mine as well as a buddies reata...which is probably the same as yours. With the windshield closed if you lift/wiggle it up and down you can see the screw/hinge are loose on top the walk through. It's just the one screw that I've noticed. I can tighten that screw, the frame there is still loose and that's what's allowing the sag. This is the exact same on my buds.

I've come to the conclusion that adjusting or tightening the screws doesn't work, it will sag again very soon.

I think if a guy pushes up on the walk through windshield so it's tight on hinge and drills and installs another screw on the front side that it would snug it up and keep it from sagging.

I'll let you know if it works...you just lit a fire under my arse!!! It's been bugging me for 5 years now, I'm doing something about it tonight! I'll take some pics(before and after) and post them later tonight...if my theory is right, it'll work.

BIRDDOG

[flemij1]

The two screws at the top of the hinge are tight and there is very little movement at the hinge when I try to move the window up and down.

I also looked to see if the entire port side console could be adjusted. After removing the port side carpeted foot rest and the shelf, I found the console is attached with several large screws and epoxied/bonded in place - no way to loosen and adjust. I have a few pictures of this if anyone is interested.

Looks like the only way to adjust the center window is to remove the 2 small screws and nuts that attach the windshield to the console and shim.

[went522]

Finished up! Turned out great...I can now put down pressure on walkthrough and it pops right back up. The walkthrough is much more sturdy and tight compared to how it was. I don't think the 2 screw holding the walkthrough to the hinge are enough, even though the screws were tight the shield was still loose in the hinge. Here are the pics of what I did.

First pic is the sag before.

Second pic is the hinge side and the gap between the hinge channel and walkthrough. Next is a pic when I pulled up on the walkthrough, didn't take much pressure to close that gap! All screws were cranked tight beforehand but the front of the channel isn't secured/screwed so it allowed the the walkthrough to wiggle around in the channel. IMHO the 2 screws that hold the hinge to the walkthrough aren't enough, even though they were kept cranked as tight as possible the walkthrough was still sloppy in the hinge channel.

Next is the front bottom...I added a screw to each side. Next is the top...same thing. I used red titelok on every screw I could find.

BIRDDOG

[went522]

Here is the finished product. I didn't have much play in my hinge either...it was play between the hinge channel and walkthrough. I can now lift up or push down on the walkthrough and there is no play in the hinge channel at all, it's tight.

I used SS screws and red titelok.

BIRDDOG

[Chode2235]

I have the same issue with my walk through windshield. Everything is tight, and I even untightened the entire windshield and 'tweaked' it a bit.

There is just so much play in that hinge that causes the window to sag a bit.

Would a bigger hinge rod do the trick, or where did you end up putting the additional screws? I'm not sure I followed the description completely.

[solangler]

Take a carpenters square, lay it across the top, with one side going down the side, I do believe that you will find the window is of square, the actual window is sagging, I had to take mine apart and square it, after I squared it I added extra screws, on the top right, and on the bottom right,

[went522]

I have the same issue with my walk through windshield. Everything is tight, and I even untightened the entire windshield and 'tweaked' it a bit.

There is just so much play in that hinge that causes the window to sag a bit.

Would a bigger hinge rod do the trick, or where did you end up putting the additional screws? I'm not sure I followed the description completely.

A year later and back to the top...

Happy to say my windshield as as solid as ever, NOT A HAIR of sag after a year with the extra screws. ROCK SOLID!

Problem is the 4 small screws holding the hinge, 2 on the port frame and 2 holding the center glass up.
The hinge, from the factory is only held on by those 4 screws...with the shield closed and sitting in the coc-kpit you'll notice the 2 screws that hold the hinge to the center glass and the 2 screws that hold the hinge to the port glass. These 2 screws on each side of the hinge aren't near enough to hold things up tight and square. What I did...if you look in pics 4 and 5 is added 4 new screws. 2 on top and 2 on bottom on the "outside" of the hinge. What this accomplished is it sucked that "c channel" hinge tight to the frame so it can't move.

Close the shield. Take a shim of sorts and shim the center section so it sits a hair above the driver frame, this is to compensate for the play in the hinge pin. Took the drill and drilled those 4 new holes on the outside of the frame and added SS screws(pics 4 and5). Locktite'd the 4 screws on the inside and the 4 new screws on the outside...cranked them tight. Removed the "shim" and the center section dropped level with the rest of the frame.

BIRDDOG

[walteye]

On my Crestliner I took a piece of plastic and put it on the bottom of my starboard console so that the window rests on it, rather than allowing the hinge to take all the stress on the window. Not a problem any more.
Walteye

[angler53]

I think the problem is the gasket, not the frame, or fasteners.
This panel is not square, so we have to say true, or correct shape.
If the door fit perfect on the showroom floor a day or so in the waves will fix that. If the glass was large enough to hold the frame true we wouldn't have to contend with sag but tempered glass can't be held in tension, it will break. If the glass was Acrylic (plexiglass) it could be of a size and shape that would remain true, but plexiglass just doesn't hold up.
I have adjusted mine a few times only for the sag to reappear after time.
If you could block the glass to frame at bottom hinge side and opposite top it would remain true in shape to its frame opening. I could add an aluminum gusset at those opposing corners but I found that after I solved the door sag I was still faced with movement in the fixed panels for the same reason. I've thought about this a lot and I've decided it's just not worth the danger of breaking a glass messing with it so I adjust the door when needed and go fish.

[cc-rider]

Since my center windshield exploded into a billion pieces last summer, I know more about these center windshields that I'd like to know!

If the windshield is sagging down...just grab the bottom of it at opposite end of the hinge and give a few tugs upwards until it is back in alignment. The windshield just sits inside gaskets and there is some room in there for play. It will probably sag again, but it is easy to fix.

I like the idea that someone mentioned here about putting a little rest down by the fiberglass for it to rest on when closed rather than the hinge taking it all. That would probably keep it nice.

What everyone needs to be careful of is the frame (the horizontal top and bottom members of the frame) bowing towards the back of the boat from wind pressure and other pressures. This happened to mine and the windshield eventually blew out of it. And when it blows...it blows into a billion pieces. That tempered glass cannot hold a lot of pressure before she lets go...

[lundeepv]

Same thing on my Ranger......windshield has never been right since day 1. Had it to the dealer and they redrilled a couple holes on the riser. It didn't sag for a few times out but now I have to open it 90 degrees and give it a hard yank from the bottom up. I also travel with a towel on the lower corner where it closes into so the driver's side edge doesn't dig into the fiberglass. Now I just keep an eye on it and give it the yank when needed.

[Walleyes and Roosters]

With all the banging from the waves and all the bouncing from the road my windshield use to move around a bunch. It was not because of attachments or loose hardware but the frame was racking out of alinement. I would grab the top of the windshield on the driver side and tug it back over and grab the corner bottom of the operating window and give it a tug up and off I go. Try it.