Jump to content

2006 Camelot windshield replacement - Phoenix Area


Recommended Posts

I have a 2006 Camelot 42DSQ, windshield is cracked in bot5h outside lower corners & still cracking. It happened short time ago, no place with a clue in Chicago. Will be in Phoenix AZ for next several weeks & wondering if any one knows of company, person, etc who knows what they are doing!! This will be #rd one in 4 years & time to have some one do it right!!

Any and all input with common sense or past experience would be appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Call Chris w RV Glass he is mobile great guy.sometimes runs a little behind schedule but very good 

480 241-9013

He did mine thru my insurance he uses USA made Glass from Custom Glass Solutions out of Ohio 614-9871660 ask for Star

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stan:

How long have you had the coach?  Has the windshield cracked previously?

I seem to recall that Monaco had some trouble with Camelot windshields and developed a "halo kit" that was installed in the front cap to stiffen the cap to prevent windshield cracking.

If you google (I just did) "Monaco Camelot Halo Kit" you'll get some hits.  There's a discussion on IRV2 and one contributor to the discussion suggested calling Source Engineering who are former Monaco guys and know about Monaco coaches.

I have a two piece windshield in my 2005 Knight and had serious trouble with windshield cracking.  After cracking 4 windshields I drove the coach from California to Coburg Oregon and had Monaco fix it.  The tech told me that the front cap should be secured to the plywood dash with two brackets.  There was only ever one in my coach and it was loose (thank you Monaco Indiana).  He installed 2 more brackets and tightened all 3 while a colleague was pushing on the cap from the side to make it square.

I think I had that fixed by Monaco 8 or 10 years ago and have had no trouble since.

At least in my case, the front cap was the main cause of my windshields cracking.  At 65 or 70 miles an hour road speed into a headwind there is a LOT of force on the cap.

If your coach is one of the ones that needed a Halo Kit and you don't have it, you might want to consider stiffening the cap somehow.  A call to Source Engineering to discuss would be a good place to start.

Dwight L

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stan sometimes it's an issue with the coach frame n some need added support so check other Monaco sites like Monaco owners on Facebook and irv.com for any issues with you make n model coach. Could also be the sequence you use when putting out slides.  Review the sequence in your owners manual. I know that on mine ,04 cayman, it's not the same procedure as other RVs, It says to shut engine off bleed down air/ lower coach air bags. Then extend the 2 slides , lower all Jack's ( I have 3) until they just touch the ground then lower front jack,  to use a pivot, then both rears. This is so you do not twist the frame as the windshield can crack.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have an '06 Diplomat and had replaced 3 windshields in 4 years and the last one cracked again only two weeks after we had it replaced.  We used RV Glass in Coburg (but they also have a shop in Phoenix) to dry fit a windshield to find out why it kept cracking.  A fiberglass shop ended up removing some fiberglass in one upper corner and adding fiberglass in the opposite upper corner.  It took 4 tries before the windshield fit correctly and it's been fine ever since.  We were really impressed with the RV Glass technicians.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have a 2006 Monaco Diplomat, we ordered & received new in Jan / 06 - (first yr of one piece windshield in the Dip) we didn't get 500 miles on it before the first windshield cracked right through the middle, vertically - as it was still new, & also had other issues, I made an appointment at Harrisburg, Oregon  (Monaco service centre)  in April to have this & other issues attended to - we stopped in on our way home from Yuma, returning to Alberta, Canada - this was the first of many appointments we had to correct the deficiencies - after Monaco replaced the first windshield, at Harrisburg (spring of 2007), we didn't get back to Canada before it cracked again - Monaco replaced one more windshield through their dealer, here in Alberta - it also cracked, similar to the previous ones - as we again had other deficiencies / warranty issues, we stopped in again at the service centre (April 2008) on our way north- this time, Monaco requested we leave the coach at the service centre while they made the necessary modifications - my understanding was, the windshield opening was not 'square', and that the windshield, even though in the rubber molding, was resting in one corner, on the fiberglas cap - they told me, they had to 'square up' the opening - the rectangular opening was not square (top & bottom were not parallel) if you can understand what I am trying to describe- anyway, we left the coach there for 6 weeks, for this modification - so, what ever they did, corrected the problem - we have had a couple more windshield replacements, but none caused by the original problem.  A little long, but that was our experience with a coach of similar vintage!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Dennis H said:

I've used Auto Glass Boss in Apache Junction and was very pleased with their knowledge and service. They also repair fogged windows.......Dennis

Auto Glass Boss

I used Auto Glass Boss in Mesa, AZ also for my fogged driver window and he charged me only $90. The work was perfect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I composed much of this to share with someone with a windshield cracking problem on a 2005 Camelot, but it pretty much summarizes what I have learned about the problem. I drove my used 2005 Scepter for about 12,000 miles without a windshield problem.  Then I had 3 cracked windshields in a row before Safelite auto glass said you need to do some bodywork before we will put a 4th windshield in, and they shared a pdf with me about windshield problems with 2005, 2006 and 2007 Camelots and Scepters.  Apparently about June 1, 2007 Monaco published a PDF entitled 2006 service bulletin about windshield cage reinforcement.  I don’t understand the dates on it, as it says 6-12-2010 on it too.  It also is clearly marked DRAFT, for whatever that is worth.  It is attached to this note.

I have included below pretty much everything I learned as I tried to resolve the problem.  But before that, here is my take on the issue:

Someone at REV said if the coach was built in 2004 (still a 2005 model year) the problem might not be as severe.  Well, mine was assembled in 2004.  I had 3 windshields replaced by Safelite auto glass (they paid for all the replacements except the original paid for by my insurance company).  (After installing the last new windshield, I had driven the coach 20 miles to storage, left it with airbags pumped up but pretty leaky system) and the next morning the windshield had cracked again. After the 3rd breakage they told me they would try again, but not until I had some coach body work done first (citing the service bulletin pdf by Monaco).  The windshield supplier (I think from Coach Glass) gave Safelite the PDF Monaco published, which they then gave to me, so they were convinced it was a chassis issue.  They then recommended Bono Bros, a twin city truck body shop in Minneapolis do the update, and I took the coach to them. 

Bono Bros ripped the front end of the coach apart, and concluded that the PDF didn't match how my constructed in 2004 coach was constructed.  They said the windshield was attached to a pure Fiberglas frame that had no supports.  So they attached aluminum angle iron braces to the sides and a support rod across the top of the windshield and reassembled it.  I have driven it about 7,000 miles over the last 7 months (MN to FL and back), and it has not broken.  However, whenever we park it, we dump air, and if we are going to use it, level the coach.  Bona Bros repair was less than 3 grand- not including windshield cost.  (Rev in Oregon said the issue might not ever be repairable, but they would try but it might cost $15,000 with no guarantees.  (I don't know if their repair was to be the same as what Bona Bros did to my coach.)

Now, my opinions are that Safelite auto glass NEVER installed the glass per Monaco's specs, i.e., the coach should be both level and at ride height, the clearance should be at least 1/2" all around, and the coach should not be moved for 24 hours to allow adhesive to set up.  At Bono Bros, it sat for more than 24 hours after the repair before I drove it.  It was installed by Twin City Auto Glass, who I think is part of a different national chain like Safelite, rather than Safelite actually doing the 4th installation.  I have had work done by them on a prior coach, and it was good.  For the first time in all the window replacements, they installed and glued in place a new gasket.  I recall someone maybe at REV saying the cracking might have been caused by the gasket adhesive failing after 16 or 17 years, and so replacing the gasket, letting the adhesive dry for 24 hours, maybe having the coach level (it never was at all 3 installs at Safelite) might be the solution.  Don't know, but if you have yours replaced without trying body work, I would insist they replace the gasket (not a trivial job as it is glued in place), level the coach, check clearances and let it set on level ground for 24 hours before moving it.  I would also dump air before parking it.

So maybe the pdf bulletin did not apply to my coach as it was built in 2004, or maybe installing the windshield following Monaco’s suggested repair procedure, or maybe installing a new gasket, or Bono Bros installation of reinforcing, or maybe all 4 factors is what has kept it from cracking now.  I have my fingers crossed.

Hope the info is useful.  Sorry my response is so long, but I wanted to document what I went through for my records and so I can easily share it with someone if the subject comes up again.  It can be a pretty terrifying problem.

Dave Jones

2006 Cam, Sce Draft SVC Bulletin.pdf

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...