HI
Does any one no if they had a tool to put the rubber in round the glass on the RM/RMLs windows

thanks Brian

My bus number (if any): RML2616

Which glass? What rubber have you got? If you mean the standard side/rear/front window glass we had a glazing spoon, bit like a large flattened screw driver with rounded sides and the end bent, no sharp bits. Only hard bit with that rubber is getting the rubber's lip under the pan lip. If you mean other rubber you will have to say which. The destination glass rubber was replaced by laced glazing in the 90s and for that you do need a special tool.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960 RMC 1458 RM 1585 and several RTs

Thanks Brian. I'll change the link on the ROOF website when I get up to speed with my new Web editing package, Komposer.

I've just abandoned Microsoft Windows after years of increasing frustration. I've installed Linux instead on all my PCs. The Linux operating system is much faster and easier to use than Windows and has the advantage of being free. Open Office and all the other software is free too with excellent free help and support available.

I find fitting window rubber on the windows and blind boxes very difficult indeed. I've got a simple nylon stick with tapered edges which is really helpful. In the winter I warm the rubber in really hot water. Use plenty of washing up liquid. I find an assistant with glass handling suction cups very helpful.

My bus number (if any): RMs 238, 471, 2213 and GS17

I would agree that destination glass is far from easy to glaze, whether its the old rubber or laced as the rubber has to be fixed to the frame/door first, masking tape is usually the best to keep it in place, then the glass has to be fed into the lip all the way round and that is easier said than done even on a bench! Then with the old rubber the outer lip is folded in with a glazing tool or the lace applied with the newer laced rubber, and that needs a special tool. Saloon windows really should not be a problem, unlike the RT glass that was put in from the outside, the RM glass goes in from the inside, it really is just a case of getting the rubber around the outside of the glass and putting the whole lot inside the frame, (it can be harshly treated it will not break unless the edge is damaged) then all that needs doing is to get the edge of the rubber inside the polished interior lip with a glazing tool.

If people are having trouble fitting saloon windows there is either something wrong with the dimensions of the rubber or the glass. We have used a lot of glass from PSV and not had any problems with any RM glasses although we did have had some undersize glass on an RT which was too easy to fit and a comparison showed with original glass showed as much as 1/4" deficit on one dimension.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960 RMC 1458 RM 1585 and several RTs

One trick that works is to get the rubber as warm as possible.
A hairdryer is useful but to put the rubber in very hot water prior to fitting is a great help. Doing it on a hot day is also useful. Not easy in the UK.

The rubber becomes softer and more supple when warm making fitting a lot easier.

Thanks for replying & info Brian.
The rubber is for the side windows that do not have a lace of course. I fitted one with a drop down pane on & as suggested I warmed the rubber & used washing up liquid & even used WD40. It was a plastic window tool I was using & I was fed up by the time the glass was in. It was new rubber from Routemaster association. I just wanted to replace all existing rubbers with new if there was a tool to make life easy.
Regards Brian

My bus number (if any): RML2616

Hi Brian

PSV Glass sell a blue plastic tool a bit like a joiner's pencil (and the tool Chris described) - you can buy them in packs of five - see page 14 of the catalogue @ http://psvglass.clikpages.co.uk/glasstools/

My bus number (if any): RML2302

Which bit of the operation needs softening of the rubber? Is it to get it to fit around the glass or get the glass and rubber into the window pan? If the rubber is fitted around the glass (joint at the top) and cut to size then taped into position with masking tape so its really tight to the glass, there should be no problem in getting it into the window pan, unless dimensions of glass and/or rubber are not right, once its in the frame punch it in place literally, at the corners and put the lip in.

What I have found recently is that the IRS 0271 glazing rubber for the windscreens from COH Baines really is a pain, it seems that due to the metric conversion of rubber and glass making the combination fatter than specified by LT, it is nigh impossible to fit the glass into the frame without clamping it in or forcing it in very hard, as I believe Steve Anderson also found.

The LT spec for the rubber is 1.5"(38mm) x 3/32" (2.38mm) COH Baines do a flat rubber strip 2.4mm x 38mm or 51mm, you can also use the flat rubber strip 88-51-1 from Woolies doubled up to make 2mm thickness. What we need now is a modern way of fixing the windscreen frame together those brass angles and ridiculously short fixing screws are an absolute pain, there has to be a better way but cannot think of one yet.

My bus number (if any): RTL 960 RMC 1458 RM 1585 and several RTs