Help!!
The weather has suddenly turned hot and I find myself with some windows that wont open.
Is there an easy way of removing the window winder bar as some appeared to be seized.
I have tried penetrating oil and lots of swear words but neither worked.
Other than hammering seven bells out of the bar is there an easy way to do it please.

Many thanks
Graham

My bus number (if any): rml2478

WD40. I found these gum up in 2 places: the winder itself, remove the little oil nipple, don't lose it, squirt WD40 in there, et it soak in. Using a wooden mallet, gently tap the winder handle where it goes into the winder bar, the shaft the winder handle sits on gets sticky. Do the same with the oil nipples at the ends of the winder bar.

On my bus I removed the sliding windows and and cleaned the rods with slots with a wire brush to remove rust and muck from them. If you want to remove the winder bars, clean the cogs out to get rid of the muck from them too.

My bus number (if any): RML2532

Leave penetrating oil 24 hours, too many spray it on and expect instant movement!

Then use Turps to clean everything! See if you can force the droplight down to get at slide screws, bottom of slide has bar that turns out, take them right out and as Roy says clean them, get all the hardened grease out of the cogs and slides.

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

It could be that I am being too impatient as I have already tried what was suggested but I have to admit I have not let it soak for very long.
Does the little winder mechanism remove from the bar,I removed the screws but it appears to be solid.

Graham

My bus number (if any): rml2478

I got into the habit a few years ago of taking a can of WD40 to RM 1563 twice a year and squirting anything inside the bus and a few outer places too that might require a screwdriver, spanner or T key - plus doing the window winders and destination box winders. Always wiping off any excess. It seems to work in as much as it`s being pro-active rather than re-active as nothing I`ve ever needed to open, turn or undo has been a problem. All of the window winders work as well as they did when in daily use on LT and serviced routinely. The only thing that is a problem is the flap on the rear panel that gives access to the stop light. I have never managed to get that open and have bent a T key trying. Even WD40 has failed here. Any suggestions please?

IIRC the hinge at the top of the number plate/stop light panel is pop riveted in place with countersunk rivets. If the budget lock is seized then you can guarantee that the hinge is as well. In that case drill out/grind off the hinge rivet heads and the whole panel will then come away. With it off the vehicle it can be dealt with a lot more easily. Either give it a bath in penetrating oil for a few days or remove both hinge and lock and then attack with a blow lamp.

I was about to mention the gas axe approach....:)

My bus number (if any): RML2532

Thanks Roy. I had a feeling it wasn`t going to be an easy solution with lubricants and that it would involve tools!

You don't need to take the handle off normally, it doesn't achieve much, you need to get the top halves out and clean the end cogs and get some lubrication in, the winders have grease nipples that needs some grease! To get the winding mechanism out you have to take out the bottom half anyway to remove the end cogs, but usually once turning a good clean and grease will rectify problems!
.

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

Try freeing the budget lock Neil as Roy suggests, that is all that is preventing it opening, put some Plus Gas, not WD 40 in it and leave it for at least 12 hours. If budget lock is seized you could try drilling off the heads of the securing bolts, but that's not going to be easy.

To get at the hinge rivets to chop them off, you would have to get the door open anyway, unless you drill them from the front, but you risk damage that way unless you are very precise and you'll have to rivet them all back!

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

Plus Gas will work on almost all the above mentioned.
But you have to be patient. A spray or drops every few hours will work and for the really stubborn over a few days and it's amazing how well things will undo.

Often confused with WD40 which has a raft of uses, Plus Gas is different and does what it says on the can!

Thanks Jack I must admit it was not plus gas that I used but a brand that my local commercial repair shop use.
I will give the plus gas a try but in the event that doesnt work what is the best way to remove the winder bar without breaking anything?


Graham

My bus number (if any): rml2478

Use a wooden mallet to gently tap the winder bar up from the glass. If the glass is etched, maybe the time to fit a new piece and replace the window rubber as well.

My bus number (if any): RML2532

had a look at a spare I have Neil, only 4 rivets to drill out so not as bad as I thought. Putting them back, use round heads from the inside and flatten from the outside and file off.

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

Thanks Brian (and to others who gave advice) but I had an unexpected result in that I actually managed to get the flap open a few days ago.

It would appear that periodic blasts of WD40 over time probably did ease the budget lock - not that I had checked it recently. But when I did last week there was a bit of movement - enough to persevere with more WD40 until finally the lock turned. But then the hinged upper part was stuck which is possibly from never being protected prior to - or opened since - the last repaint. After a few minutes of working on it and then scraping paint residue off, it works!



I actually think there`s a lot to be said for periodically spraying WD40 onto things that may need to be undone/turned in the future. Having long done this to the bolts that hold the seat frame legs to the floor and the edges to the side wall plus the stanchion caps screws, all turned easily when I tried them. Which probably isn`t bad considering they probably haven`t been touched since 1985.

Penetrating oil is better Neil, WD40 is really a waterproofing solution When you takes those screws out, put a touch of grease on the end when putting them back, we did on all wood screws, and the set screws for the exterior were soaked in turps and oil for a day or so.

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

So I removed the winders that are seized and set about freeing them off.
First problem I had was finding anybody that sold plus gas,when I finally tracked some down I had to go cap in hand to the bank for a loan its so expensive these days.
I can remember back in the day when I had cans of the stuff just kicking about with the metal tube attached for those hard to reach places.
Well long story short it didn't work but what did was submerging the winder in a gallon of diesel overnight and next morning it was good as new.
I notice some of you are mentioning that you apply penetrating oil to bolts and things that should move but never do after a while well i find copper slip grease does a real good job and it doesn't evaporate over time like penetrating fluid.I also coat battery terminals with it and that seems to keep corrosion away.

Graham

My bus number (if any): rml2478