Below is a video on how to replace a camper emergency window latch
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Today we are going to be showing you how to replace a camper emergency window latch. We will be showing you on this 2017 heartland pioneer RG28. It will be the same process for other campers. You will want to measure your window latch to ensure you get the correct part for your own camper or RV.
So on this one we have some string and duct tape on the outside of the window holding it closed as the emergency window latch handle broke on the way back home from a camping trip.
On this one you can see the red emergency window latch handle has broken off. What happens is there is a rivet that holds the bracket to the handle and the metal around the rivet that holds the window bracket to the handle is very thin and eventually wears out. So after some use and stress from holding the window shut during travel they fail.
For the new emergency window latch replacement one we ended up getting a AP Products part # 013-242. This kit includes everything you need to replace the entire thing. It comes with the window bracket attached, all the rivets you need to complete the install, the guide for the handle and the handle latch / catch.
So you can either just replace the broken parts or all of them. For this camper we are just going to replace the broken handle and save the guide and the latch as they are in good shape.
To start we are going to remove the string and the duct tape on the outside of the window and open it. Well grab a paint stir stick or something to prop the window open.With the window propped open we can grab a drill and a small drill bit set and drill out the rivets. You will want to start with a smaller drill bit and move up size by size to ensure you don’t go too big with drilling a hole within the window. We want it just big enough to remove the rivet. we found that a 3/16 was just right to remove the rivet.
Once you have drilled out both rivets the latch bracket should just fall off the window. With the latch removed we can unpackage the new emergency window latch. You will want to ensure that you have the handle facing the correct way to ensure that when it goes though the guide plate that it will correctly have the notch down within the tip of the red handle end.
With the handle in the correct orientation we can grab our rivet gun and 2 rivets and insert them though the bracket and into the window. Once we have the rivet and bracket in position we can take the rivet gun and expand them to fasten the bracket to the window. If you were going to replace the window guide or the latch/ catch you can take the drill bit and drill out the rivets on those and install the new ones like we just did with the window bracket and handle.
Now that we have the handle attached to the window we can open it enough to remove the paint stir stick or prop rod and slide the handle though the guide plate and let the notch in the handle hold the window open.
Next we can go back inside the camper and fully close and open the emergency window latch to ensure it is working properly. So we will fully close and open the window a few times to make sure it operates smoothly and there doesn’t seem to be too much force on the window when closing it.
This handle we used measured from the red handle tip to the center line of the rivet where it broke off the window bracket is 10”. So this is a 10 handle and that is what the description of the handle we order says it is. The one we used was an AP Products Part # 013-242.
So with the emergency window latch functioning as it should, that’s it we have just shown you how to replace a camper or RV emergency window latch.
