[jrosser1]

Just an FYI: I bought an Arctic Tern window from Tern Overland and am very pleased with it.

The install was straightforward, built a rectangular wooden frame, cut a hole in the slider, and screwed the window together with wood frame between the two pieces.


The shade/screen assembly snapped into place, and two screws into the wooden frame holds it in place.


And then something went wrong! I opened the slider and saw that the spring for the shade had popped out, and the shade had come off its track and got wrinkled. I was able to fix it up, kinda, not very well, but it got us through the rest of trip.


I emailed Tern Overland, and they responded right away. They said they found a manufacturing defect, and ha already contacted the factory and rectified it. They also sent me a brand new shade/screen assembly, with return postage already paid.

I could not have asked for better customer service!


Bottom line: We really like our new window and highly recommend it, as well as the company.

P. S. It got a bit chilly on a couple of nights while we were camping, and that double-paned acrylic window was much warmer to the touch than the factory glass.

 

[Showtime]

What size did you use?

 

[jrosser1]

What size did you use?

450x1100mm window with the 34-44mm trim. I put it right in the slider.

 

[travelvanvan]

450x1100mm window with the 34-44mm trim. I put it right in the slider.

When you have a chance, could you post a picture? I know what they look like but would like to see the particular size you chose and how well it fits on our PM sliders. Thanks.

 

[ThomD]

When you have a chance, could you post a picture? I know what they look like but would like to see the particular size you chose and how well it fits on our PM sliders. Thanks.

Search for the Minimum Viable Camper thread. Dttocs put his photos there.

 

[Wankel7]

Have you had any rattling issues or noise from the window / shade while driving?

 

[ThomD]

Have you had any rattling issues or noise from the window / shade while driving?

Yes, sometimes the shade rattles just a bit on rough highways. Someday I may look at reducing that , but it is way down on the list of To Dos. Even with the rattle, I'm happy. One other very small thing to be aware of is that if it very warm, you need to be a bit careful when you lower the shade. The material expands ever so slightly and can bind in the track if you just try to slam it down. I don't want to over state this issue. It is a little thing. Just lower the shade mindfully and it works fine.

 

[jrosser1]

When you have a chance, could you post a picture? I know what they look like but would like to see the particular size you chose and how well it fits on our PM sliders. Thanks.

Sorry, I missed your request!

Here's a couple of pix:
Outside view
Inside view

 

[climbsteadi]

jrosser- thanks for sharing.
Looks like that 450x1100 is the sweet spot for the slider door.

Is that the only window you put in or are you adding one to the galley and/or back?
Cheers~

 

[jrosser1]

jrosser- thanks for sharing.
Looks like that 450x1100 is the sweet spot for the slider door.

Is that the only window you put in or are you adding one to the galley and/or back?
Cheers~

My rig came with back windows, and I have not added any others. So for, the holes in my van are the window in the slider (which is our living room/bedroom), Maxxfan in the roof, and a small vent fan in the side, near the toilet and heat-producing appliances (e.g. dorm fridge). Also, like many others, my solar panel wires come in through 2 holes I made in the back-up camera housing.

Plus, if I'm honest, a screw hole where I grabbed the wrong length screw when attaching a "stud" and the tip of it came through the side. Oops!

 

[Showtime]

are they tinted as much as the factory rear glass is?

 

[climbsteadi]

Sorry, I missed your request!

Here's a couple of pix:
Outside view
Inside view

Jrosser1-

What kind of panels and/or finishing did you choose to do on your slider? Or is the photo how you plan to keep it?

Just curious as I am trying to choose the right trim depth for my 450x110 in the slider. I've seen both the 24-34mm and the 34-44mm used. It looks like with the 34-44mm, as you have, one could still do some panel/trim on that section of the door, though it would be very thin around the edges.

 

[ThomD]

Get the 34-44. That's 1.3 to 1.7 inches. I wanted that much space so that I could have room to insulate the rest of the door around the window.

 

[climbsteadi]

Get the 34-44. That's 1.3 to 1.7 inches. I wanted that much space so that I could have room to insulate the rest of the door around the window.

Lovely! Thanks Thomd. Done and done. I just needed someone to push me a direction for this one.
Nice looking wood spacer you made there.

I am planning on putting in the 450x1100, I know you went with the x900 width. Any particular reason for the smaller size?
Naturally, I'm over thinking all of this and should just put the order in!
CHeers!

 

[ThomD]

I used the x900 because that was all that was available. I wish I had the 1100s. As you can see from my 500mm height, 550 would be a tiny bit too tall, so probably best to stick with 450s.

For all the hemming and hawing that I did, the windows were one of the easiest things to do.

 

[dttocs]

I used the 45-55 mm trim ring on my 450x1100 window along with the factory interior panels. See build thread for details.

 

[climbsteadi]

Thanks, gents!

dttocs... I've already read that section of your build thread an embarrassing amount of times, ha! You have a 450x1100 in the driver's side panel but not in the slider, correct?

Today I put in my order for a 450x1100 / 33-44mm trim depth. The person from Tern I spoke to on the phone was very personable and supportive. I should have my window by either this weekend or next week.

I'll make some posts once I get my build thread up!

 

[climbsteadi]

Dear experienced slider-door window install gurus:

Removing the vertical support in the slider-door...

I have read use of an angle grinder.
I have read use of a spot weld cutter (but this only works with the supports on panels, not the sliding door)

The interior trim piece I've built cannot sit flush against the inside sheet metal unless I cut back the vertical support an extra inch or so (this window requires trim/depth on the inside to clamp to).

Is an angle grinder the best way to do this? I'm just picturing myself overshooting that thin support and grazing the interior sheet metal, thus punching through to the other side!
Is keeping a steady hand and praying really the only option? Just making sure before I go buy another tool...

The support on the sliding door is not a separate piece, so the spot weld cutter doesn't apply:

 

[MsNomer]

I used a Harbor Freight multi-tool on the slider window support.

 

[climbsteadi]

I used a Harbor Freight multi-tool on the slider window support.

Such as this? https://www.harborfreight.com/variable-speed-oscillating-multi-tool-63111.html

Thanks for the reply, MsNomer.
Looks like that kind of tool offers a little more precision that a grinder, eh?