Cottontail
Easy Street on Mud Tires
Well, after busting out my rear cargo window on this trail (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caN6YkIBxg8) and spending the rest of the day accessing my tools through the hole in the side that used to be a window, I realized how handy it was to not have to pull the tire carrier open and the tailgate to access so I decided to build a hinged window.
I started by cutting down the old gasket so it still held a seal around the lip of the window opening.
I went to Home Depot and got a piano hinge, and a bunch of nuts and screws. I cut a paper template and took that to a plastics supplier in town and purchased a sheet of smoked plexiglass ($40). I cut it to size and then then used a dremel with sanding inserts and a polishing stone to tweak the fit.
When it was all in place, I realized the biggest flaw in my plan. The window opening is concave, but the plexiglass is flat. I was able to solve that by sandwiching the corners with aluminum sheets, drilling a hole in the window frame and the window and using clevis pins and hitch pins to hold them in place. I do have a "tool box lock" that I haven't installed, but will be soon.
I drove it last night in the pouring rain. It isn't 100% water tight, but very little intruded. It's a little noisier than the fixed window and doesn't seal tight on the bottom. However, for a primary trail rig, it will work great. If, eventually it breaks or I determine it isn't as good a plan as I thought I'll drop $25 at the pull a part and get a replacement glass and gasket.
I started by cutting down the old gasket so it still held a seal around the lip of the window opening.
I went to Home Depot and got a piano hinge, and a bunch of nuts and screws. I cut a paper template and took that to a plastics supplier in town and purchased a sheet of smoked plexiglass ($40). I cut it to size and then then used a dremel with sanding inserts and a polishing stone to tweak the fit.
When it was all in place, I realized the biggest flaw in my plan. The window opening is concave, but the plexiglass is flat. I was able to solve that by sandwiching the corners with aluminum sheets, drilling a hole in the window frame and the window and using clevis pins and hitch pins to hold them in place. I do have a "tool box lock" that I haven't installed, but will be soon.
I drove it last night in the pouring rain. It isn't 100% water tight, but very little intruded. It's a little noisier than the fixed window and doesn't seal tight on the bottom. However, for a primary trail rig, it will work great. If, eventually it breaks or I determine it isn't as good a plan as I thought I'll drop $25 at the pull a part and get a replacement glass and gasket.
