How to Replace an RV Window Torque Operator
You will find window torque operators in older-style recreational vehicles, or RVs, used to open and close awnings and/or Jalousie (louvered) roll-out windows. Their popularity waned in the early 1970s with the increasing availability of air-conditioner units. Torque operators are almost universally side-mounted, accepting a half-inch spindle into a hub that projects half an inch from the body. The torque operator affects the awning or window via a torque bar. You action it by turning a handle. A full transmission system is colloquially called a crank assembly.
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Instructions
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1
Remove any paneling that obscures access to the crank assembly. Use a screwdriver to remove screws, but use a broad pry bar to lift panels held in place by snaps.
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2
Use duct tape across the glass slats to ensure that none can fall out while you make the repair. The slats are often referred to as "lights."
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3
Loosen the retaining screws (if present) on either side of the operator body which lock the torque bars in place. Use your screwdriver or socket set as appropriate. You will hear torque bars referred to as "stay bars" or "linkage bars."
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4
Remove the nuts holding the torque operator to its bracket or housing. There will typically be four nuts screwed into four captive nuts, one near each corner of the torque operator. Be careful not to lose the nuts if they are not captive.
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5
Draw the torque operator toward you, away from its bracket or housing. Have an assistant gently pull apart -- outward -- the torque bars. The torque operator should easily separate, without putting stress on the linkages at the outer ends of the torque bars.
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6
Buy the correct Jalousie window crank, an enormous selection of which home improvement warehouses usually stock. Manufacturers seldom house torque operators in crowded spaces, so external diameter and depth are typically not issues. Many dozens of shapes and sizes were manufactured, and no standard was ever adopted by any consumer industry. However, a number of fastener templates are produced; ensure that you buy a replacement with bolt pass-throughs that match up to the captive bolts into which you must thread them.
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Reassemble the crank assembly and paneling in reverse order to its disassembly. Remove the duct tape from the glass slats.
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Tips & Warnings
The most common fault with torque-operated crank assemblies is the stripping of teeth inside the torque operator, necessitating its replacement. You can avoid this with preventive maintenance: Once every year, lubricate the entire crank assembly with a penetrating light silicone lubricant. Grease and oil lubricants might transfer onto external panels and stain.
The Jalousie window is set of glass slats that move in concert, just like venetian blinds. The bottom of one slat will rest against the top of the next lowest slat when the Jalousie window is fully closed, and all slats will be parallel to each other in a horizontal orientation when the window is fully open. The window is designed to be parked at any point between fully closed and fully opened.
Some torque operators are oriented right or left; ensure you either buy a universal torque operator or one that is correctly oriented. The operating handle will also be side-specific. When determining whether you need a left- or right-hand oriented torque operator, determine the orientation by viewing the device from the inside of the window.
