Pass through window

[Zeke]

I have an F350 and in a couple of months I'll be putting on a camper shell with a drop down front window. Ideally it would be possible to move back and forth from cab to bed. The slider rear window doesn't open very far and I'm not seeing much in the way of options. I can understand why there's no drop down window for the cab since the seats would stop the motion of the window, but I expected there to be some other way of increasing the size of the window. Besides simply taking out the window, is there anything else I can do?

 

[GotSmart]

Depending on the year~~~

Google sliding rear windows.

 

[ccbreder]

Do you own a saws-all. ?

 

[masterplumber]

I've seen a couple electric windows that slide down behind the seat, but not sure what model trucks they are available for. I think the ones I've seen have been on Toyota Tundras. I would think they would be pretty expensive. In the old days people used to take the windows out of both the truck and cap, then have a boot built that snapped into the opening. The better ones had rubber - usually a cut apart truck inner tube - on the outside to weather proof it. If you don't mind it always being open that could be easy enough to have an upholstery shop make up.

 

[Zeke]

Thanks for the replies.

- I've looked at sliding rear windows. My truck has one. It's a three panel, power rear window. It just doesn't open very far. There's a four panel (which is manual), that looks like it might open a bit wider, but it isn't available for my model and year.

- Don't own a saws-all, and while your question makes me wary, I'm curious. What do you suggest?

- Yeah, a boot seems like one of the only options. There's a couple of folks that strongly recommend not getting one, claiming they are noisy, prone to leak and will also rub the paint off, for instance: http://tomzizzo.hubpages.com/hub/Truck-top-shell-buying-guide. But what really dissuades me is that the hole for the boot would have to be enlarged and I couldn't then switch back to a slider window.

I'm a bit surprised that no one, and I don't mean no one here at these forums but no one that I can find on the web, has found another solution, like perhaps changing the size of the panels of glass in the manual slider window so it will open wider.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks for the replies.

- I've looked at sliding rear windows. My truck has one. It's a three panel, power rear window. It just doesn't open very far. There's a four panel (which is manual), that looks like it might open a bit wider, but it isn't available for my model and year.
If there is no aftermarket solution for your vehicle, your only real solutions are:
 1. Remove the window (it can be reinstalled later, although you have to store it).  This is complicated by the fact that the window is powered, but not too much.
 2. Custom fabricate a new rear window.  I have seen custom trucks with a rear window that slides down like your side windows.  You need the tools, skill, and $$ to do well.  Permanently modifies your truck.
- Don't own a saws-all, and while your question makes me wary, I'm curious. What do you suggest?
A saws-all is used for rough-cutting metal (among other things).
- Yeah, a boot seems like one of the only options. There's a couple of folks that strongly recommend not getting one, claiming they are noisy, prone to leak and will also rub the paint off, for instance: http://tomzizzo.hubpages.com/hub/Truck-top-shell-buying-guide. But what really dissuades me is that the hole for the boot would have to be enlarged and I couldn't then switch back to a slider window.
Back in the 50's people used to use an inflated inner tube to seal between truck and camper.  If sized right and inflated properly, will seal well.  It will give more noise insulation than a fabric boot.  Paint abrasion can be mitigated by applying an adhesive film to the contact areas (messy to remove later).
I'm a bit surprised that no one, and I don't mean no one here at these forums but no one that I can find on the web, has found another solution, like perhaps changing the size of the panels of glass in the manual slider window so it will open wider.
Best you can do with a slider is 1/2 the window width (without butchering the truck cab), which is what my truck has.  Still too small for me.
Current sliding rear windows only seem useful for ventilation.  The one on my '12 Dodge and on my camper are sized so only a child could get through.  At 66 I'm not small enough nor agile enough to crawl through.  Apparently, there is not a much demand for a large opening rear window.

 -- Spiff

 

[masterplumber]

The boots I was speaking of weren't the donut type. They were built more like the boots between the sleeper and cab on semis in the old days. The outer was usually rubber, and at the cab side were set into the original window seal. I think at the topper side they were screwed directly to the topper with some flat aluminum over the rubber. On the inside they were made of real or fake leather, padded and generally had a diamond pattern sewn in. They snapped into place on both the truck and topper side. This left an opening basically the size of the entire back window - much easier to crawl through. It did make it harder to heat the cab while on the road though, but I would think you could rig up and insulated curtain. The only other real drawback, for me at least, is if you tend to go down 4x4 trails and the bed and cab twist a lot, the rubber would peal out of the window seal and you'd have to re-insert it.

 

[highdesertranger]

accordion boot. creates a water tight seal between the cab and the shell and has no effect on the paint. you remove the factory window, that is how big your opening is. however the opening of the shell must match the window of the truck. I have this on my truck and have used these for years on different trucks. imho if you use a shell it's the only way to go. highdesertranger

 

[idn88]

You could remove the rear window (their usually just held in by a gasket and have no frame) and trace it in plywood. Cut out the same size piece with the same thickness plywood using a jigsaw, then build a door in that whatever size you wanted / needed. Of course you would need to figure something out on the cap side too, and they are usually sealed in?

Of course your "window" would no longer be see through, but I don;t think it would be that hard.

 

[LoupGarou]

Besides simply taking out the window, is there anything else I can do?

I wouldn't worry about it, load up the camper and have a great time. IMO there's more cons than pros having a pass though.

 

[Zeke]

You could remove the rear window (their usually just held in by a gasket and have no frame) and trace it in plywood.  Cut out the same size piece with the same thickness plywood using a jigsaw, then build a door in that whatever size you wanted / needed.  Of course you would need to figure something out on the cap side too, and they are usually sealed in?

This is the option I'm leaning towards. My truck has not yet been delivered so I can't check this for myself, but I'm hoping that the back window is just a flat plane of glass, with no curve at all. If so, this should be easy and cheap.

The shell will have a drop down front window.

I'll probably get a rear view, license plate camera, but even without one, keeping that plywood door open will leave a view through to the back.

 

[DannyB1954]

I have a similar situation. I have a Dodge Dakota 2005. The only slider rear window that is made is single pane and only opens about 12"
I have an extended cab, so there is room for a sun roof in the top of the trucks cab. If I put a matching trap door into a cab over camper, I could drop into the truck from above.
I haven't seen it done, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I plan on using foam for a mattress. I could make the foam above the trap door removable.

 

[Zeke]

Turns out there is a removable back window. The manufacturers also sell an accordion boot to link the frame with the camper. It's not clear to me whether you can have this accordion boot with a drop down window on the camper shell or if you have to get a shell without a front window, but either way this looks like it could work.

http://www.breezerwindows.com/

Here's a video showing installation and a guy managing to crawl through.

 

[idn88]

That looks pretty sweet! The one in the video is an S10, so hopefully the opening on a full size is a little bigger?

If you get one be sure to report back.

 

[Zeke]

If you get one be sure to report back.

I'm still a ways out from getting everything lined up but yes, assuming this is my solution of choice, I will report back.

 

[Canine]

Turns out there is a removable back window. The manufacturers also sell an accordion boot to link the frame with the camper. It's not clear to me whether you can have this accordion boot with a drop down window on the camper shell or if you have to get a shell without a front window, but either way this looks like it could work.

http://www.breezerwindows.com/

Here's a video showing installation and a guy managing to crawl through.

That's awesome. With a regular cab pickup, it could be converted to an extra cab of sorts with a half camper. This would be good for those of use who have dogs and need a little extra room to pick up a couple extra people. The dog could just hop in the back and you would still have half a box to haul tall or dirty things that otherwise would be bad or impossible in a full length camper.