2017 23 LSV Walk Through Window Shatters

[spikew919]

1 hour ago, Sailvi767 said:

It is metal on the 22VLX and 23 LSV. When the boat hits a wave the opening flexes open and the window and frame can drop. As it drops the boat can flex back the other way bending the metal frame and causing the window to shatter. If it falls all the way through it's impossible to get back out on the newer models. It's a big issues with the boats if you live on a larger lake. To understand better what is happening watch the center windshield next time you hit a patch of rough water. You can see the flex and how much overlap you have before it drops. 

The area with arrow in pic. And I believe that is a 23lsv? There is no metal on it just glass. Correct me if I'm wrong? I know for sure on the M235 it's just glass that rests on metal. With rubber seal under glass. 

[Sailvi767]

Mine had a metal frame on both my 16 and the 17. Just looked at a pick of the 17 to make sure. It looks to me like the pic shows the window with the metal frame removed in a attempt to get it back into place.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Sailvi767

[spikew919]

33 minutes ago, Sailvi767 said:

Mine had a metal frame on both my 16 and the 17. Just looked at a pick of the 17 to make sure. It looks to me like the pic shows the window with the metal frame removed in a attempt to get it back into place.

You may be correct. My M definitely has nothing but glass hanging over. That whole area with yellow arrow is nothing but glass. 

Edited July 24, 2017 by spikew919

[jmarch33]

It's just glass with a foam strip resting on the metal.  I have it fixed but I haven't heard back as to whether there is going anything "additional" done to help minimize the flex.  I had it closed this weekend and since I'm more apt to watch it flex over waves it certainly does.  Essentially what happened on mine is it flexed to the point the windshield dropped through and got stuck.

[bbattiste247]

I thought for sure mine, when it shattered, was missing part of the frame, but as the picture with the arrow shows....the walk through is just glass resting on metal.

[DarkSide]

10 hours ago, spikew919 said:

Am I the only one that thinks that the walk through window with only glass that over laps is a poor design? Woudnt it have been better metal there like it used to be? No wonder windows are shattering. 

Not just the window design, but if the hull is flexing, enough that a window can fall through, i would also suspect there will be gel cracks etc forming eventually.    

[Fman]

4 hours ago, jmarch33 said:

It's just glass with a foam strip resting on the metal.  I have it fixed but I haven't heard back as to whether there is going anything "additional" done to help minimize the flex.  I had it closed this weekend and since I'm more apt to watch it flex over waves it certainly does.  Essentially what happened on mine is it flexed to the point the windshield dropped through and got stuck.

There should be no gaps inbeteeen your U channel bars and side walkway combing pad area.  Also make sure the two bolts on each side are tightened down completely.  If you do have gaps with everything tightened down there are shims that should be installed to eliminate any flexing.  It's a simple fix.

Malibu released a service bulletin on this last year to all the dealers.

[Sailvi767]

This is happening on boats that should have the fix installed at the factory.

[ORMailbuboater]

Well bringing this up again as it struck me today.  Did not think this would happen to me.  Happened when we crossed a rather large wake surf wake from another boat.  Thought the dealer had looked at this a year ago and said all was OK.  Think the Service bulletin fix may not have been applied or the issue is not resolved by the fix.  

Luckily the glass did not break.  But it is stuck till the dealer can resolve.  Rest of the weekend is shot.   My boat is a late 2016 build.

Added photo of the windshield and the service bulletin. 

Edited July 15, 2018 by ORMailbuboater

[ahopkins22LSV]

Can you unscrew the hinges and reset it?

[jbcanski2]

When I was replacing the walkway speakers in my 15 VLX I had good access to the U-bar mentioned above and discovered 3 of the four bolts were finger tight and one was completely missing. Darn fine quality control at the Malibu factory! WOW!  I replaced the missing bolt and double nutted the others with a nylock nut for added safety. A Snap On 9/16" combination wrench was sacrificed to the abyss of the hull when I dropped it on the drivers side. ERRRR! This repair also stopped a rattle/vibration I had from the helm area.                                                                  

[hethj7]

That service bulletin doesn’t include 2017 from Malibu.  Seems like it should, unless the OP just happened to have the one bad 2017.....

[Fman]

On my 2017 my Ubar bolts were not even tightened they were completely loose. I was also having movement problems and once tightened took care of the problem.

Everyone should check these Ubar bolts and make sure they are properly shimmed, even on 2018 models.

[jbcanski2]

2 hours ago, Fman said:

On my 2017 my Ubar bolts were not even tightened they were completely loose. I was also having movement problems and once tightened took care of the problem.

Everyone should check these Ubar bolts and make sure they are properly shimmed, even on 2018 models.

At least you still had all 4 of them! I was missing one.

[ORMailbuboater]

15 hours ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

Can you unscrew the hinges and reset it?

Nice thought but no the hinges are mounted with a closed hinge design.  Screws are hidden.

Not to worry I found a way to get it done.  3 through bolts and one top screw hold the driver side windshield in place.  Remove the nuts and fender washer with a 10MM deep socket or wrench and top phillips screw.  Lift up and back in business.  Now to address the u bolt problem.

Addition:  Checked thru bolts on u channel.  One is loose one is tight on the passenger side.  Figure driver side probably need attention too.  Requires removing the panel, sub woofer, shims, etc... .  Gonna let Mailbu dealer fix that.  Drive carefully till then. 

Picture below of the through bolts and fixed walk through glass.  

 

Edited July 15, 2018 by ORMailbuboater
added inspection of u channel bolts.

[ahopkins22LSV]

Nice! I was thinking there had to be a way to get that back up to save your weekend. 

[SDWATERMAN]

On 7/14/2018 at 10:32 PM, ORMailbuboater said:

Well bringing this up again as it struck me today.  Did not think this would happen to me.  Happened when we crossed a rather large wake surf wake from another boat.  Thought the dealer had looked at this a year ago and said all was OK.  Think the Service bulletin fix may not have been applied or the issue is not resolved by the fix.  

Luckily the glass did not break.  But it is stuck till the dealer can resolve.  Rest of the weekend is shot.   My boat is a late 2016 build.

Added photo of the windshield and the service bulletin. 

BIG Thanks to ORMaliboater, this just happened to me this weekend and when I saw your post I thought it was a picture of my Boat, Same Colors (almost). Your fix enabled me to get my center window back out front where it belongs ( in @15 min) and I noticed one of the three through bolts was missing its nut and washer, likely found a new home behind my bass speaker. Anyway, not sure if you will ever read this but I am sincerely grateful for your post, likely saves big bucks and time. Working with Malibu to see if its a structural warranty repair with that service bulletin. I suspect many of the people who reported that center window bursting experienced the same thing and just were not as lucky to have it pass through before the gap closed again.  Mine is a 2017 23LSV and the only difference was that you need to remove a second Philips head screw from the support stringer that braces the windshield frame to the dashboard. 

[dalt1]

My 2018 LSV was never lined right and lucky it never fell through. I requested several times for adjustments and dealer always told me there was none. Don't know how I missed these posts, probably cause it was before I took delivery and just never recalled seeing them.