shade replacement
- Thread starter bamboo
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Clay L
Well-known member
It may differ from model to model but mine can be removed by removing three screws on the bigger ones and two screws on the smaller ones. The valance stays in place.
I believe some models have clips instead of screws.
I restrung and deburred all the holes in the both the plastic amd metal pieces that the plastic gromets are in. Some had burrs that caused the cord to wear very fast.
That was over four years ago and I just had to restring one yesterday. It turns out I missed three holes in a plastic piece and there were burrs sticking up far enough to cause a problem.
I made a diagram back when I repaired mine the first time and I can supply it to you if you decide to repair yours. I got the cord at a JoAnns fabric store.
I believe some models have clips instead of screws.
I restrung and deburred all the holes in the both the plastic amd metal pieces that the plastic gromets are in. Some had burrs that caused the cord to wear very fast.
That was over four years ago and I just had to restring one yesterday. It turns out I missed three holes in a plastic piece and there were burrs sticking up far enough to cause a problem.
I made a diagram back when I repaired mine the first time and I can supply it to you if you decide to repair yours. I got the cord at a JoAnns fabric store.
geodrake
Moderator Emeritus
Unless you really want new blinds there is no reason to replace them. Re-stringing really isn't all that difficult.
carson
Well-known member
Bamboo... I may be of some help to you in this case.
I recently had the same problem. I'll put a link here to see my old post, look for the carson entries, several of them. Frankly, I would not attempt it myself (restringing) unless I had a lot of time and the right tools.
As the link shows, you need the right cord, a special needle and also have the nylon grommets turned so that the won't chew up the new cord.
My problem is presently that I have not been able to position and secure the 'fixed' shade yet as it is 5' long and my arms don't stretch that far. Need 2 people before I can do that. ;D
Check out this link here. Might give you some ideas.
Inquiries are welcomed.
carson FL
I recently had the same problem. I'll put a link here to see my old post, look for the carson entries, several of them. Frankly, I would not attempt it myself (restringing) unless I had a lot of time and the right tools.
As the link shows, you need the right cord, a special needle and also have the nylon grommets turned so that the won't chew up the new cord.
My problem is presently that I have not been able to position and secure the 'fixed' shade yet as it is 5' long and my arms don't stretch that far. Need 2 people before I can do that. ;D
Check out this link here. Might give you some ideas.
Inquiries are welcomed.
carson FL
Suncircles
Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2009
- Posts
- 10
One month ago I replaced the cord on the passenger side 5 ft. shade in my 2005 Journey. It may or may not be configured the same as your problem shade in your Adventure, but here is what I encountered and did:
My shade is held up to the top underside of the valance by two Phillips head screws (one on each end) and a plastic clip in the center. Since there is little space between the valance and shade, I purchased a long-reach (16") #2 Phillips to reach the screws. I had to removed the screws with the shade down to give me enough room to reach up there. I then had a tough time pulling the shade from the clip (dear wife held shade inside the coach and I, reaching through the open window from the outside while standing on a ladder, pull it down and out of the clip).
After some research I found the following link to the WIT Club News article which gives an excellent description on how the shade is strung and how to restring it:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/resources/service/pdfs/2006-09%20Restringing%20Day%20Night%20Blinds.pdf.
It may look complicated, but it really isn't. The "spring" at the top was covered with a piece of masking tape. We replaced it with new masking tap when we strung ours.
We used a restringing kit sold by Blind Man Jim. http://www.gotbrokenshades.com/id8.html
The kit that Blind Man Jim sells not only contains the replacement cord, but also a cord needle (twisted wire loop), and the correct size "cord guides" (grommets) which are plastic bushing inserts that prevent the cord from rubbing against the sides of the holes in the metal top and bottom parts of the shade. The kit also has a decent set of instructions which complemented the WIT instructions. The cord needle was very helpful in the restringing process and the cord guides are essential. The kit is a little pricey, but for going through the process for the first time the kit made us fell much more comfortable in doing it. Sure, you could get the cord at Joann Fabrics, but I don't know where to get the cord guides which are critical in reducing the wear of the cord.
It took both of us to restring the shade on our dining room table. So a partner is essential, unless you are an expert on stringing shades. Time from its removal to finishing the stringing was about an hour.
Re-installation involved reversing the process for removal. It again took both of us to get the top bar of the shade to "click" back into clip on the underside of the top of the valance. It took about 15 minutes and involved rocking the bar back and forth in the clip with my wife holding the shade up while I manipulated it from the outside through the window. The major contributor to this difficulty is the very tight space one has to work in. Whew!!! Of course the screw holes on each end didn't quite line up when we got it re-clipped. More jiggling and juggling finally got us close enough to the original screw holes so that we could put screws back in using the long-reach Phillips.
Yes, we are still married!
Suncircles
2005 Journey 36G with CRV Toad
My shade is held up to the top underside of the valance by two Phillips head screws (one on each end) and a plastic clip in the center. Since there is little space between the valance and shade, I purchased a long-reach (16") #2 Phillips to reach the screws. I had to removed the screws with the shade down to give me enough room to reach up there. I then had a tough time pulling the shade from the clip (dear wife held shade inside the coach and I, reaching through the open window from the outside while standing on a ladder, pull it down and out of the clip).
After some research I found the following link to the WIT Club News article which gives an excellent description on how the shade is strung and how to restring it:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/resources/service/pdfs/2006-09%20Restringing%20Day%20Night%20Blinds.pdf.
It may look complicated, but it really isn't. The "spring" at the top was covered with a piece of masking tape. We replaced it with new masking tap when we strung ours.
We used a restringing kit sold by Blind Man Jim. http://www.gotbrokenshades.com/id8.html
The kit that Blind Man Jim sells not only contains the replacement cord, but also a cord needle (twisted wire loop), and the correct size "cord guides" (grommets) which are plastic bushing inserts that prevent the cord from rubbing against the sides of the holes in the metal top and bottom parts of the shade. The kit also has a decent set of instructions which complemented the WIT instructions. The cord needle was very helpful in the restringing process and the cord guides are essential. The kit is a little pricey, but for going through the process for the first time the kit made us fell much more comfortable in doing it. Sure, you could get the cord at Joann Fabrics, but I don't know where to get the cord guides which are critical in reducing the wear of the cord.
It took both of us to restring the shade on our dining room table. So a partner is essential, unless you are an expert on stringing shades. Time from its removal to finishing the stringing was about an hour.
Re-installation involved reversing the process for removal. It again took both of us to get the top bar of the shade to "click" back into clip on the underside of the top of the valance. It took about 15 minutes and involved rocking the bar back and forth in the clip with my wife holding the shade up while I manipulated it from the outside through the window. The major contributor to this difficulty is the very tight space one has to work in. Whew!!! Of course the screw holes on each end didn't quite line up when we got it re-clipped. More jiggling and juggling finally got us close enough to the original screw holes so that we could put screws back in using the long-reach Phillips.
Yes, we are still married!
Suncircles
2005 Journey 36G with CRV Toad
John Canfield
Site Team
Hi Suncircles! Welcome to rvforum and thanks for your helpful and detailed post! I have a blind with a broken string, but I'm seriously considering junking all of my day/night shades for MCD blinds.
Suncircles
Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2009
- Posts
- 10
John;
Yes, the MCD shade system (which I believe is stock in some of the '09s and '10s RVs) looks really nice and simple to operate. I really like being able to see out through the day shade. Maybe we should get another thread going to see what the owners think of them. When I priced MCD shades for my coach, it ran over $1500 or well over $2000 for the electronic remote systems (which I really would like to have). So, for $25 and a couple of hours of frustration, I have a shade that doesn't want to stay down anymore while I am driving down the highway.
Suncircles
2005 Journey 36G with a CRV Toad
Yes, the MCD shade system (which I believe is stock in some of the '09s and '10s RVs) looks really nice and simple to operate. I really like being able to see out through the day shade. Maybe we should get another thread going to see what the owners think of them. When I priced MCD shades for my coach, it ran over $1500 or well over $2000 for the electronic remote systems (which I really would like to have). So, for $25 and a couple of hours of frustration, I have a shade that doesn't want to stay down anymore while I am driving down the highway.
Suncircles
2005 Journey 36G with a CRV Toad
When we first got the Tradewinds we had a lot of trouble with day/night shades breaking strings. After replacing several strings I have resolved most of our problems by re-anchoring the chintzy plastic anchors that came with the shades. They would break or rotate and allow the strings to get loose and I would pull them down too tight and the strings would chafe and break. Since fixing them we have had almost no problems in the past four years.
That doesn't mean we aren't tempted with replacing them with neat electric shades. 8) 8)
That doesn't mean we aren't tempted with replacing them with neat electric shades. 8) 8)
Art In Mobile
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2009
- Posts
- 372
I just restrung mine in my 06 Voyage. I got the 300 foot string from Winne & the grommets. A great trick for threading the string thru the holes in the blinds is put some super glue on the first 1 inch of the string. Let it cure for about 5 min. Then cut the tip off. It is as stiff as a needle.
