Bounder valences

I need to remove a pleated window shade on my 2005 Fleetwood Bounder 33R.  It appears from various sources that the valences have to be removed first.  The valences have a full width top piece and two side pieces that run the entire height of the window.  My valences do not seem to have any external fasteners, but do have a small metal bracket inside of each side panel that screws to the valence and to the wall.  Perhaps if these are removed the rest of the valence can be pulled away, but it seems very solidly mounted.  Anyone have experience with Fleetwood valences?

I don't have the answer on your valences, but the shades are often snapped into a couple of clips. Are you able to reach behind the valence to release the shade from the clips?

I removed all of my 2002 33R Bounder valances to replace the shades. It is not a quick or fun task but can be done. All of them had screws into the top board of the valance and one on each side at the bottom or through the side of the bottom. For the top, I used a flashlight and long screw driver with a flexible shaft. I think the screws were between the window and the shade (if you look hard enough, assuming the 2002 is like the 2005, you will see them). More than once I opened the window and screen to enable my fat head to see better. The screws were directly on the bottom screwing upwards on the sides of some valances and on some there were screwed through the outside on the bottom into the wall and hidden under the material. If you do not see the screws from the bottom up, then use a small screwdriver and poke at the sides at the bottom and feel for metal. Then move around until you feel the head and slots of the screw. They were all phillips screws.

BTW, the shade was screwed into the top of the valance but I would not get to the screws without removing the valance, then extending the shade, moving the material and unscrewing with screws.

I just finished restringing the day/night pleated shades on our 01 Southwind.  I didn't remove the valences but rather removed the two screws in the top piece of the shade (the large windows had 4 screws as I recall).  You need a really long phillips screwdriver ... I picked up one with a 22 inch shaft.  Where you especially need the long shaft is to get behind the overhead cabinets that are in the slideout on ours.

With the shade down you can reach up and pull back the top pleat and locate the screws.

That's the easy part ... putting them back up will most likely really test your patience ... best to ask all little kids to leave the room  !  :'(    ;D

My thought was to try and get the screws back in the same holes as the original mount ... on the theory the shades had good clearance originally.  I even took a small brass rod, sharpened one end and used that as a guide to locate the screw hole on one end while trying to get the screw back in the original hole on the other end.  Shades needed to be extended, hanging down, as best I could figure out while remounting ... would be nice if they were 'retracted' and secured if you will, but couldn't figure out a way to do that.  Took two of us quite a while but finally got them back up ... in the original screw holes?  Not sure about that, but at least close.  Like you I didn't see any readily available way to remove the valances.

Restringing the shades is the easy part  ;D  ... used kits from "The Blind Man" I think it was.  He was very helpful with sending some extra parts I needed for the last one also.

Howard

Thanks to all who replied. My general impressions for removal of the valences/shades was more or less what you have experienced.  I did see the
two screws (actually on a different shade) that are between the shade and the window at the top.  Thought that the shade might be rigidly mounted to
that piece of wood.  Couldn't find, see or feel any shade mounting clips.  I will try taking out the top screws as well as the side bracket screws and see if anything comes loose.