adjusting slide up blinds

[shawn 8586]

I have a 2004 class a damon challenger mh and have some slide up blinds that want stay up,is there a way to adjust them?

 

[John Stephens]

If they are the standard day/night blinds on many coaches, all you have to do to tighten them up is to wind the string around the spool at the bottom once or twice until they are to your satisfaction.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Welcome to the forum!

As John said, the tension on the strings controls the shade operation. Use caution when tightening the strings though. Too much tension can cause excessive wear on the little string guides inside the bars at the bottom and center, resulting in the string cutting into the shade material. Try to use the minimum tension needed to keep them up, and adjust both sides equally to keep the shade level.

 

[Rene T]

Welcome to the forum. Let us know how you make out please.

 

[John From Detroit]

If it won't stay up (Very commonm) look at the END of the strings.. The bobbin they are wounmd on.. Tighten it slightly  and perhaps re-tighten the scrws. .I've had to do that several times in my Damon.

 

[Butch54]

^ I agree. That's what I've done as well. A simple wrap or two around the bobbin would likely add too much tension.

 

[Kevin Means]

... and remember, if you end up having to re-string those double-strung blinds, there are support groups and medication to help with the frustration and depression.

Kev

 

[NY_Dutch]

... and remember, if you end up having to re-string those double-strung blinds, there are support groups and medication to help with the frustration and depression.

Kev

I don't know what's so frustrating about it. I can restring a 4-string night/day shade in under 30 minutes including take down/reinstalling. I found the key was to pass the cut ends of the strings through a flame and then roll them between my fingers to create a slightly pointy end that passes easily through the aligned holes in the tightly folded fabric. A good string diagram is a big help too, if you don't have them memorized.

 

[John Stephens]

I don't know what's so frustrating about it. I can restring a 4-string night/day shade in under 30 minutes including take down/reinstalling. I found the key was to pass the cut ends of the strings through a flame and then roll them between my fingers to create a slightly pointy end that passes easily through the aligned holes in the tightly folded fabric. A good string diagram is a big help too, if you don't have them memorized.

I've got my biggest window blind that needs restringing. My wife bought the restringing kit but I can't figure out how to get the valances off so I can take the blind down. If you can do it in 30 minutes, I'd love to have you around here.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I've restrung every blind in my coach at least once.  Haven't had to remove a single valance.  Pull both blinds all the way down and look up at the top part of the blind.  There will probably be 2 to 4 screws holding it up.  I did all of them with no help.

I used a 12" screwdriver.  Easy peasy.

Tip : if you don't have an assistant do the centermost screw last and just lower it down with the screwdriver once it comes out of the wood.

Putting them back in is tricky.  Be patient.  Once you find two of the existing holes the rest will line up easy.

 

[NY_Dutch]

I've got my biggest window blind that needs restringing. My wife bought the restringing kit but I can't figure out how to get the valances off so I can take the blind down. If you can do it in 30 minutes, I'd love to have you around here.

I've very rarely had to remove a valance to remove a shade. The most common hanger setup uses a couple of spring clips with tabs that are accessible at the top shade rail. Sometimes the tab is in front of the rail and others have it in back towards the wall. A medium straight blade screwdriver can be used to release that tabs from the rail, allowing it to slip off the hangers. Reinstalling just involves snapping the rail back on the clips. As said, another type is just screwed in place. If the string spools are behind the valance side panels and can't be reached with a screwdriver (usually a #2 Robertson square driver is needed), I use a 1/4" hex socket on a 1/4" drive ratchet to hold a Robertson square drive bit. A bit of vinyl tape helps to hold the bit in the socket if you don't have a magnetic one. Most of the time though, the spools are close enough to the bottom or edge of the valance to reach with a standard driver. Before removing the shade, I secure it in the open position with either a couple of large rubber bands or masking tape.

 

[DutchEagle]

Two tips I learned stringing those shades;

1. Tape the spring(s) on top so they stay in the middle. Just use a little piece of tape.

2. BEFORE putting the shades back up, connect the strings on the bottom to each other with a paperclip so they do not slip back into the metal bars. How I know........ Yup did that and had to start all over!

 

[NY_Dutch]

Two tips I learned stringing those shades;

1. Tape the spring(s) on top so they stay in the middle. Just use a little piece of tape.

2. BEFORE putting the shades back up, connect the strings on the bottom to each other with a paperclip so they do not slip back into the metal bars. How I know........ Yup did that and had to start all over!

Both excellent ideas, Klass! I use spring binder clips to secure the strings while reassembling the shade.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I bought a whole spool of string and just leave it so long I couldn't go back up into the shade.  I guess I could tie four, six, or eight strings together......

There's another tip I forgot.  When you work on the blinds you need a big, clean, and windless area.  The slightest breeze, even an open window, can ruin your day.  A large dining room table worked well for me.  As long as nothing hangs off the table it's good.

And another.  You can hold a bunch of pleats together and the string goes through them even easier than one pleat.  If the string is stiff enough you can get 15-20 of them in one fell swoop.

I got pretty good at it but it still took me more than 30 minutes each.  But I cleaned them too. 

 

[NY_Dutch]

I bought a whole spool of string and just leave it so long I couldn't go back up into the shade.  I guess I could tie four, six, or eight strings together......

There's another tip I forgot.  When you work on the blinds you need a big, clean, and windless area.  The slightest breeze, even an open window, can ruin your day.  A large dining room table worked well for me.  As long as nothing hangs off the table it's good.

And another.  You can hold a bunch of pleats together and the string goes through them even easier than one pleat.  If the string is stiff enough you can get 15-20 of them in one fell swoop.

I got pretty good at it but it still took me more than 30 minutes each.  But I cleaned them too. 

I usually use the bed as a "work area" for shade restringing, although I do use a picnic table sometimes when the weather is nice with no breeze. If I'm going to clean the shades too, that does take extra time of course...