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Old 10-15-2006, 04:56 AM   #1
raucnd
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Day/Night shade wrinkles

I wonder if anyone, besides us, has experienced a problem with the Day/Night shade on the rear window. We have a 2005 3400RL and the shade is one piece that goes clear across that back. We are on our second shade, as the first one was a misaligned wrinkled mess. The strings on the second one aren't lined up really well, either, and it is wrinkling, too. Any solutions? I fear another replacement shade would do the same.

Charles & Dee Rau
 
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Old 10-15-2006, 05:24 AM   #2
OntMont
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Not sure if it will help in your case, but we are great believers that most problems with the Day/Night shades can be cured by fine tuning the string tensions. We set them so that there is just enough tension to hold the shades up while travelling. (they should be up while travelling). With just enough tension, they move snoothly, and the cords are less prone to fraying, at least this is our experience.
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Old 10-15-2006, 06:46 AM   #3
LonnieB
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OntMont, I learn something new everyday, thats one of the things thats so nice about this group. I didn't know the shades were supposed to be up while travelling. What is the reasoning behind this? Is it because they are less likely to become damaged in the up position?
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Old 10-15-2006, 07:51 AM   #4
raucnd
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Thanks for the quick responses. The problem with our shade is, the holes for the strings between the dark/night shade and the day part of the shade don't align, therefore the bottome of the shade has wrinkles. I think they shouldn't have made such a wide shade and I notice, now, none of the Montanas have such a wide window in back. However, that doesn't solve our problem.........................
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Old 10-15-2006, 08:04 AM   #5
LonnieB
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raucnd, if you remove the end caps from the metal part between the day and night sections, you can slide the misaligned section into place. The end caps are supposed to hold it in place, I wonder if you have a missing cap?
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Old 10-15-2006, 08:31 AM   #6
tmarshall
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I travel with my shades down as I think most people do.
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Old 10-15-2006, 08:41 AM   #7
JH Sechelt
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I agree with Lonnie, If one of the end caps are missing, the shades get out of alignment in a heartbeat. Just about impossible to slide the shades back into the channel. Go figure... Come out real easy. The end caps seem to fall off pretty easy too. Maybe a little crazy glue to hold them on. We usually travel with the rear shades up, so the chairs don't keep hitting them.

J&D
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Old 10-15-2006, 09:14 AM   #8
OntMont
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by LonnieB

OntMont, I learn something new everyday, thats one of the things thats so nice about this group. I didn't know the shades were supposed to be up while travelling. What is the reasoning behind this? Is it because they are less likely to become damaged in the up position?
That, and the fact that the shades don't fray the cords as much when they are up. (I don't remember where I learned that they should be up when travelling, but I do remember that it seemed like an authoritative source). We also have found that reducing the tension on the cords reduces the liklihood of the end cap popping off. It seems to be excessive tension that causes them to pop off so easily.
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Old 10-15-2006, 09:25 AM   #9
LonnieB
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It makes sense to me. Thanks John
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Old 10-15-2006, 09:38 AM   #10
ols1932
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In six years of full timing, we've always traveled with the big one down and sometimes the others are down. Never had a problem yet. We did replace some strings a couple years ago, but this was not because the shades were up or down. It was mostly because we use them a lot.

Orv
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Old 10-15-2006, 05:00 PM   #11
sreigle
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John, how do you adjust the tension? Do you loosen the screws in the spools and turn the spools to adjust tension? Do you do both sides, then tighten and test?

We travel with shades in whatever position they were in when the slides were retracted. We've never found it makes much difference whether they're up or down. On a very sunny day we may put them down to keep the sun from fading the fabric of the furniture and curtains, though. We have had a couple of broken strings over the years so maybe they did fray during travel.
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Old 10-15-2006, 05:24 PM   #12
CRUZIN 2
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This is what we did to keep the end caps from falling off, drilled a 1/8 in. hole for an aluminum rivet. If you have to take it apart you just drill the head off with a bigger bit.

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Old 10-16-2006, 04:15 AM   #13
OntMont
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by sreigle

John, how do you adjust the tension? Do you loosen the screws in the spools and turn the spools to adjust tension? Do you do both sides, then tighten and test?
Sometimes, just loosening the screw will let the little bobin spool turn enough to get the desired effect. As they come from the factory, the cords are tied through the two small holes in the side of the spool. I have a theory that the intent of the spool, was to provide a means to adjust the tension. If you undo the cords, loosen the spool screw, wind the cord around the spool a few turns, and then use the spool to adujust the tension untill the blinds just stay up with enough resistance to hold them there, but not so much as to prevent them moving easily and smoothly when you want them to, then tighten the screw to lock the spool back in place. You do have to do both spools. It is a bit tedious and time consuming, which probably why the factory does not do it this way, but we think that taking the time to fine tune the cords will make living with the day/night shades a whole lot more pleasant.

I've got to admit that we don't always have them up while travelling, but that is supposed to be the preferred way.
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Old 10-16-2006, 07:29 AM   #14
raucnd
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The problem is not from the end caps, they are fine. You can see where the strings on each end of the shades do not line up, that is the hole on the dark shade is out of line 3/4 of an inch on one end and 1/4 inch on the other end, with the light shade. Because of the out of alignment?? the day shade is beginnning to tear. How could I be so lucky as to get two defective shades? If I remove end cap and move the shade on the 3/4 end, won't that make it out on the other end? Help..........................
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Old 10-16-2006, 04:29 PM   #15
campbud
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I was told by our dealer that the shades should be in the up position when storing the rv...when asked why, I was told so that the pleats stay in. We travel with some up and some down. But in the winter while in storage I do have the blinds all up...I think it keeps them cleaner too!
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Old 10-16-2006, 04:59 PM   #16
JH Sechelt
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Raucnd,

Maybe your shades are just screwed up, you might have to change them.
I know when the end cap comes off (between the light & dark shades), the light shades try to slip out of the track.
To be honest I've never looked at the other end, when they do ( to see if the string is lined up). I just force the shades back into the track & put the end cap back on. Each time it happens, it seems to rip the shades a little.
I've had 3 or 4 shades do this.

Larry, good idea. Like you say... at least you can still take them apart.

J&D
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