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The RVer's Open Forum / GENERAL RV DISCUSSIONS / Restring day/night shades

Robert Costner
User ID: 1418774 Apr 20th 8:47 PM
Can anyone point me to clear directions as to how to restring my day night shades ? (4 of them broke at the same time ? )

I've found some links, but most spoke in general terms like 'remove the blind to restring' - well, removing the blind is one of my obstacles.

Seems it would be easiest to remove them to restring. My 2002 Fleetwood Storm has valences around the top and both sides of each window that seem to be 'built in place', which makes seeing the bracket difficult. Is there a trick to removing the blinds without having to take off the valences ?

Thank you.

Marty
User ID: 9941493 Apr 20th 11:04 PM
Robert: I don't know if there is a simple/easy way to get those blinds out from behind a valence but here's how I did mine.

Those blinds are held up by a spring steel clip maybe an inch long. One side will have a lip on it, the other side does not. That lip is the key. What I did was take a heavy screwdriver and tried to wedge it between that lip and the top of the blind until it released allowing the blind to drop out. Did the same thing with the other end clip. Putting those suckers back can be just as interesting. (my opinion)

As to restringing? I've never seen any type of a diagram so I made one of my own. I did not remove any strings so I laid my blind out on my dinning room table, (floor will work) started with one string and drew how it intertwined through the blind. Repeated the process with the other (in my case 5) strings. Once I determined how the 5 good strings were strung, the broken one had to match to one of the five strings so drew in on my paper how it should go. Using my drawing, cut 6 strings and restrung my shade.

Holding the shade up once re-installed is based on the tension of the 6 springs (3 each end) in the top tray.

Final two comments. I used a darning needle to string the string through the various holes in the shade. String: I went to my local Home Depot, to the rope section. Found a nylon twisted string, heavier then the origonal that worked very well for me.

Hope this help and maybe some others have a better way of doing this.

Marty in TN

cwsoules
User ID: 0596854 Apr 21st 3:00 PM
The valences on my rig were screwed into place so I removed them first. My shades were held in place by two spring clips mounted on the top of the window frame. The ends of the hollow bars that make up the moveable part of the shades come out. I do not have a plan of where the various lines go, but at the time I figured it out and restrung the blind.

Then I removed the clips from the top of the window and mounted them at the bottom and then moved the posts at thye other end of the blind and mounted them on top of the window. When the shade is mounted "upside down" they work quite well but the strings must be tight.

I reversed all of our shades, so now we have privacy and can look over the top of a partially open shade and have a great view and retain privacy inside the rig.

jd
User ID: 9795313 Apr 23rd 5:34 AM
cw - Reversing the blinds really sounds like a gret idea!

There WAS somebody on one of these forums who found a particulary good string. I want to say it was braided fishing line used for bottom fishing. Maybe nylon, but a product like dacron is less stretchy so maybe that's what he said

God Bless, jd

Barthbill
User ID: 8645673 May 27th 10:33 AM
We use braided Dacron fishline. Works fine. Bought the heaviest the tackle shop had. My wife made a diagram and we will send on request.

Andy
User ID: 2540134 Mar 30th 1:02 PM
Barthbill,
I have a four string day/night shade that has come apart. I could use your diagram. Thanks

dandr38023@aol.com

Arlene
User ID: 9454293 Apr 1st 2:33 PM
If you still have that diagram, I could certainly use it. I'm using a nylon fishing line, but it does have a stretch to it.

Can you tell me if this is right?
Facing shade...connect left string to spring
Feed through left side of night side...cross string over to right side of day shade and down.
That string to be connected to right side of window.
Reverse for right side.

Is this correct?

Thank you so much.

Dawn
User ID: 9168243 May 14th 11:49 AM
BartBill
Could really use the diagram for restringing my day/night shades. Please send to dgaines0825@yahoo.com
Thanks

Robert Costner User ID: 1418774	Apr 20th 8:47 PM Can anyone point me to clear directions as to how to restring my day night shades ? (4 of them broke at the same time ? ) I've found some links, but most spoke in general terms like 'remove the blind to restring' - well, removing the blind is one of my obstacles. Seems it would be easiest to remove them to restring. My 2002 Fleetwood Storm has valences around the top and both sides of each window that seem to be 'built in place', which makes seeing the bracket difficult. Is there a trick to removing the blinds without having to take off the valences ? Thank you.
Marty User ID: 9941493	Apr 20th 11:04 PM Robert: I don't know if there is a simple/easy way to get those blinds out from behind a valence but here's how I did mine. Those blinds are held up by a spring steel clip maybe an inch long. One side will have a lip on it, the other side does not. That lip is the key. What I did was take a heavy screwdriver and tried to wedge it between that lip and the top of the blind until it released allowing the blind to drop out. Did the same thing with the other end clip. Putting those suckers back can be just as interesting. (my opinion) As to restringing? I've never seen any type of a diagram so I made one of my own. I did not remove any strings so I laid my blind out on my dinning room table, (floor will work) started with one string and drew how it intertwined through the blind. Repeated the process with the other (in my case 5) strings. Once I determined how the 5 good strings were strung, the broken one had to match to one of the five strings so drew in on my paper how it should go. Using my drawing, cut 6 strings and restrung my shade. Holding the shade up once re-installed is based on the tension of the 6 springs (3 each end) in the top tray. Final two comments. I used a darning needle to string the string through the various holes in the shade. String: I went to my local Home Depot, to the rope section. Found a nylon twisted string, heavier then the origonal that worked very well for me. Hope this help and maybe some others have a better way of doing this. Marty in TN
cwsoules User ID: 0596854	Apr 21st 3:00 PM The valences on my rig were screwed into place so I removed them first. My shades were held in place by two spring clips mounted on the top of the window frame. The ends of the hollow bars that make up the moveable part of the shades come out. I do not have a plan of where the various lines go, but at the time I figured it out and restrung the blind. Then I removed the clips from the top of the window and mounted them at the bottom and then moved the posts at thye other end of the blind and mounted them on top of the window. When the shade is mounted "upside down" they work quite well but the strings must be tight. I reversed all of our shades, so now we have privacy and can look over the top of a partially open shade and have a great view and retain privacy inside the rig.
jd User ID: 9795313	Apr 23rd 5:34 AM cw - Reversing the blinds really sounds like a gret idea! There WAS somebody on one of these forums who found a particulary good string. I want to say it was braided fishing line used for bottom fishing. Maybe nylon, but a product like dacron is less stretchy so maybe that's what he said God Bless, jd
Barthbill User ID: 8645673	May 27th 10:33 AM We use braided Dacron fishline. Works fine. Bought the heaviest the tackle shop had. My wife made a diagram and we will send on request.
Andy User ID: 2540134	Mar 30th 1:02 PM Barthbill, I have a four string day/night shade that has come apart. I could use your diagram. Thanks dandr38023@aol.com
Arlene User ID: 9454293	Apr 1st 2:33 PM If you still have that diagram, I could certainly use it. I'm using a nylon fishing line, but it does have a stretch to it. Can you tell me if this is right? Facing shade...connect left string to spring Feed through left side of night side...cross string over to right side of day shade and down. That string to be connected to right side of window. Reverse for right side. Is this correct? Thank you so much.
Dawn User ID: 9168243	May 14th 11:49 AM BartBill Could really use the diagram for restringing my day/night shades. Please send to dgaines0825@yahoo.com Thanks