Broken string on Day-nite shade, figured it out.

FIRE UP · 07-13-2011, 09:45 PM

Ladies and gents,
While out on our maiden voyage of our new to us '04 Itasca Horizon, we had a mishap with one of the day-nite shades next to our couch. one of the strings broke and I had to figure out two things. One, how to get the darn thing out of the valance so I could work on it and two, how to figure out where and how the broken string went

The darn couch was in the way to I had to twist this old body around and upside down to get to the outer two screws that held the ends of the day-nite shade up to the bottom of the valance. Then came the puzzle. I could not figure out how it came out. The two screws were out but, the center was still being held up there. Well, I finally did it. For those of you that don't know, or wanting to know, there's a little black bracket that you have to "Pinch" in order to release the lip on the shade housing. Vualla, here it comes.

Now, it's on the floor and in a semi-mess and trying to figure out the string thing. Well, a couple of things here. By looking at the ends, and the other day-nite shades in the coach, I kind a got a feeling for how things worked. I ended up tying the broken strings together, in a non-critical area and, figured out how and where the string(s) went and slipped it all back together.

I got it all back up and did some preliminary tension adjustments and it worked OK. Some more tension and it gradually got better. A tad more and it now works better than it did when we picked the coach up a month and a half ago. I never knew how they worked 'till I had this problem. Now, I got it all figured out. The routing of the strings from top to bottom and, the turns it makes before it exits is the reason for the friction needed to make the the "day" or "night" pieces stay where you leave them, no matter at what height.

It's kind of cool how it all works, as long as it's working fine that is.
Scott

bdpreece · 07-13-2011, 10:44 PM

Just purchased a spool of the thread from the dirty blind man and will be doing one of my shades shortly.

MaverickBBD · 07-14-2011, 12:57 AM

Welcome to the world of day/night shades. If you have your motor home for any length of time you will become an expert at re-stringing. Lots of information out there. My personal favorite are the colored drawing with the different strings so you can "easily" resting them. Now that I know how to do it, that and $'s are the only things keeping me from going to M.C.D. shades.

jacmat · 07-14-2011, 02:25 AM

Take a look at this. They show you how to restring, and it has a diagram.

http://www.discoveryowners.com/DayNightCompile.pdf

cbeierl · 07-14-2011, 07:10 AM

Here's a link to a Winnebago Service Tip: Restringing Day Night Blinds

dagray · 07-14-2011, 09:08 AM

Just did one of my blinds this weekend. The instructions claim it is about a 45 minute job. Four hours latter I was almost done. I replaced all the strings and hope it lasts for awhile. Maybe next time it won't take so long.

Some things I am good at but this is not one of them.

rgrstndgby · 07-14-2011, 12:08 PM

Scott, first, congrats on "gettin er done", however, if your string failure is like the vast majority, at some point you will have to address the cause of the failure, fraying caused by very rough edges on the grommits guiding the re direction of the string. Also, many, ( all of mine ) have the grommets installed up side down, They are supposed to provide a smooth redirrection, upside down they provide none.. Congrats again...rgr...a

pameridan04 · 07-14-2011, 03:24 PM

Hi Scott:

After you restring four or five you will start looking into replacing them with MCD blinds.

Great stuff, but expensive.

Jim P.

Stogie · 07-15-2011, 08:03 AM

I restrung mine using braided kevlar fishing line. It is a little slick and you have to tighten the lines a bit more but it is anti abrasive and lasts forever.

Tried to fix it using knots but that did not last more than a couple of days or until next time you use them.

wa8yxm · 07-15-2011, 10:31 AM

I had to do one of mine a while ago.. Went rather well.

OH, I did print out the web page listed in an earlier reply though.

FIRE UP · 07-15-2011, 10:57 AM

Thanks gents for your assistance and kind replies. I'll look up MCD blinds to see what they have to offer. At the minute, (ha ha) all of ours are working good. But, as you've all seen, time will tell. This is our first experience with Day-nite shades so, like life, it's an adventure. Thanks again for the assistance and the links.
Scott

pameridan04 · 07-30-2011, 03:02 PM

Hi Scott:

Our Rig and jeeps are very close, but I have a Harley, actually two, one for me and wifey instead of Honda.

Once you use the MCD shades you will wonder how you ever got along with out them. Those standard day/night shades are a Royal PIA. Futz with them to put up, then the second night shade to futz with. Then they break at the most unoppertune moment.

The MCD are expensive, but are WORTH IT. I was just cleaning the windows on the coach getting ready for a week long trip to MI. The wife was in the coach opening the windows. She said ya know I really LOVE these MCD blinds, they were worth every penny we spent.

Yeah well, good luck, enjoy the rig. Hope to see you on the road someday.

PAM04

Steve N Sal · 07-30-2011, 03:12 PM

Those string are a PITA! We have a couple of shades with broken strings. I'll have to take a look at the MCD's. I know they are expensive but what isn't in this lifestyle?