Sanibel Window Blinds

[JeffLynn]

OK.. tell me how many of you just love the day night paper like windows blinds?

Yes I am being funny, DW and I are looking for a replacement that does not take all of our 2018 year camping budget ... HELP! anyone ideas?

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by JeffLynn

OK.. tell me how many of you just love the day night paper like windows blinds?

Yes I am being funny, DW and I are looking for a replacement that does not take all of our 2018 year camping budget ... HELP! anyone ideas?

Although a PIA to pull up & down on a daily basis because of the 2 in 1 system, we like the way they give options to block light or partial light, block sun/heat & keep heat/coolness in, we like them. I just wish the light filtering white shade didn't have to be lowered first before the darkening insulated shade & visa versa.

[chunker21]

If you are talking about the pleated string type, they can be a PITA to raise/lower, especially the longer ones. Strings do need adjusting from time to time. When a string breaks it can be expensive to restring, but following the instructions easy to fix yourself. The are effective in doing their job, of light filtering or light blocking. We have them in the motorhome and looked at roller type but due to reviews and exorbitant cost, decided an occasional restringing was better that many hundreds of dollars to replace with rollers.

As far as rollers, we briefly had a Vista motorhome with them and liked them BUT I've read that life expectancy is short.

[Jim34RL]

We have the roller shades in our unit and my wife loves them. Easy up just pull down a little and release they are self rising. There are the black out shades in front and than the sun shades are in the rear. They are a couple manufactures of them one is MCD brand and than there is the Irvine Shade and Door Co. They make the Slow-Rise Roller Shades that Forest River uses in the Cedar Creek line.

This was one of my wife's requirements when we bought a new 5er. That we had to have roller shades instead of the paper room darkening shades with the string holes in them.

[crusader424]

We have the lousy pleated string shades that constantly break. I have repaired most of the ones in the coach ( Walmart beige twine lol) looked at a roller replacement recently at the RV show. Seems like most of the newer coaches have gone to this. Was very nice, would be fairly easy to install but indeed pricey.
The jury is still out on this one for us too.

[Gumpster808]

May be able to see if they have different ones for the new model year.

We were in the same place with the string ones that are screwed down etc and they don’t block enough light in reality.

The new model year they replaced with roller shades that block 95% of the light. Ordering through local rv dealer and will be replacing them all.

No changes in window sizes as well so other than couple holes I’ll need to fill should be direct swap.

Will be a few hundred $ to replace them all but less hassle and better temperatures in the coach will be worth it.

[crusader424]

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

May be able to see if they have different ones for the new model year.

We were in the same place with the string ones that are screwed down etc and they don’t block enough light in reality.

The new model year they replaced with roller shades that block 95% of the light. Ordering through local rv dealer and will be replacing them all.

No changes in window sizes as well so other than couple holes I’ll need to fill should be direct swap.

Will be a few hundred $ to replace them all but less hassle and better temperatures in the coach will be worth it.

Hi, just curious. What brand did you guys go with? We checked into these at the rv show and they were right around $ 150 per window. I have broken so many of light brown strings on ours that I bought replacement line at Walmart. Kind’ve a fluke design. My wife goes to raise the shades( carefully) and the strings break[emoji1304]. The roller ones really looked nice but pricey

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by crusader424

Hi, just curious. What brand did you guys go with? We checked into these at the rv show and they were right around $ 150 per window. I have broken so many of light brown strings on ours that I bought replacement line at Walmart. Kind’ve a fluke design. My wife goes to raise the shades( carefully) and the strings break[emoji1304]. The roller ones really looked nice but pricey

We went with what the factory is putting in the new 3051s this year. Dealer ordered from factory.

One was 63x30, two at 57x25, one 20.5x23 (our measurements but close to numbers for blind sizes.

There was one small window we couldn’t get but I’m guessing the factory didn’t have any spares of those and it is quite small window next to bed so not as critical for initial swap.

All in with brackets was less than $400 since we picked up at the dealer that ordered.

I’ll open the package later and respond with the brand if they are marked. Still sitting in the shipping tube in garage since still very cold here.

[crusader424]

Sounds good. Thanks

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by crusader424

Sounds good. Thanks

Here are the new ones we got. First one installed - just like the blinds in the house install.

Made by MCD, roller style. Valance is a little short in center to cover completely but that is a different project [emoji3]

[Trucking69x]

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

Here are the new ones we got. First one installed - just like the blinds in the house install.

Made by MCD, roller style. Valance is a little short in center to cover completely but that is a different project [emoji3]

Attachment 169072

I want to get mcd shades for my 2018 Crusader 340RST. Where did you buy them. Thank you. They look great.

[chunker21]

All strings are not created equal. My 07 Itasca has some that are original. 2 years ago while I was at the Winnebago factory I bought a spool of the string. I have restrung 4 since that time and have had none break. If you get cheap string you will spend more time replacing. I frankly don't know what the good stuff is but guess I should start investigating now before I need some. Still have enough string for 4-5 windows I estimate.

There is a convenience to the roller but when you have to start replacing them it will get very expensive quickly. That will make the hassle of restringing seem tame.

[kdanie]

I don't mind the pleated blinds. I've repaired several of them too. I found that the ones I've had to repair all had little burs that shred the string. I bought a kit at a RV dealer that has enough string & other little parts to repair several. I have one more that I need to get to but it's a pain. I have to remove a couple valances that overlap to get to that one and it's behind the dining table. Once the burs are removed I have no more issues for years of constant use, we have been full-timing for over 5 years so they get used a LOT.

ken

[KChristenson]

My wife hates the pleated blinds, not to mention on one of ours, the string was so tight from the factory that it ripped out the screw that attaches the blind to the wall. We had the dealer 'fix' it, which I think they just screwed it in again with a bigger screw. :/

So, for those that have replaced with the MCD rollers, what did you fill the holes with?

And, any suggestion on how to remove the valence to do the R&R in the first place?

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

We have the roller shades in our unit and my wife loves them. Easy up just pull down a little and release they are self rising. There are the black out shades in front and than the sun shades are in the rear. They are a couple manufactures of them one is MCD brand and than there is the Irvine Shade and Door Co. They make the Slow-Rise Roller Shades that Forest River uses in the Cedar Creek line.

This was one of my wife's requirements when we bought a new 5er. That we had to have roller shades instead of the paper room darkening shades with the string holes in them.

Yep x2 .... Rep approved upgrade for our new Rockwood Ultra Lite

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by KChristenson

My wife hates the pleated blinds, not to mention on one of ours, the string was so tight from the factory that it ripped out the screw that attaches the blind to the wall. We had the dealer 'fix' it, which I think they just screwed it in again with a bigger screw. :/



So, for those that have replaced with the MCD rollers, what did you fill the holes with?



And, any suggestion on how to remove the valence to do the R&R in the first place?

We ordered the replacements through a FR dealer. Gave them the model number and year of our coach and they ordered replacements from the FR factory. Helped that they are putting the MCD ones in our model now.

For filling the holes I used some putty that I found at Menards. Got one pretty close to the color of the wallpaper.

Seems to be holding up well.

I can get the brand if needed - think the tubes are still in the “repair items” box.