Tow with day night shades up or down?

stormer · 08-15-2018, 04:17 PM

What is recommended? Tow with day night shades up or down or half way? Our very first tow from dealer and one of the day night shades "popped". So that one is toast. Watched some youtube videos and said... yeah, fixing isn't happening. LOL

So my wife has insisted they stay "up". So we have been. Towing in the south with full on sun cooking the trailer... big windshield in front of RV...

So what is recommended? I'm fine either way just wondering if there is a "correct" way to do it?

Thanks!!

James

SeaDog · 08-15-2018, 04:19 PM

Up or down is sort of up to you myself I sometimes have mine down and sometimes up. I like to keep them up when the rig is in my shop to keep the pleats sharp.

IsleDog · 08-15-2018, 04:23 PM

we travel with them down. we have a small toy hauler, and dont like prying eyes trying to decide if they want our toys.

**ependydad** · 08-15-2018, 04:27 PM

Does, to hide the prying eyes.

BUT- I will say, fixing them is actually a lot easier than it seems. We waited for a long time and ultimately had 3 or 4 we had to restring. It was pretty easy once we got the hang of it.

stormer · 08-15-2018, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IsleDog

we travel with them down. we have a small toy hauler, and dont like prying eyes trying to decide if they want our toys.

I got some super tinted windows... we only tow during the day and if we did tow at night, there are no lights on. lol

I'm just wondering if towing with them down will break them?

You've had no issues towing with them down?

James

IsleDog · 08-15-2018, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormer

I got some super tinted windows... we only tow during the day and if we did tow at night, there are no lights on. lol

I'm just wondering if towing with them down will break them?

You've had no issues towing with them down?

James

might not be the same exact shade, but no, no issues with them down.

**ependydad** · 08-15-2018, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormer

I'm just wondering if towing with them down will break them?

You've had no issues towing with them down?

James

No issues towing with them down in something like 20-25,000 miles towing.

Charles Firth · 08-15-2018, 05:06 PM

They stay down during towing and while in storage. No issues.

stormer · 08-16-2018, 12:33 AM

Great, thanks all. We will give it a go with them down. Im just thinking it will keep the trailer at 95 degrees vs 105 degrees. Lol

JohnD10 · 08-16-2018, 12:53 AM

I keep them all down in my 5'ver when rolling...except one.

The great big 72 1/2 x 38 inch back window!

If I don't keep it up on the road it looks like this after a couple of hundred miles (have replaced it twice and they all do it - two different shades here):

babock · 08-16-2018, 01:52 AM

My brother has this theory that leaving them down during storage weakens them, especially the pleats so he stores with them up and has that silver insulation material cut out for all the windows.

mwdilday · 08-16-2018, 07:25 AM

We tow with all shades up. That's what they told us when we took delivery and it makes sense.

Kaadk · 08-16-2018, 08:05 AM

I tow with mine down. Trailer can get hot enough as it is with no AC running, so down helps block some heat. Never had an issue, but after reading some comments on here, if having crisp pleats is required, maybe leave them up. The pleats don't really bother us, kids and dogs have wrinkled those way more than towing will.

SunSeeker 3050 · 08-16-2018, 01:03 PM

We have a class C, so all noises, bangs and rattles are heard while on our journey. We have the same type shades in your pic. I found that if the grandkids adjusted them in any position except fully up or down, they rattled. Noise usually means some damage is occurring. Granted it is slight, but over time it adds up to significant wear.

BobHanke · 08-16-2018, 01:23 PM

Down probably better in a tt or 5vr for furniture. In our mh we put them up for passengers.

A32Deuce · 08-16-2018, 01:29 PM

We have a class c with 89000 miles and they are always closed during travel. Helps keep it a little cooler during the trip.

Larry-NC · 08-16-2018, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnD10

I keep them all down in my 5'ver when rolling...except one.

The great big 72 1/2 x 38 inch back window!

If I don't keep it up on the road it looks like this after a couple of hundred miles (have replaced it twice and they all do it - two different shades here):

The only time ours look like that is when we accidentally brush up against them. When it happens, I just snap them back into the original shape.

Larry

W5CI · 08-16-2018, 02:07 PM

I guess it is a personal choice, just like running with your Ref on or off

groomn · 08-16-2018, 02:24 PM

When we bought our first trailer I was told to leave them up on travel it helps to keep their shape. I have always done this, my camper is no hotter with them up or down during travel. It actually stays pretty cool. I did however have one camper with a large rear window and that shade would migrate down.

itat · 08-16-2018, 06:15 PM

Ours are always down except for when we are camping and even then we only put them up when the windows are opened. If it’s hot enough to need the AC on, we keep the shades down.

I’ve also restrung some of ours. It’s a simple process but the large, 4-sting shades can be very finicky. Getting the tension on the strings set just right is a trial and error process.

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