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Check your window shade clip screws


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I have been finding small bits of aluminum on the rear bunks right under the windows. I pulled the rear side window shades off and found 2 of the 6 screws on each side were stripped out. Rear window was ok but found 2 more stripped out at the dinette window. So out of 22 window shade screws 6 were stripped out. Not loose. Stripped out. I replaced them with the next size up, #10 x 1 inch SS pan head sheet metal screws. Had to enlarge the hole in the clips using a step bit. If you have to replace some of yours, hand tighten them only using an old-timey hand operated screwdriver.

 

 

 

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Bill and Martha

2018 LEII Hull 313

2019 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax

 

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Good work, a simple and easy fix. Thanks for the heads up. I need to check ours to see if any of them need attention. Think maybe I’ll get around to rotating the window shades at the same time.

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4 

 

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Maniac: You can make the adjustment. Pull the window shade out of the clips. Lay shade frame face down on the bunk. Opposite the shade you want to tighten you will find a small spring in a groove in the frame with nylon strings tied at each end. Working with a small screwdriver and a needle (or something similar) undo the knot at one end of the spring and tighten (shorten) the string. 1/4 inch should be enough. Repeat for the string on the other end of the spring. You will be surprised at how much additional “hold” there will be. Don’t over tighten the strings or they will wear out prematurely. Good luck!

John Shkor, SailorsAshore

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townesw,

 

Agree with Steve, easy and simple fix. Good work!

 

Mainiac,

 

Here's the spring location in the frame John mentions. Made some drawings while re-threading some of ours. Started a thread about this job, I need to find it again!

 

 

 

Spring connected to the cords:

 

Oliver%20Shade%204-L.jpg

 

IMG_2315-M.jpg

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LE2

 

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I am grateful for these posts, for I have been planning to work on our Ollie's window shades.

 

The posts above address one of my main concerns: I want to flip the shades so that the "night" shade is on the bottom so that I can bring it up to increase privacy (those peeking into the cabin would see the tops of us, if anything, rather than our bottoms!). However, we have had some trouble having the "day" shades slip down by themselves on occasion, and I supposed that the heavier "night" shades would exacerbate that problem. (Thanks John and Bill!)

 

There is, however, one other issue I need to address: The shade frames often come loose (one or two has completely fallen off) when running down some bumpy terrain. I know that someone on this forum discovered the problem--something having to do with the screws securing the clips that hold the frame. Could that someone kindly review how he or she solved the problem? I would greatly appreciate it.

 

I hope that my question relates closely enough to the window shade clip screws issue to not be viewed as highjacking this thread. With this information, I think I will be ready to tackle my upcoming shady projects. Thanks!

Onward through the Fog!


EarthPicks of Cochise County


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Spike, when your shades fall off, what condition are the clips in? Are they so loose that they can spin on the screws? Are they still firmly secured?

 

Before I started this thread I did a search but didn’t come up with anything but I may not have used the right words for the search. If there is another thread on this I would like to read it also.

Bill and Martha

2018 LEII Hull 313

2019 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax

 

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Spike, when your shades fall off, what condition are the clips in? Are they so loose that they can spin on the screws? Are they still firmly secured?

 

So far, the clips seem to be firmly secured; I can replace the shades by pressing them firmly against the clips. The post I remember reading from someone who seemed to have solved the problem mentioned, to the best of my memory, doing something with the screws that held the clips--perhaps the problem having to do with the screws not being properly seated. I'm hoping the original person who posted the solution will let us know . . .

Onward through the Fog!


EarthPicks of Cochise County


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Last night I laid a 4 foot straight edge on top of the 3 clips over one of my windows. This picture shows that the 3 clips are not in a line.

 

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I think the misalignment of the clips and the vibration of the window shade tends to make that shade want jump off even if the clips are securely fastened.

 

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Bill and Martha

2018 LEII Hull 313

2019 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax

 

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I found some of my shades loose at some corners. This was early on in our travels. We simply held them close and tapped them firmly with the palm of my hand. You could hear and feel them 'snap' into place. I check them all on occasion and have never found any loose again. I only assume ours were never fully installed at the get go?

I was outside the unit the other day and all the shades were open. The person inside was waving and we could not see them. We assume the window tint and reflection were the cause. I don't think anyone could ever see much looking in, especially if any shade was down. We went in and looked out, and you could see everything. From the outside try looking in, you won't see much, unless the lights are on and it's dark out. For us I guess they work best to keep the light out at "nap time"...

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The misalignment you discovered, Townesw, is interesting and may be a contributing factor to why the shades come loose. However, I know that another owner found a different problem and solution involving, as I remember, the way the clips were seated by the screws. I think the issue I am vaguely remembering is that the clips to do not extend far enough out to firmly secure the shades. I'm still hoping the owner who posted quite a while ago will jump in to review that issue. (I haven't been able to find the original post via the search function on this site.)

 

My interest, Mainiac, in flipping the shades is precisely to cover the situation when "the lights are on and it’s dark out." Regarding the shades coming loose, I too have snapped the shades back into the clips with the palm of my hand, but unlike you, I have had to do this multiple times. I'm looking for a more permanent solution.

Onward through the Fog!


EarthPicks of Cochise County


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There are spacers, maybe 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick under my clips. I have hull 313 built February 2018. Do you have these spacers under your clips?

Bill and Martha

2018 LEII Hull 313

2019 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax

 

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There are spacers, maybe 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick under my clips. I have hull 313 built February 2018. Do you have these spacers under your clips?

 

Yes, here is a photo of one of the clips with the spacer. I'm thinking now that perhaps the fix might be to extend the clips out a little more from the spacers by placing a washer between the spacer and the clip, which might mean that I need slightly longer screws. However, I would rather learn from someone who has successfully dealt with this issue rather than trying and failing at that kind of experiment. (I'm not all that handy.)

 

BTW, my hull is #222, built in July, 2017.

IMG_6786.thumb.jpg.004c33952792e4749935ffd09f831730.jpg

Onward through the Fog!


EarthPicks of Cochise County


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One more thing then I’ve got to mow the yard. Take your shade off and lay it on a flat surface and see if it lays flat. I just noticed one of mine has a slight warp to it. This might contribute to it popping loose.

 

This is what I have learned about mechanical problems: Think about coming up to a four way stop and meeting 3 other cars. If everyone does what they are supposed to then all is well. But if you and the car on your left or the one on your right pull out at the same time all is not well. Everything is fine unless two things that aren’t supposed to happen at once happen at once. Well this sounded better in my head than it does in writing. Anyway, maybe two small things are happening at the same time to cause the shade to pop loose. Am I making sense?

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Bill and Martha

2018 LEII Hull 313

2019 Chevrolet 2500HD Duramax

 

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Take your shade off and lay it on a flat surface and see if it lays flat. I just noticed one of mine has a slight warp to it. This might contribute to it popping loose.

 

Just did that with the dinette shade. No appreciable warp. Also, the problem occurs with at least one other shade. Still hoping for the person who previously posted the fix involving--as I remember--working with the screws holding the clips to respond. Thanks, and happy mowing. It is now 100 degrees here in the high desert of SE AZ.

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Onward through the Fog!


EarthPicks of Cochise County


AZCACOKSMONVNMORTNTXUTmed.jpg

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