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Side window privacy shades & retracting mechanism
All,
The driver’s side privacy (night) retractable pleated shade used on my 1997 Country Coach is dying, or, more specifically, the little retracting spools that let the nylon filaments go out and retract back have given up the ghost (no longer retract). I tried disassembling and repairs, but was unsuccessful in achieving retractability again.
Does anyone have a resource that they can suggest for finding either the (qty 3) replacement self-retracting spools, knows the original supplier, or can recommend a suitable replacement for these pleated shades?
The photo below shows the (deceased) black box that Velcros to the side pillar, and the shade itself has snaps to connect at the front windshield pillar.
[I did look online, including Aliexpress for Chinese manufacturers, but couldn’t locate an equivalent…]
Thanks,
Mike
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11 Replies
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Mike,
Is that photo sideways such that the pleats are vertical not horizontal like on the main coach side windows?
If yes, the bottom line is I don’t know but, I’m following this thread. My side windows have these along with the front windshield. I have not been able to find a direct replacement. My existing shades had a united shade company name on them but when I contacted them they claimed to have never made such a product.
waiting………
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Yes, pleats are correctly oriented vertically (picture fixed).
Thx!
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My coach has this type of retractable shade on the driver’s side, entry door and windshield and my wife has wondered what to do when the inevitable occurs, so we’d also like to know if anyone finds replacements. What privacy arrangements do the newer coaches have?
Kirby
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Most privacy shades go up and down.
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I think I’ve located the original source of the curtains. I’ve found that a replacement side curtain is probably available from:
Dash Designs (Tempe, AZ), “The Original Dash Shade”.
On-line [http://www.dashdesigns.com/content/carsunshades.aspx] one can see the shade. They are available to order for different cars, and in many different sizes. Our Country Coach installed version has three retracting nylon strings (versus 2 on current product) and is the same metallic grey.
For our coach, the attachments are modified compared to what appears to be delivered (currently) by Dash Designs (stitched on a piece with snaps for the attachment). I looked at a generic version at Pep Boys, and it definitely appears to be the original source with the two differences noted (3 vs 2 strings, attaching mechanism).
Planning, if possible, to call and order one tomorrow as a test fit, and will update posts on outcome.
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So, they claim they’re not the original manufacturers. They also state they’ve never made a shade with three retracting strings.
However, they are selling me three of the retracting spool thingys (for $12!), so once I receive them, I will again update everyone on whether this solution works!
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Unfortunately, the spools received will not work.
Back to square one….
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Think my wife has found a source. She contacted Marathon (Mike Jensen) who advised they were made by QFD Shades at http://www.qfd.us/ She went to that website and it does show a photo in the lower right hand corner of the web page with the product in an RV. It has the three horizontal retracting strings that we have in our Marathon and looks like the right thickness/width at the sides to fit in the custome “niche” that holds the retracted shade. From the “contacts” page of the QFD web page, we contacted Hilda Crispin at 1-800-530-8484 and talked to her. Very helpful and Hilda e-mailed a page for noting the key measurement points. For side windows, Hilda said just make a simple drawing with measurements. From that information, they will provide a quote.
We can see the little plastic boxes that hold the retracting spools, but not too sure yet how those are attached in the coach. The end that pulls out has snaps. To be continued…..
Hope this helps.
Kirby
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Excellent information. Looking forward to outcome.
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Well, slight hitch in the problem. Talked to the owner/engineer of the company, QFD Accessories, Inc. He recalls that his company did make the privacy shades for Marathon coaches, using Marathon’s specifications (because of the “hump” of the dashboard). But, since that time, QFD has modified the design of the spool housing (it’s a little larger now) and he did not think the spool mechanisms they make nowadays will fit in the slots/compartments Marathon made to have a built-in appearance for the shades. He said he would go back into the company’s archives to see if they still have the design records in order to verify that. He sounded doubtful that their current product would work for us. But he said he’ll get back to me when he’s had a chance to look for the old records.
Linda
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
Yes, interesting development. Keep us posted.
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