Community Forums

kcolivier · 10-31-2012, 07:50 AM

Dave, I'll be happy to take some pictures when I go to the storage lot tomorrow - assuming I remember. ;-). I'm putting it into the shop to install a steering damper, so if I don't remember tomorrow, it will be a couple of weeks. If I totally forget, please send me a PM!

Ken

dav-cle · 11-01-2012, 02:01 AM

Thanks Ken

kcolivier · 11-01-2012, 04:34 PM

Dave, I'll post a couple of photos I took today, with comments, since this is my first attempt to do so. If you want more detail, just send me a PM. I have 8 additional pictures, but thought that these capture the required information.

Picture 1: Shows night shades fully closed. You have to fiddle with the shades at the bottom to get them to "puddle" correctly. There will be some light bleeding at the joints, but it is way better than the old pleated curtains.

Picture 2: Shows the day shades fully closed, but more importantly, show how they fall in front of the rounded dash.

Picture 3: Day shades partially closed. Note that each shade has its own motor, but they all operate simultaneously. The shade bottoms are lined up only when fully open or fully closed, owing to variations in motor speed. Slight visual hickey, but what the heck.

Picture 4: Shows the curb side and center shade attachment to the overhead cabinets. Note the overlap to prevent light bleed. Also note in the far left-middle of the picture the top of a black right angle attachment that was added to the A-Pillar to "capture" the shade as it comes down. This keeps light from bleeding in from the side.

Almost all of the installations will be different, depending on the physical configuration of the windshield area.

Hope this helps.

Ken

dav-cle · 11-01-2012, 11:27 PM

Ken, thanks for taking the time to take the pics.. Upon viewing ,your dash is totally different than mine. From the way the pics are it looks like your windshield is curved as well as the cabinets next to the tv, is that so?? My space behind the cabinets and tv (which is on the passengers side) doesn't have a lot of room which may cause a problem even though i just need 4" for the shades. Behind my tv cabinet and the media cabinet are wood grills for ventilation. I guess I just need to call MCD and get their input.

kcolivier · 11-02-2012, 05:12 AM

Dave, my windshield does have a slight curve, but the back of the cabinets are straight across after the original TV was replaced and TV cabinet rebuilt by Carlyle in Nappanee. The front side of the media cabinet is angled, not curved. If you don' have enough depth to mount the shades offset as shown in the fourth picture, depending on the instrument panel size and depth, you might be able to get by with with a single shade configuration, where they create a split bottom to allow the shade to drape over the instrument panel. MCD (Tremaine) is quite flexible and inventive, and can likely come up with a suitable design for your coach. You might want to take some pictures and discuss with them over the phone

kcolivier · 11-02-2012, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dav-cle

Ken, thanks for taking the time to take the pics.. Upon viewing ,your dash is totally different than mine. From the way the pics are it looks like your windshield is curved as well as the cabinets next to the tv, is that so?? My space behind the cabinets and tv (which is on the passengers side) doesn't have a lot of room which may cause a problem even though i just need 4" for the shades. Behind my tv cabinet and the media cabinet are wood grills for ventilation. I guess I just need to call MCD and get their input.

I looked at the brochure for the 2005 MADP and indeed the dash area looks totally different. Your windshield is not as curved as mine and you have a smaller hump for the instrument cluster. I'm thinking that you might even be able to use a single shade that travels straight down the A-pillar, perhaps with the little 90 degree angle capture piece on each side for a nice, clean installation. It definitely warrants a call. As long as the shade does not fit tightly over the ventilation cut outs, I wouldn't think that they should be a problem - at worst, perhaps install a quiet computer ventilation fan.

dav-cle · 11-03-2012, 07:21 AM

After further examination I think they may be able to mount the shades on the existing board that my sunvisors are mounted too since my cabinets go from A post to A post. this would be the best way to install with a one piece shade...
Thanks Ken for all the input...

flaggship1 · 11-03-2012, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dav-cle

After further examination I think they may be able to mount the shades on the existing board that my sunvisors are mounted too since my cabinets go from A post to A post. this would be the best way to install with a one piece shade...
Thanks Ken for all the input...

When I made my appointment for house shades with MCD we talked about the windshield. I was told the ideal installation is to replace existing power sun visors with their product and use the same two switches. One would control day, the other night. I didn't think I would like that as sometimes Annie and I have the sun visors at different levels. The response was that you can see through their day shade so most people don't mind the lack of independent control. You get the sun screen protection of the sun visor without blacking everything out.

My other concern is that my sun visors are back a good way from the windshield and serve as our night front shade as well - no curtain across the front, only on the sides up to visors to provide full night coverage. On the one hand I like not having so much curtain to deal with. On the other a large portion of the dash is exposed to sun and we put beach towels there to protect it. So we would still have the beach look. There is plenty of room for them to install forward and leave the power visors - but that would involve pulling wire and installing switches. I'm sure they could do it (or a DIYr could) but they didn't seem to want to get into that.

Since the windshield product isn't part of the 30% off sale, and my power visors are still working I'm holding off for now. Once I have some time to asses the shades I'll have a better idea as to how I feel about the idea. Two weeks and counting on the drop off. Lucky for me our Bounder is stored about 9 miles from MCD.

kcolivier · 11-03-2012, 05:12 PM

You can talk to them about the cockpit options when you get there. When I had mine installed, we wired the day shades to the driver side visor switch and the night shades to the passenger side visor switch. You also can opt for a wireless remote and give both driver and passenger the opportunity to fight over who is king of the hill with each having the ability to control both shades.

One thing I haven't mentioned is that in some situations the double roller mechanism will not be covered (window behind passenger seat) or completely covered (driver side window and entry door). Some people arrange for a cabinet guy to come out and take measurements at the beginning of the week, so he can install at the end of the week after the American Duo shades are installed. I didn't think of that and nobody mentioned it, so you might ask "will the shade rollers be completely covered after install", then decide if you want go go a step further. MCD can arrange to have the guy come out or give you his name. Since I only had one day in the coach after installation before it went back into storage, I haven't decided whether to have some wooden valences built out that will match the existing Coastal Cherry finish or just leave it as is until I can make it back to Nappanee and have Focal Wood Products do the work. Just a thought.

Ken

dav-cle · 11-04-2012, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcolivier

You can talk to them about the cockpit options when you get there. When I had mine installed, we wired the day shades to the driver side visor switch and the night shades to the passenger side visor switch. You also can opt for a wireless remote and give both driver and passenger the opportunity to fight over who is king of the hill with each having the ability to control both shades.

One thing I haven't mentioned is that in some situations the double roller mechanism will not be covered (window behind passenger seat) or completely covered (driver side window and entry door). Some people arrange for a cabinet guy to come out and take measurements at the beginning of the week, so he can install at the end of the week after the American Duo shades are installed. I didn't think of that and nobody mentioned it, so you might ask "will the shade rollers be completely covered after install", then decide if you want go go a step further. MCD can arrange to have the guy come out or give you his name. Since I only had one day in the coach after installation before it went back into storage, I haven't decided whether to have some wooden valences built out that will match the existing Coastal Cherry finish or just leave it as is until I can make it back to Nappanee and have Focal Wood Products do the work. Just a thought.

Ken

Ken happy you mentioned the valances, I think i would want them if the shade rollers were exposed. Also I have two switches on each side of the coach (existing side visor and windshield visor) that can be used so there will be plenty of options as far as what shades are operated by whom. One thing I did notice that may have to be changed or cut down is the grab bar at the entry door, it would interfere with the passenger side shades, but i'm sure they have run into his problem before.Mine is made of stainless and could maybe be cut down or a wood one built.

Did yours have to be modified?

kcolivier · 11-05-2012, 10:23 AM

Dave,

For the entry door, I have a pull up day shade that is attached to the screen door and a pull down night shade, that is mounted behind the existing valance. For the small window behind the passenger seat, there is an American Duo shade (where there was previously no window covering, only the pleated curtains). The pull up day shade and pull down night shade over the door go between the grab handle and the inner coach wall, e.g. no interference. So in essence, where there was previously a single pleated curtain that covered the small window behind the passenger seat and the entry door, there are now two separate window coverings. No modifications were needed for the entry door grab bar.

I wish I had made before and after photos, but alas, I didn't.

Ken

dav-cle · 11-06-2012, 06:30 AM

Ken, I believe my entry door is different than yours, mine narrows at the top whereas it looks like your may be more rectangular. The pull up shade sounds like it would have been perfect but i'm sure it won't work.

LABergo · 11-09-2012, 07:18 AM

Hello Dave,
I have a 2007 MADP and had a local MCD dealer install the cockpit shades this past July. We love the way it turned out. I believe I have the same rounded dash that you have. We left the motorized sun visors in place for the front windshield and added a motorized night shade as well as a motorized day shade. Both have their own switches on the dash and operate without ignition on. Again, I still have the full use of the sun visors. Both shade track in the same slotted column posts and when I drop them, the tail of the shade will form around the rounded part of the dash for privacy.

I also had side shades installed. The day shade replaced the existing motorized shade and is operated by the same switch, but with ignition on. The night shades are their standard pull down (not motorized) and work very well. As I said, we are very pleased with them.

dav-cle · 11-10-2012, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LABergo

Hello Dave,
I have a 2007 MADP and had a local MCD dealer install the cockpit shades this past July. We love the way it turned out. I believe I have the same rounded dash that you have. We left the motorized sun visors in place for the front windshield and added a motorized night shade as well as a motorized day shade. Both have their own switches on the dash and operate without ignition on. Again, I still have the full use of the sun visors. Both shade track in the same slotted column posts and when I drop them, the tail of the shade will form around the rounded part of the dash for privacy.

I also had side shades installed. The day shade replaced the existing motorized shade and is operated by the same switch, but with ignition on. The night shades are their standard pull down (not motorized) and work very well. As I said, we are very pleased with them.

LABergo is your front day/nightshade 1 piece?? if you look at earlier pics from kcoliver you wll notice they had to make his in 3 sections, also if you have the motorized day shade is it really necessary to keep the original vizors whick on mine have serious gaps between the drivers and passengers sides ??