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03-28-2016, 03:33 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 9,940
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The Blind Chalet, anyone ever install their twin day-night rollers?
Folks,
Our coach is an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT. It's presently displaying, 60,000 miles and, it's over 12 years old. It's still a fine piece of machinery. It's still like new inside and out. But, the infamous "Day-night" shades are looking the worse for wear. And, I've re-strung a few of them, more than once. About a year ago I purchased 3,000' of the cord used for those blinds. Well, it's obvious that I'll not use that up in mine or, all my kids or grand kids life times. Nor would I want to.
So, upon reading of alternate applications to replace these Day-nighters, the company, "Blinds Chalet" has come up. I briefly cruised through the MCD site and, well, I'd have to sell the motorhome to pay for the MCDs.
So, the Blinds Chalet has dual, day-night rollers, and, to the best of my research, they're very, very close to the quality of the MCDs. My issue is, the clearance needed inside the valances is ultra close to the max measurements of the roller head unit of theirs. That means I cannot use the mounting tabs that are attached to the top of the head unit.
So, what I'm asking or, looking for here is, has anyone purchased and mounted these rollers from this company? If so, are you still happy with them and are they working correctly? Are they what you expected?
The wife and I briefly cruised through Lowes to see if they had anything comparable and, we couldn't find anything close, with no strings.
Scott
http://www.blindschalet.com/blinds.a...FQmSaQodUkgElQ
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '20 Honda NC750X DCT
2018 Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Heidi character, (mini Schnauzer)!
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03-28-2016, 05:53 PM
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#2
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Member
Monaco Owners Club Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 82
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We just replaced all of our shades with day/night roller shades from stevesblindsandwallpaper.com. They are very nice shades with all steel construction, steel roller tubes and a hemmed in metal bar on the bottom of the shades. They have the slow up feature and work smooth as silk. I did not want power shades but they do offer that. Ours have a depth of 2.5 inches and height of 4.5 inches. We looked at all different brands and ultimately chose Steve's because of the fantastic customer service we got from them when calling with questions. Blinds Chalet was slightly cheaper but Steve's beat their price when I told them what the online quote was from Blinds Chalet. All I had to do was ask and give them the total. Everything came in perfect condition and at exactly the specs and measurements we asked for. I was a little concerned these would bang around while driving but that has not been an issue at all. I could not be happier with our choice and our new blinds.
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03-28-2016, 08:16 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 9,940
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cusn Edy
We just replaced all of our shades with day/night roller shades from stevesblindsandwallpaper.com. They are very nice shades with all steel construction, steel roller tubes and a hemmed in metal bar on the bottom of the shades. They have the slow up feature and work smooth as silk. I did not want power shades but they do offer that. Ours have a depth of 2.5 inches and height of 4.5 inches. We looked at all different brands and ultimately chose Steve's because of the fantastic customer service we got from them when calling with questions. Blinds Chalet was slightly cheaper but Steve's beat their price when I told them what the online quote was from Blinds Chalet. All I had to do was ask and give them the total. Everything came in perfect condition and at exactly the specs and measurements we asked for. I was a little concerned these would bang around while driving but that has not been an issue at all. I could not be happier with our choice and our new blinds.
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Cusn Edy,
I surely appreciate your reply here. I'm wondering, who did your install of the rollers, you? If so, what was/is your depth clearance in your valances? You say your head units were/are 2.5" deep. Well, our valance depths are 2.5" deep and, the head units are 2.125" from Blinds Chalet. That gives me approximately 3/16" in front and behind the head unit. That, in itself is not very much clearance.
But what I'm wondering is, how are yours mounted to your coach. Are they mounted via the top of the valance or, to the back side or, to the sides, what?
I'm asking 'cause it's gonna be real tight up in there no matter who's rollers we get and, I have to devise a way to mount them with that kind of minimal clearance.
Blinds Chalet does come with a "top mount" that can be positioned along the roller head unit by loosening a center screw but, it's two screw holes are over 3" apart and, I don't have that much clearance.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '20 Honda NC750X DCT
2018 Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Heidi character, (mini Schnauzer)!
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03-28-2016, 08:39 PM
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#4
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Member
Monaco Owners Club Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 82
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We ordered the top mount so the screws actually go up into the top of the valance. They also offer a wall mount. Wall mounting may be a better option for you. You could remove the valance, mount the roller assembly to the coach and then remount the valance. I installed everything myself and the valances were not a concern as we threw out the old cloth covered valances and I built new ones made of cherry hardwood to match our new cabinets. I simply made the new valances to fit the roller assemblies. We just completely gutted our coach so it's easy to make everything fit right when starting from scratch.
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03-28-2016, 08:48 PM
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#5
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Member
Monaco Owners Club Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 82
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I just went out and did some more measuring. The headrail itself is 2 1/8". The tabs that stick down where the actual roller tubes attach are 2 1/2". The top mounts which are adjustable along the entire length of the headrail are 3 1/8". I would bet Blinds Chalet and Steve's likely get their shades from the same supplier given the measurements are exactly the same.
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03-29-2016, 11:10 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 9,940
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Cusn Edy,
First off, I just realized your avatar. What a crackup. He plays good parts in those movies. Too bad he's not nearly as successful in real life.
Anyway, again, I want to really thank you for your contribution here and the the time and effort you spent on checking on things I'm concerned about. Yes, I too am thinking of "modifying" my valances to fit the new roller blinds. But, I'm dealing with a pretty strict "CEO" if you know what I mean.
So, some serious "in house" business discussions are in order.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '20 Honda NC750X DCT
2018 Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Heidi character, (mini Schnauzer)!
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06-08-2016, 09:36 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 15
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MCD too much $
Gents, Thank you for all of the information. I'm looking at Blinds Chalet Duo rollers and wondered if there was any discussion on them. So FIRE UP did you go with Blinds Chalet or Steve's? If you did go with BC what did you think of the quality and operation of the final product?
I too have a 2004 36G and and I'm thinking that the rollers will be a very nice update.
Jim
__________________
Jim and Terri
2004 Winnebago Journey 36G 350 Cat C-7, SMI AF1, 2013 GMC Terrain
Central Valley California-for now
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06-08-2016, 03:59 PM
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#8
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 24,063
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Scott.....remove your valances, usually about 4-6 screws and add a piano hinge at the top (replacing the top screws). That way you could lift the valance up, do the install and lower the valance, securing it with the original lower screws.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
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06-08-2016, 04:49 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Forest River Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Monticello MN.
Posts: 958
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I bought the MCD shades and installed them myself with out removing the valance. it was easy.
__________________
Marianne & Jerry. 2019 Forest River Berkshire 34QS
USS Decatur DDG-31 1971 to 1975
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06-08-2016, 06:25 PM
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#10
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 24,063
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These shades http://www.automotionshade.com/English/Index.aspx are about 30% cheaper than the MCD shades and are almost identical. If you can get the model with the snap in clip at the top, you just screw in clip to top of valance and snap shade in.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
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