MCD Shades Break Down

[Traps90]

We have fulltimed in our coach since new 5-1/2 years ago.

Till recently we had trouble with 1 autostop on the day shade over the entry door ( I had left it cause we do not really use it)

Since then we have had 4 more autostops go and now 5 springs that have broken.

I just spent almost $500.oo to repair the main 5 window shades with new springs and autostops.

Now our bedroom window spring has gone on the day shade portion.
It's starting to look like I may have to rebuild all of them just to have piece of mind.

It's like they have a design life of 5-6 years.

[43DFT]

I feel your pain.I go through the same thing. Coach is just over 5 1/2 years old, we're only half time and mine have been breaking for about 3 years. Springs and the auto stops. The good thing is that I've gotten pretty good at repairing them...I just need the parts.

[Traps90]

Originally Posted by 43DFT

I feel your pain.I go through the same thing. Coach is just over 5 1/2 years old, we're only half time and mine have been breaking for about 3 years. Springs and the auto stops. The good thing is that I've gotten pretty good at repairing them...I just need the parts.

I think I should have a good handle on rebuilding them by the time I'm done

[Happycarz]

Last year, after 6 years, my MCD Duo's started having the dreaded find the shade syndrome. The up stops were coming apart one by one. So, I called MCD to find out what I needed and bought 12 up stops, for the ones that were broken and the ones that were going to break. There were, as I recall, about $12.95 each.

The fellow also mentioned that I should not be letting the shade go up by itself, but that I should keep my hand on it until it reached its stop. Hmmm, first I head of this.

So I start repairing the shades and saw what was happening. Not wanting to go through replacing again, I modified all the new up stops, before installing them.

There is a nut with plastic molded around it. After a while the plastic fatigues and the stop no longer works

Failed up stop.





With the new ones, I wrapped the weak area with stainless steel wire and twisted it tight.



I cut the long tail off and bent it over.





And finally made sure the wire wrapping wouldn’t walk by gluing it in place with E-6000

Attachment 1

And, since I had some that were only cracked, but whole, I made a couple of spares. The cracks are visible in the picture below.



The shades on either side of the bed were installed 5 years ago, so they are on my list to disassemble and modify before they break.

MCD sent instructions with the new parts, and I just checked that it is on their website under VIDEOS on the left side of home page.

[10Boomer]

Oh boy, something to look at one day.

[nodine]

Harry,

Thanks for the heads up. Silly me, I thought duct tape had replaced hay bail wire as a must have in the tool kit.

Bob

[Traps90]

Harry that's a great idea, so simple yet it should work. Unfortunately I have a dozen new ones already on route here. But i will keep a few spares and look at doing that.

Now if I could just find a cheap repair for the springs.

[Happycarz]

Traps, do the new ones before installing, like I did. I had already replaced 4 stops before the idea struck me. So, I took those apart again to put the new improved ones in.


The 12 shades to do plus the 4 to redo was quite a chore. I took my time and did a duo shade at a time. Over the course of a few weeks, I had them all done. And, it wasn’t an overwhelming project doing a window at a time.

[Traps90]

Originally Posted by Happycarz

Traps, do the new ones before installing, like I did. I had already replaced 4 stops before the idea struck me. So, I took those apart again to put the new improved ones in.


The 12 shades to do plus the 4 to redo was quite a chore. I took my time and did a duo shade at a time. Over the course of a few weeks, I had them all done. And, it wasn’t an overwhelming project doing a window at a time.

Well I rebuilt all off my autostops, like you did as well as the new ones. Wish I could have gotten Stainless Steel instead of the Aluminum safety wire that I used.

I rebuilt 6 blinds yesterday all of the stops we're broken (was able to salvage 6 out of 12 to repair)

6 springs we're broken and I had order 10 new ones before the 6th shade let go.

The only blinds not rebuilt now are the big drivers side window and the small narrow ones in the sides of the slideouts and the small bathroom windows.

Hopefully they will last for awhile longer.
I do have 6 used medium springs that are still workable, will keep for an emergency. But really do not want to use them again if possible.

[veraken]

I don't have roller shades, but I'm thinking about replacing my pleated shades with them. If I do, do I still need the sides parts of the valances or only the top? If only the top, how do you keep the shades from moving around when on the road?

[Traps90]

Originally Posted by veraken

I don't have roller shades, but I'm thinking about replacing my pleated shades with them. If I do, do I still need the sides parts of the valances or only the top? If only the top, how do you keep the shades from moving around when on the road?

I would think it's better to have the side parts as it also seals off the sides from being able to see in.
As far as travel goes with no side parts just make sure they are up for travel.

[Spk64]

We opted to not use the sides when we replaced our pleated shades and the light seal is good. Very little light leaks in. At night cannot even tell lights are on inside.

[AFChap]

Be glad you can still get parts. We installed the previous generation MCD shades in our coach in 2008. We have 6 manual duo's, and 3 powered across the windshield. I have had to re-set auto-stops a few times on both types.

One broke internally in 2011 and they required it be returned to them for repair. Another broke in 2012 and again I had to return it to them to be repaired. The repair ticket indicated "G3 to G4 conversion".

Within the next two years another broke and this time the answer was that I had to replace the entire shade as the internal parts were no longer available due to the supplier. Fortunately that shade was in a position where I could easily do without it.

The pic is of two different failures, both with the larger piece snapping off at the point where it transitioned into the smaller shaft.

While my earlier parts are obviously a bit different from the newer parts, it is disappointing to learn that such premium priced shades still contain such low quality parts.