Pleated Blind Repair - DIY

[Rustysocket]

So I had noted during my walkthrough on my new rig that the rear pleated blind came down crooked and would not go all the way to the bottom to cover the rear window of our new fifth-wheel.

It was one of few minor things and my dealer was more than willing to take care of it for me. I'm pretty handy and tend to do most of the shakedown repairs myself. It gives me the opportunity to really go over every system and find the things I can't do on my own. The blind kind of scared me a bit and I had visions of me taking the thing apart, strings everywhere, and not being able to get it back together

We were at a campground the other day and I met a fellow Jayco owner who wanted to take a look at our new rig. He was in a spot behind us and he mentioned that he had noticed we got the crooked blind option as well. I explained that yes and that it was on my list of things to get taken care of after the season slowed down. Turns out this guy had worked in the industry and so he sat down and diagrammed exactly how to fix it myself.

Mine was a little more complex he said as it had four strings and a spring. He played with it a couple of seconds and said that the spring wasnt centered when it was hung and that the left side strings were too short and the right too long... but that all would require replacement. He happened to have some white string, but ours was beige. Anyway, I got a great tutorial on how to fix the blind with some drawings and good links to the manufacturer of the blind.

I sent a short note to the United Shade company who made the blind describing the situation. I took a picture of the manufacturing sticker showing the manufacturing date and part number. I got a really nice email from the company giving me the option to send them the entire assembly and they would send me a new blind, or they would just mail me some string in the proper color and I could give it a go myself.

Anyway, I figure this is a chance for me to learn a new skill, save some time and let the dealer deal with more important issues and not have to be without a blind for a couple weeks. Also I know that nothing will get lost in the mail.

Anyway, if any of you have blinds that need restrung there are great instructions on the United Shade company website with a video and everything.

[Quahog]

Good source of info. Thanks for posting!

[LynnAllen02]

how did you know it was United Shade Company? I looked in the manual and see no manufacturer? Since we have a Jayco (SLX212QBW) from 2016 as well, would I assume it was the same manufacturer just a simpler window cover only 2 strings?

[Rustysocket]

Originally Posted by LynnAllen02

how did you know it was United Shade Company? I looked in the manual and see no manufacturer? Since we have a Jayco (SLX212QBW) from 2016 as well, would I assume it was the same manufacturer just a simpler window cover only 2 strings?

Took the shade off and found a manufacturers sticker with a part # and a the companies name.

They are simple to fix. Watch a video, take pictures as you dissasemble it. Use some rubberbands to hold the pleats all together.

[norty1]

The number of strings has more to do with the width of the blind than the quality.

Wider ones have more string rows in multiples of 2.

I have some with 6 strings. They all work the same way just the wider the more complicated to repair.

[LynnAllen02]

thanks so much!

[Travelbug422]

I replaced the string on the shades in our "bedroom" after they began to fray. I ordered the string on Amazon. I too watched a video on You Tube. It's very important to place string going in the right direction. I drew the pattern on a piece of paper so I would remember when restringing. It works great now. My only problem was hanging it up. My shades are attached to the valance. The valance is attached to my TT with 4 scews. I was able to reattach the bottom 2 screws but I didn't get the top screws put back in. I resorted to heavy duty velcro and it worked.