Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Realmccoy on September 06, 2022, 11:26:27 pm

Title: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Realmccoy on September 06, 2022, 11:26:27 pm
Passenger side pleated windshield blind sticks tight as a tick. Driver side likes to fly open on it's own. Anybody else have that problem? Passenger side has fuzzy side of Velcro on windshield but driver side has the fuzzy side on blind.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Doug W. on September 06, 2022, 11:52:41 pm
Two-person job but what happens when they are attached together,  any difference in tension from side to side?  Had same issue in the past changing out the Velcro on the windshield helped.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: oldguy on September 07, 2022, 12:20:03 am
I was lucky that the previous owner had change the blinds to power blinds that go up and down.
They now are perfect sun shades.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Peter on September 07, 2022, 12:30:27 am
I had the same issue. I changed the Velcro to the same piece on each side as well as the blinds and it cured the issue
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Realmccoy on September 07, 2022, 02:05:10 am
I had the same issue. I changed the Velcro to the same piece on each side as well as the blinds and it cured the issue
How did you change it on the blinds? Appears sewn on.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Peter on September 07, 2022, 09:08:09 am
Hmm...mine were not sewn on. Perhaps the PO had changed them already. I just peeled the old off and used a little tab of gorilla glue to add a little more oomph to the existing stick on glue
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Chuck Pearson on September 07, 2022, 10:57:40 am
I removed the vision block velcro on glass and now just mate the two edges of blinds together as one has hook, one has loop.  Hard to close alone, but can be done.  Two people and it's a cinch.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: dsd on September 07, 2022, 11:10:11 am
Chuck that is how mine came originally and was a PITA to close. I installed new hooks and loops on the glass and has worked fine since. I dont like making the blind spot a little bigger but like being able to close is a okay trade off. The hooks relax over time and the loops seem to wear and become less powerful. I would just replace with new on the glass. I replace Velcro all the time at work because of this.
Scott
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Chuck Pearson on September 07, 2022, 11:24:33 am
Yes its a trade off, but I haven't had any trouble with them opening on their own and the removal of the velcro on glass was a big deal for me.  They stay closed, even with my cat crawling under them in order to access his personal sauna.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Doug W. on September 07, 2022, 11:56:45 am


I've changed the Velcro on the windshield a number of time and yes the adhesive can be a pain to remove, it all stays on the glass when you pull the velcro off. I use a single edge razor blade clamped in a small Vise grips and a propane torch.  A hot blade makes removal of the hard Sun baked adhesive and easy task.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Dub on September 07, 2022, 12:58:04 pm
My passenger side will release and fly open on its on Patrick, a couple times while I stand facing the windshield with nothing but under ware on and people walking past the front of the coach, yikes... I plan to get blinds that mount in the overhead and pull down as I'm tired of dancing with these side pulls.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: fourdayoff on September 07, 2022, 02:58:03 pm
I plan on getting the motorized ones while in Q next Jan. I'll Bite the bullet. My side pulls don't come loose yet but they are a pain. Guess I'm just getting older and stiffer for that drivers side. Jim. 
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Woody & Sitka on September 07, 2022, 05:22:53 pm
I stick the two sides together in the middle and let them float, as the velcro adhesive on the windshield would always let go in the heat.  It's a PIA to get the two halves to mate, but with practice and some patience it has become second nature.  A plus is that this technique makes for a more air tight blind, as the top and bottom are sealed against the top valance and dash, and makes defrosting the dash via the A/H dash vent quicker when the blind is pulled aft of the def registers a little.  W.
Title: Re: Front windshield blind opens on its own
Post by: Geodmann on September 08, 2022, 08:54:12 am
I've noticed in photos that I've seen online that the front windshield shades changed somewhere around the 2003-2004 model year.  Those coaches have a vertical trim piece along the center seam of the windshield and appear to have two horizontal shades tucked in behind the windshield header.  Does anyone know what kind of shades those coaches came with?  Are they the same as the side windows?  Are there DOT regulations requiring windshield shades to be motorized to prevent unexpected dropping?  I know many people rave about the MCD shades and I may go that route but I do like the idea of having separate shades for the driver and passenger side that sit closer to the glass than the MCD's and don't interfere with the defrost registers.  I'm aware of Roger's solution with wedges that slope the MCD shade to clear the defrost vents and that does seem to solve that problem.  I struggle with the take up reels on my accordion blinds.  When they work I like them but mostly I'm just frustrated.  I like the look and functionality of individual driver and passenger shades and I don't think the center post would bother me since 90% of my view is through the drivers windshield.