Remis pleated blind failure and repair

[sallylillian]

I asked about this last year and was able to get a Janet and John guide to disassembly which enabled me to sort the broken strings as they occurred.

This weekend I started to take every blind unit off and refurbish them. They are only 2 years old! The problem for me has been the springs on the white blackout blind strings. These are at the bottom of the frame and suffer from a damp environment due to their proximity to the base of even a partially open window. AND they are ordinary steel. They corrode and break into pieces in some cases, but also leech rust onto the string as well as create a rough surface to saw through the string as it is tensioned in use. See picture.

So because the other end has plenty of excess I pulled the string through and cut off the weakened section and I replace the springs with new stainless steel ones I bought off the internet. I then coated as much of the string as possible with beeswax and sprayed the plastic running surfaces with silicone. Whilst out it is also easier to give the blinds themselves a deep clean.

 

[PORKSTER]

Where is the guide to how to do it please ?

 

[DavidG58]

when you say 'they are only 2 years old' do you mean the whole MH is only 2 years old or that you replaced them 2 years ago?

actually either way I would be looking at some redress under warranty

 

[sallylillian]

when you say 'they are only 2 years old' do you mean the whole MH is only 2 years old or that you replaced them 2 years ago?

actually either way I would be looking at some redress under warranty

OK 2.5 years old, them and the van, one was replaced completely under warranty, they don't repair (not possible they said) but frankly once I realised that the springs would always be a weak point from the OEM it is stupid taking them off bi annually, I just put it right. No big deal once you have done one and its a good way to clean them and lubricate the working surfaces. Also N+B tighten the holding screws too much in my opinion and distort the frame creating tight spots.

 

[sallylillian]

when you say 'they are only 2 years old' do you mean the whole MH is only 2 years old or that you replaced them 2 years ago?

actually either way I would be looking at some redress under warranty

Attached, note this is for a Hymer and Remis do many different styles of frame, indeed I have 2 on my Flair, but the stringing bit is pretty much the same, the way the corner caps are fitted and the frame mounted differ slightly between models. But this will give you a clue, it did me.

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[Lenny HB]

You appear to have had a lot of trouble with your blinds, we had the same type on our first Hymer. Apart from the cord pulling out from the screw that clamped it on one of them never had any problems in 6 years. Makes you wonder if they have changed them to save money.

 

[sallylillian]

You appear to have had a lot of trouble with your blinds, we had the same type on our first Hymer. Apart from the cord pulling out from the screw that clamped it on one of them never had any problems in 6 years. Makes you wonder if they have changed them to save money.

Maybe, but they all fail at the springs on the white string for the blackout blind. I was getting a bit paranoid myself, but after what amounts to 3 failures and as you can see in the picture this one did not have long to live I felt it was conclusive. I got some rather expensive stainless steel springs on the net so we shall see. You will also remember I had 3 insect door screen failures, one changed at the factory and another at a dealer in Spain, the third and current I fitted but they abdicated warranty from then on because a pleb no nothing was fitting it. I found that they had it set up to twist slightly from new and of course the replacements just followed the same fixings. I sorted that on my pleb no nothing replacement. Seems OK now!

 

[DavidG58]

really sorry for you, but I would be looking for warranty replacements, then maybe service them before they get a chance to go rusty

best of luck, I would be fuming