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Cab Curtiain !!


MickyDee

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Hi all,this may have been discussed before but I can't find it if it has ( apart from hanging blankets etc)

Has anyone installed a cab curtain in MH.

I'm looking for info on the best way to do it in a Autocruise Rythm ( Boxer body)

I am thinking of either a curtain rail or a exteding pole or rod etc

Any help would be appreciated ( by my wfe that is )

 

Thanks for a great forum.....MickyDee :-)

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It depends where you want the curtain to be - ie around the cab windows, or at the 'back' of the cab, behind the seats?

 

You will find the special rail ( used by most motorhome manufacturers who still provide the curtain systems) in any motorhome./accessory shop. Ususally in my experience either aluminium or plastic and can be 'bent' enough to give a continuous wrap around curtain covering all three windows. But remember you have to store the curtain fabric out of teh way of seats belt mountings and also the opening cab doors.

Depending on what you have behind or above the cab, you may be able to fix this type of rail onto a shelf or box (I'm not familiar with teh layout of your van)..we did something similar to this with our Rapido 710 several years ago.

 

However, bear in mind that this may not provide much insulation in cold weather, and you may prefer internal/external insulated screens (eg SilverScreens or Taylormade) , or - as were factory installed (as standard at the time!) with our Burstner - blinds, which roll away very neatly, are reasonably insulating except in very cold weather, also useful in summer to keep the van cool,and can easily be pulled across then parking anwyhwere....a two minute operation, and we are very pleased with them.

 

Having had all systems in some 5 or more vans over the years, we very much prefer the blinds we now have!

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Guest pelmetman
Silent Gliss 1025 is the best track for bending round cabs, and is quite neat :D ...................sorry I am a curtain anorack :$
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Guest pelmetman
Barbarian - 2011-01-28 9:52 PM

 

 

Is that why you chose the name pelmetman? (lol)

 

barbarian

Well I have been in the curtain trade for a long time, and have been known variously as the "curtain man", " blind man"or for the last 10 years as the Pelmetman...............with the new business I am trying to avoid the tag Pouffe man :$

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An easy mistake for me to make, I should have looked at your picture!

But, you could also work as a technician for cadburys' (chocolate lab) Ho! Ho! *-)

 

Apologies to MickeyDee, we do take your thread seriously, our Autocruise Starspirit is draughty too, we hang an old duvet cover across the back of the cab in this weather and just fold it up into a cupboard when not in use, that way it doesn't tangle in the seat belts, doors etc.

 

Barbarian

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MickyDee - 2011-01-28 5:30 PM

 

Hi all,this may have been discussed before but I can't find it if it has ( apart from hanging blankets etc)

Has anyone installed a cab curtain in MH.

I'm looking for info on the best way to do it in a Autocruise Rythm ( Boxer body)

I am thinking of either a curtain rail or a exteding pole or rod etc

Any help would be appreciated ( by my wfe that is )

 

Thanks for a great forum.....MickyDee :-)

Hi Micky

Are you looking for just a night time curtain or one to use whilst travelling?

We have blinds for the windscreen at night, with curtains for cab doors, (came as standard , with van)

I would sometimes like a curtain to use behind the cab seats whilst travelling, as the van part can be quiet chilly. (Warm front, cold back)

Anyone fitted such???

Will read replies with interest.

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Hi,

 

My apologies in advance, I am very very sorry.

 

When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately thought of lace curtains on the windscreen. Don't laugh .... its a good idea. It should give a one way glass effect, you can see out, they can't see in. Some people pay a lot of money for that effect. But would it pass scrutiny by a police light meter?

 

I'll get my coat.

 

602

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We too found the cab area very cold when motorhoming in the winter in our Autotrail Cheyenne even with silver screens on the outside cab windows and regularly suffered from cold feet. It comes mainly from the cab doors which are not insulated. Our answer was to place an extending curtain rod across the front placed on the shelf over the cab and hang a curtain from this rod behind the seats. It does mean that you cannot use the swivle seat but the warmth is so much better. We just remove the rod and curtain before we move off. Purchased the curtain, made to measure and lined from the original makers of the curtains supplied with the motorhome at a very reasonable cost, so it all matches. Hope this is of interest.

 

Ris

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Hi again.

Thanks for the feedback please keep it coming.

It's just for the night time realy across the back of the front seats,as there is just the two of us we don't use the front swivel seats at night.

The extending rod idea sounds good so far,I thought I'd seen a post on here a while ago about someone doing just this complete with photo's but I can't find it.

Looking forward to more input..........Mickydee

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Why not consider a pair of 'mock' curtains, of good quality (ie thick) material with velcro strategically placed along the top and one side of each to attach to pieces that you then stick to the face of the overcab surface just below the aperture for the storage area, and on the side pillars (with the 'hook' part on the van, and the fluffy bit on the material), making sure that you allow a good overlap in the middle - if you then need to retrieve something from within the cab you can just part the material as you would normal curtains. You can then remove them and pack away when not needed, or roll them up like bolster cushion, or fold them and put them inside normal cushion covers, or use as a blanket when slobbing about to during the day. No rod to mess about with (and poke yourself ... or your other half in the eye with, not ot mention damaging your pride and joy as you manipulate it ... your van! :D ).
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Guest pelmetman

Some pic's of our set up :D we have 2 sets one for round the cab and another behind the seats which helps keep the heat in when very cold.

 

There are 2 types of profile for Silent Gliss track, one for face fixing and the other top fix, in the picture its the top fix track used around the cab and face/fix on the one behind the seat :-D

 

DSCN2032web.jpg.4f90e88c0dc289892c7af556b08d39bb.jpg

DSCN2030web.jpg.cf44870b77c1fcb7dbe17d4b451eaf6d.jpg

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Pjay - We've used drop down curtains behind the cab seats when on the move on three vans now and it works well in even very cold weather. We used to wear our ski suits to combat the cold - now we don't. What you are doing of course is simply replacing the partition that the converters cut away when building the van and therefore restoring the area that the heater was originally designed to heat. You don't have to be too fussy about how close the fit is either to make a big difference. Use two curtains that overlap vertically in the middle to form a walk through for easy access and the thicker the better. Two large fleecy like 'throws' will do the trick. One disadvantage though is that because the main van area is not then being heated it can be a bit of an ice box at rest stops.

 

Ron

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MickeyDee

Now for a Blue Peter job. (but no sticky back plastic!)

I have just made some for our Benimar. We have high cupboards & a bulkhead on the sides behind the driving seats and there is a 50mm gap between the top of the cupboards and the ceiling. To test the idea I simply threaded a curtain onto an old bean cane, and fixed the cane on top of the cupboads with old bits of stiff foam to jam it in place!

It worked well, so I've now used a telescopic shower rail (still held in by the foam which is invisible above the cupboard.)

Just collapse the rail, fold the curtains & stow away when not required - no tools, no fuss.

Jeremy

2005 Benimar Perseo 710 CCX

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We had this done on a Compass Calypso many years ago. It came with suckered on internal screens that were a bit of a faf. We bought 2 curtains of the right size from a local shop to match the existing curtains. We got Autovan (I think that is the right name) in Wimborne Minster to supply and fit the curtain rail behind the windscreen and the fit the curtains. It didn't take long and didn't cost much and it looked like an original fit. Certainly impressed another Calypso owner when he saw it.
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graham - 2011-01-31 7:31 PM

 

We had this done on a Compass Calypso many years ago. It came with suckered on internal screens that were a bit of a faf. We bought 2 curtains of the right size from a local shop to match the existing curtains. We got Autovan (I think that is the right name) in Wimborne Minster to supply and fit the curtain rail behind the windscreen and the fit the curtains. It didn't take long and didn't cost much and it looked like an original fit. Certainly impressed another Calypso owner when he saw it.

We have internal silver screens but also had curtains fitted inside the cab W/screens at the time of purchasing the van. Curtains are very good for overnight stops - less faffing about - but we find that screens are best for longer stops or for keeping the van cool in summer. We have Webasto heating that runs off the diesel and can be left on whilst travelling to keep the interior warm. Hope this gives food for thought. B-)
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Hi

 

We have found that when driving a long the van can get very cold, so we came up with the plan went to Wilco’s and got a shower extending rod for about £10 this was not Ideal as the spring would grip in place and we wanted to remove it when not required, so we butchered the spring (thingy) and left enough grip to stop it sliding all over the place.

 

From the Range we picked up two curtains with silver ringlets in the top they were £12.99 per curtain but as they were for long windows did not think this was to bad and they match the throws we use on the chairs (cream). When travelling we hang this from the cupboards at the top of the cab (we are luck there is a space between the cupboard top (pelmet) and the roof the bar sits nicely there and the curtain hangs to the floor, cab stays nice and warm now on the move, can be drawn when parked up tucked away in the corner. If it is really cold we can drop the pole down a bit the shelf at the front of the cupboards (lowline van) and drap the curtains over the back of the swivel chairs when swivelled.

 

Hope you can make sense of this.

(?)

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