Rattles in a Topaz

After suffering it for too long, I finally decided to find the source(s) and try to eliminate a particularly irritating set of rattles.
The culprits turn out to be window blinds, or more accurately, the strips at the base of the fly screens.
Short of applying a large well masticated lump of chewing gum I'm stymied. And her that sits in the passenger seat ruled that out anyway.
Do these rattles exist when a van is new. I acquired mine  second hand.
Is there a known reason for these rattles, something worn or something missing?
I'm sure other owners have experienced this and I am hoping that someone in the collective wisdom of this forum has found an answer or even the answer.

Help would be much appreciated. My wife says I look idiotic wearing ear defenders!!   Keith

We have some folded cardboard that I wedge the blinds with. When we first drove our symbol I started to regret buying it but we have silenced most of the rattles now (tea towels, kitchen roll etc wedged in places) Happy days.     
                                                    

Try pulling your blinds to the first lock position. Usually the rattles comes from the springs inside the roller.

A common Topaz problem.
I drive with the net on the top window closed and this stops the rattle.

Many thanks to the three respondees.  I shall investigate all three suggestions, but this still leaves the outstanding question; do these blinds rattle in a new vehicle or is this something that occurs with age and use ?
Is there an owner of a newish vehicle that could offer an opinion ?

I think newer models are now fitted with concertina blinds so on each window you no longer have two rollers (blind and flyscreen), just one for the flyscreen. Although my Nuevo is an 06, rattles from blinds are a lot less noticeable than on our 97 Symphony.

Paul, my 2005 Topaz has the concertina blinds.  They all rattle in concert!!

The blind in the sliding door of my Symbol rattled like a road drill when I test drove it. It was high on the list of wee jobs for the dealer to sort out before delivery. More news when I collect it on the 16th....

My two year old Kemerton has the same problem and has done from new. I have tried various remedies, foam rubber etc. but to no avail. Closing the fly screen on the sliding door helps a little but I think it is something you have to live with. Of course, you could always turn up the radio a bit more!

Frank

Get some very small wedges that are made from a hardish white rubber, old style hardware stores should have them.
We have the ones you can get that are used to wedge house Sash windows They are about 1.5in by 3/4in by 1/4in and we push them in at the top corners of the fly screen blinds wedging the metal strip to the frame, one to each blind set.
Works a treat
frederic

KMRTOPAZ wrote:Many thanks to the three respondees.  I shall investigate all three suggestions, but this still leaves the outstanding question; do these blinds rattle in a new vehicle or is this something that occurs with age and use ?
Is there an owner of a newish vehicle that could offer an opinion ?

I have been Told that they do , and if they are still using these blinds i quite believe it . As someone  has said the small strip does rattle in the groove ? and because it has too find its slot when closed i cannot see how they could "fix " it . I have small foam rubber packers that we  use to hold the Frame that houses these strips ..........it certainly makes a big difference .
We had a trooper about 15yrs ago and it was certainly quieter than the (2007) Topaz .........Good Luck .

Sun shades are pulled down when between jaunts AND should I forget to refit them, when on the road, Ann says 'You have not replaced the wedges!!'
and she has sharp ears!!
So they do work
frederic

It's been an interesting discussion and thanks to all contributors.  I followed up all suggestions without really finding a satisfactory solution until the one who sits in the passenger seat suggested some adhesive tape.  I applied a strip of gaffer tape one quarter in from each end of every insect blind such that it prevents movement of the offending strip, and Bingo!, 99% of the rattles have stopped.   This means that I cannot use the insect mesh blind because it will not lock satisfactorily into the top of the concertina blind.  Since I can only recall using the insect mesh twice in four years, I don't see it as a major problem

As do my wedges and they are removable in order to use the 'insect screens' as  semi opaque privacy blinds. 
frederic

Hi Frederic,
Are these what you mean ?
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Cheers,
Dave

That's them prices vary, but about 50p each seems the going rate.
frederic

Thanks for that I will give them a try ;-) Have been driving with fly nets down on roof windows which does reduce the rattle slightly. Last trip I was thinking of fitting curtains instead because I hate rattles !
Cheers,
Dave

many thanks for all the useful suggestions and observations.I,m going to try rubber wedges initally,already ordered by use of link kindly provided.Might stop the van sounding like a milk float.!!!!

...on my '07 Trooper, there was an irritating rattle from the sliding door window - after a lot of guesswork and trial and error, I finally found the source -  it wasn't the window blind itself, but the plastic surround (not the surface moulding, but the one underneath it that holds the blind).
The two screws securing it on the top corners were loose, presumably with the constant action of closing the door, allowing the whole frame some movement, making a rattle.
To gain access, the whole outer moulding came off, with an additional screw at either end, then remove the top row of door card screws - if you're lucky then the window blind frame can then be seen - if not, like mine, there were additional screws only accessible by removing the entire door card.
it was a frustratingly fiddly job, but worth it to be rattle free.
Being a glutton for punishment, I then carried out the same procedure for the tailgate window blind - it wasn't rattling but I was determined not to give it a chance to !