repair plantation vinyl shutter tilt bar breaking off

[messenger]

The previous owner of the house we now own installed a number of Plantation, vinyl, 3.5 in. slat, interior shutters on the windows. The slats are notched in the middle of the interior edge where the tilt bar is attached. During shutter construction, a "T" fitted plastic piece was inserted into each of the slat notches and then bases of those pieces were matched up and slid into the U shaped piece of plastic tilt bar which then had it's ends sealed. The best description of those plastic "T" connectors is that they resemble a cuff link "T" which when inserted into the slat notch has the two ends of the "T" captured in the slat, and then the "cuff link" part would be slid up into the tilt bar to allow all the slats to tilt in unison. (A picture is worth a 1000 words!) This made a nice installation until the sunlight degraded the plastic "T" connectors (ever heard of UV rays?) between the tilt bars and the slats and the tilt bars are now all falling off. This seems to be an easy fix if I can find replacement "T" plastic connectors, which I can't seem to. Anybody have a source, advice, or comment? Thank you very much.

[Randy E]

The only company I've dealt with that used that type of connector is SHUTTERSMART .

Of course yours may be a different brand, but you may get lucky and find their part will work.

Good Luck!

[Annette]

can you determine the brand/manufacturer of your shutters? if so, contact them.

[CkDIY]

I just read your post about the plastic T-pins connecting your tilt wands on your shutters. I am in the exact same predicament. Did you ever find any replacement Ts?

[fixitnikki]

We moved into a home a couple years ago and the tilt rods are barely on anymore. The connections are these plastic t's. I even had a shutter repair man come over and he told me he had never seen these and recommended I replace the shutters. The only problem with that is I have about 20 windows that would need to be done - $$$$$. I would love if I could find these connectors and have a quick fix for a while. Please let me know if anyone found these or has any ideas.

[SlowTyper]

Can you post a picture of it ?

[Mr. Smith]

Did anyone find where to get the plastic "T" connectors. I have looked over 2 months with no luck.

[messenger]

Sorry about the delay folks. I don't check this email account often.

This tilt rod connector design seems to be very rare.
For a good visual reference, I did find these pictures on the 'net:

http://shutterinstallers.com/images/...ectors_001.jpg

Blind Parts and Repairs

WRT the tilt bar shutter connectors, I finally found them around March 2009 at a wallpaper shop on the north side of San Antonio, TX. (He was considerably cheaper than the sites above.)

Wallpaper Outlet
10219 N IH-35
San Antonio, TX 78233
210.655.8567

Ask for the man who runs the place. I can't find his name, but think his initials are W. B. (He's awesome! Very helpful. Once you get him on the phone, ask him how the fishing has been lately. He's good for some time regarding that!) He had some few in stock at the time, but had to order the quantity I needed. When they came in, he shipped them out to me.
Sorry, I don't have a part number.

I semi-successfully cut the old ends off the tilt rods with a diagonal wire cutter. I then cut the new connectors to length, slid them into the groove on the tilt bar, and glued the ends back on the ends of the tilt rod using GE Silicone. It all worked, but sometimes the glue failed to hold and the end came off some time later, but it's still better than it was! Some experimenting with a different glue is the next order of business, but I was trying to find a way to be able to go back in and affect a future repair without further damaging the tilt rod as I expect these new connectors to eventually break, also.

Good luck!

[libra1168]

Found a t connector cufflink from Hunter Douglas. Its a Duralink connector used on the Palm Beach shutter. I called the 1800 789-0331 customer service and they are sending me out a couple of connectors to make sure they are the right ones. Give it a try.

[giathao]

I have similar problem but seems like mine is not a T connector like everyone else's here. I think the horizontal piece inside the louvers/slats are broken. I have no idea how to fix or where to find replacement parts for these broken connectors. Please help!!! see pictures here

[the_tow_guy]

Your pic link is no good. You need to use an online photo site like photobucket.

[galey]

We just purchased a foreclosure home with plantation shutters just like yours. The "pins" are broken and I'm looking for replacement parts. Did you have any luck finding yours? Any help you can give me would be very much appreciated. Thanks

[danielg922]

The photo shown is exactly the part that is broken in my 10 year old vinyl shutters.

Did either of you find a solution?



Please

[brummsta]

i have a similar problem but looks like a different connector than those in ya'lls pics . im trying to attach link to the pic of mine hope it works and that someone knows where i can find these.

[Hardware Expert]

I have the same one.....I called cic Hunter dougless shutter ,,,Palm beach sutter,,,,,they will send them to you for free,,,under warrantee! 1 800 789 0331

[Hardware Expert]

Call 1 800789 0331 under warrantee! square on bottom then goes to a "T" at the end....1.24/2011

Part Number in off white color is BUFI 336

Just ordered today, will put picture up soon!

[bouser]

Gaithao, Galey and Danielg922, the parts you are looking for are the T type slats. I have these same Hunter Douglas Plantation shutters and although you think they don't look like the T type, they are. The problem is the T ends, that goes into the Shutter, has broken off and you are left with a forked shape plastic piece. These come in a T type slat called a shutter vane connector strip. T Connectors that attach 2 Shutters for each shutter vane strip. So you need to count how many shutter blades you have and order 1/2 as the new parts will fix 2 shutters at a time. To fix you need to break off the remaining T's so that the shutter Bar comes off the remaining shutter blades. Then pry off one end of the shutter bar, Not easy but they will pry off. Once you have the end cap off the broken Shutter vane connecter strips will slide out. Before sliding them out though make sure you know where each T is located in the Tilt Bar. You should mark where the existing T's are in the tilt bar. You then just line up the new Shutter Vane connector strips and slide them in to the Shutter Vane "Tilt Bar". There is a link to order these T in a post earlier.
Here is that link. Blind Parts and Repairs | Shutter Repair Parts
Hope this helps. They also have the Tilt Bars and end caps on this site.

[twirliewhirlies]

Just wondering if brummsta found the connectors he was looking for? I have the exact same ones and finding them impossible to find.

[brewski472001]

To Hardware Expert. Did the parts you got from HD work on your shutters. I have the same issue as many of us do.