Vent Visors - In Channel or Tape on?

[HoosierTex]

Would like to hear everyone's experiences with both - likes and dislikes. Thanks.

[sturge33]

I have the in-channel.  The only complaint I have is sometimes the driver's window rolls back down if it fits too tight.  Seems to depend on the temperature.  I had the tape on kind on my old truck and after a while the tape came loose and I had to take them off.  Getting the old tape off the paint was a pain.

[slide187]

I’ve had both. I’ve never had a tape on come off and I had a set of those for 8 years on my Ram. And I live in New England. So it got weather. The in channel ones look really nice but the problem I had (only with drivers window - the most often up and down) was that after a while the in channel one would drop down like an inch or two when the window was open while driving and get popped back in when the window came up until one time the window str8 up snapped it and it flew off. I also noticed that it scratched the top edge of the window that fits into the channel with it after a few yrs.

 

I currently have what I consider to be the happy medium, AVS’s low profile tape ons. They look great and don’t stick out but are tape on with automotive tape. I love em. Zoom in and you’ll see em.

 

 

 

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[royalkangaroo]

I’ve had both, tape-on for my last truck, in channel on my current truck.

 

The tape-on allowed more gap in my opinion.  You could open the window wider without getting wet when raining, in comparison to the in channel.

 

Same issues as sturge for me with the in channel.  Very occasionally the window will not close with the auto-up, also temperature dependent.  They do tend to scratch the upper 1/2 inch of window from opening and closing over the years.  I think they look better, however.

[txab]

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=vent+visors&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=www.gm-trucks.com&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=

[74Sprint17SierraATX]

My dad has tape on his Tahoe. Tape was a pain in the rear to get off. I’m using in channel one on my sierra, no complaints other than scratches on the top quarter inch of glass


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[mdf21]

On 6/8/2019 at 6:57 PM, slide187 said:

I’ve had both. I’ve never had a tape on come off and I had a set of those for 8 years on my Ram. And I live in New England. So it got weather. The in channel ones look really nice but the problem I had (only with drivers window - the most often up and down) was that after a while the in channel one would drop down like an inch or two when the window was open while driving and get popped back in when the window came up until one time the window str8 up snapped it and it flew off. I also noticed that it scratched the top edge of the window that fits into the channel with it after a few yrs.

 

I currently have what I consider to be the happy medium, AVS’s low profile tape ons. They look great and don’t stick out but are tape on with automotive tape. I love em. Zoom in and you’ll see em.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I’ve had both styles.   Currently have these same AVS lo pro style and very pleased with them.  

[SWOYER]

I have the in channels, they're much nicer than the stick on in my opinion. 

[Darmichar]

I've had both, it really comes down to personal preference. 

 

I have had Weathertech in channels on my last two trucks, a 2014 and my current 2018.  The fronts, once installed, are there for the duration and hold up well.  The backs use a metal clip to help hold them in place and I occasionally have to push them up an 1/8" or so back into the channel because they have worked their way out a bit.  I find that if I remember to roll my windows up completely at night when I park the truck, it is much less likely to trigger the 'auto-up rolldown'.  Also, both trucks that had the in channels installed had the windows tinted and I never saw any kind of abrading or scratching on the windows or the tint.

 

The tape ons I had were AVS that came with a '92 I purchased used many moons ago.  They were good as well, but eventually the tape wore out and let loose.  The front of the visor was able to catch a little wind and it bent back and 'exploded' on the highway.  Sounded like a gun going off right by my head.

[16LT4]

I have the in channels on my ‘16, and old school screw-ons on my ‘84. I got the in channels for the ‘16 for a cleaner look, and the only complaint is the auto-up anti-pinch gets tripped more often than not (temp dependent is seems with hotter temps being the offender). The 72 hour-sleep reset didn’t seem to work unlike my ‘17, probably due to current Wild temp fluctuations every night (45-80* lo-hi daily swings).  The dealer doesn’t know how to reset the antipinch. Perhaps when temps stabilize this summer and the truck sits for days while I’m at work, I’ll have better luck. 

[sk]

Your dealer should know how to reset the antipinch -- the instructions come with the vent visors:

1. Start with the window partly open.
2. Close the window.  As it reaches closed position keep holding up on the window switch for 3-5 seconds.
3. Open the window.  As it reaches open position keep holding down on the window switch for 3-5 seconds.
4. Close the window.  As it reaches closed position keep holding up on the window switch for at least 10 seconds.
5. Keep the windows closed for 48 hours so the visors can mold to the channel (if possible out in the warm sun is better).

That should do it.  I did mine almost 4 years ago when the visors were installed and I have never had the windows reverse direction ...

[Darmichar]

On 6/13/2019 at 2:47 PM, dukedkt442 said:

The 72 hour-sleep reset didn’t seem to work unlike my ‘17

@dukedkt442, care to elaborate on this?

On 6/19/2019 at 1:08 PM, sk said:

Your dealer should know how to reset the antipinch -- the instructions come with the vent visors:

1. Start with the window partly open.
2. Close the window.  As it reaches closed position keep holding up on the window switch for 3-5 seconds.
3. Open the window.  As it reaches open position keep holding down on the window switch for 3-5 seconds.
4. Close the window.  As it reaches closed position keep holding up on the window switch for at least 10 seconds.
5. Keep the windows closed for 48 hours so the visors can mold to the channel (if possible out in the warm sun is better).

That should do it.  I did mine almost 4 years ago when the visors were installed and I have never had the windows reverse direction ...

@sk When you say hold the switch up/down, does this mean at the second 'notch' of the switch, past the notch that triggers the auto roll up/down?  I have tried this both ways and got varying results.

Edited June 22, 2019 by Darmichar

[Black02Silverado]

In channel for me.  Just gives a cleaner line to the vehicle.

[cbrsilv15]

On 6/8/2019 at 7:57 PM, slide187 said:

I’ve had both. I’ve never had a tape on come off and I had a set of those for 8 years on my Ram. And I live in New England. So it got weather. The in channel ones look really nice but the problem I had (only with drivers window - the most often up and down) was that after a while the in channel one would drop down like an inch or two when the window was open while driving and get popped back in when the window came up until one time the window str8 up snapped it and it flew off. I also noticed that it scratched the top edge of the window that fits into the channel with it after a few yrs.

 

I currently have what I consider to be the happy medium, AVS’s low profile tape ons. They look great and don’t stick out but are tape on with automotive tape. I love em. Zoom in and you’ll see em.

 

This!  I've had both and I've only had issues with the in channel ones.  Scratched the top of the window and the auto up feature works 50% of the time.  I would get the tape on ones if I had to do it over.

[HoosierTex]

Great info so far guys. I had a 2004 LS previous to my 2015 LT that came with tape ons. [The 04 was mechanically sound the 12 years I owned it btw]. The back door visors were the kind that stuck out pretty far to accommodate the thrust-reverser extended cab windows that flared out - also previous owner put cool DE#3 halo decals on them. Those stayed put the entire time, with the exception of half the front passenger visor snapping off in a bad storm. It's still a toss up for me, as I'm planning to add a headache rack with side mounted cubes on it, bull bar lights, and a-pillar brackets with cubes, so, which ever best completes the look.