My quickie/cheap Sun Visor Extention

Boy, does the Prime need a longer sun visor! Those who have to drive with the seat further back, when the sun is low and constantly coming through the driver's window, will know what I mean. One need only do a thread search here for the many, many threads on this topic.

Well, I posted my quickie/cheap solution for screen glare (at least on the 7" version) here:
Screen glare quick fix idea for 7" Screen (not sure about 11.6) | PriusChat

So thought I'd post my quickie/cheap solution for the sun visor (lack of) extension problem. Note that if I had my own airgun, I'd spend $6 on ebay to get some ABS and do what this thoughtful poster did: My fix for the sun visors | PriusChat But I don't, so I have to settle for the "quickie/homemade" look.

I saw some posters here on PC give various ideas on what to use (ie, cardboard sleeves, back of legal pads, etc). But I wanted thick cardboard, and something hopefully white (as I have Moonstone interior).

Then I realized... I had two $1-store 3-ring binders that were old and smudgy and I was going to throw away. Not anymore! And my mailman always ties my mail daily in a bundle using a large rubber band, so I have about 100+ of these large rubber bands.

So I just cut up one of the binders (see pics). Voila! I didn't have to tape the top with the black electrical tape, but did anyway just to make sure the white plastic stays on.

(1) I put one of the rubber bands onto the driver's side sun visor and just keep it there all the time.
(2) I took one of my Dollar-store 3-ring binders and cut them up, making two types: (a) pure rectangular (same height as the visor), and (b) the one you see in the picture, where most of it is actually higher/lower than the visor, just one corner isn't.
(3) I don't keep it on the visor at all times, but if the sun is low and I need the extra "extended" sun visor, I just grab it and slip it on.

For the pure rectangular version, you can put the rubber band anywhere on the visor. But for the taller version shown in the picture, it works best to put the rubber band near where the locking pin is, because of its shape.

This is nothing original, but if people are trying to figure out what to use, instead of manila folders or legal pads.... if you have a dollar store, see if they stock any 3-ring binders (usually the dollar stores ones are only 1" ring binders, rather than 1 1/2" or 2" ones -- but that doesn't matter, because you're just cutting the sides).

They're cheap, the cardboard is very sturdy, and they have a white plastic coating.

 

I decided to give it another shot. Went to the 99c store, bought a "flexible" plastic 3-ring binder (they only had blue, figured it'd be good enough), used just a common hair dryer for a couple minutes, and kind of made a better one. Because it's flexible and not as sturdy as ABS it doesn't quite curl all the way, but does it most of the way -- enough to have it stay in place -- and maybe if I spend more time with a hair dryer it'll curl more. Only took about 15 mins...

 

The first version I made (the first post in the thread) is extra low to give you more protection (nice), but because of that it was a bit too big for a map pocket filled with maps, so I have to keep it on the floor. The latest version (above) is just the height of the visor, but it stays on the visor at all times, is featherweight, and when you consider I can make two visors from each 99c binder (since I only need to cut up half the binder for each visor), the cost for each is just 50c. The ABS I was going to try is 1/16th thickness -- much thicker than the flimsy blue I used above, so if I did go with ABS I'd absolutely need a heat gun, proper mold, etc., something I have no experience with. The above can pretty easily be done on the fly. While it'd be really nice to have professional-feel one, the latest one above may be good enough for me...

 

What if you wanted to roll down the window, though? Either for air, or just to push the button to enter a parking garage? Wouldn't there be a danger of it getting stuck? I do use A/C from time to time, but vastly prefer just rolling down the window on most days if it's not too hot. Also, just personally, I really hate tinted windows. The sun problem only occurs at a particular time of day, other times I like looking at the world as is, don't like tint. But if you don't want to go the sun visor route, instead of clinging tint sheets, maybe see about finding (or making) some sort of roll-down/roll-up, window-width shade if you can find a place to mount it above the window. Maybe at the grip...

 

Your pictures or links didn't make it to the message. What did you get from Amazon?

 

Those pretty much look like just slightly thicker versions of the flexible binder I cut out to use. Seriously folks, try going to the 99c/dollar store and see if the one by you sells binders (either plastic-covered cardboard, or the flimsy/flexible plastic), which you can then cut up to easily use (either by bending with a hair dryer [flexible] or just by getting a bag of large rubber bands). Or if anyone has other ideas, certainly post it!

 

As just kind of a PS, thought I should put up a picture of the type of binder I used for the 2nd style (blue color) of visor extension I made, in case anyone wants to try to make their own. Here's a picture of them for sale at my local 99c Store (sorry it's a bit blurry). These are flexible 3-ring binders, so it's easier to curl/bend a bit with a hair dryer. I just cut one side of them, measured it against the visor, marked it temporarily with a pencil where I need to bend (cutting out one corner to leave clearance for the locking pin area of the visor), cut it, then heated up the area around where I needed to bend with a hair dryer, bending right afterwards. This is what I used for my "2nd style" version a few posts above. If anyone wants to try this, hopefully your 99c/Dollar stores sells them too)...