Awning Problems...

[LongIslandCamper]

As we were getting reacquainted with our trailer this weekend we ran into a little problem with our awning. We only used it once or twice last year but always found it a little difficult. Anyway, we were able to unroll it on Friday without much difficulty.

Friday night, after a few glasses of milk in red solo cups, we attempted to roll the awning back up. I don't recall how we started but I know we didn't put the feet of the awning back on the camper. We were attempting to roll it back and began to have some trouble. Two many glasses of milk can do that to you.

Somehow the rear part of the awning arm became stuck. The top arm part f the awning wouldn't go past about halfway down the awning leg. I'm talking about the arm that makes the awning tight when it's extended. The top piece. Eventually, somehow that part came out of the track of the awning leg. In an effort to fix this, someone actually unscrewed the black knob that locks the arm that makes the awning taught. They unscrewed the knob completely so that it dislodged from the nut. Somehow we were able to roll the awning up without fixing our problems. The feet were not attached to the camper and we couldn't unroll the awning again. After so many milks we called it a night. The awning was pretty much where it needed to be anyway.

Luckily, when we bought our trailer and went for the walk through I brought along my video camera to tape everything. I made a DVD of it and we keep a copy in the camper. We watched the video that night and the next morning decided to tackle the awning again.

In the sun light you could see where the awning arm popped out of the track for the awning leg. It was the same location where it originally got stuck. The aluminum was bent a little. We tried to force the arm back on the leg track and eventually succeeded. The awning still wouldn't unroll, but we were now able to get the legs of the awning back on the camper. After we did this the awning unrolled again and we set it back up.

Later that night we attempted to put the awning back up and it was a lot easier and we had no problems. We can't understand why the awning arm got stuck that first night and then eventually came off the track. We didn't force it at all. Once we got the arm back on the track we were able to bend the track back in shape with some tools so that it wouldn't pop out again.

[clutch]

We have never had that happen to a manual awning on one of our trailers. I would suggest fastening the legs to the trailer first. One time we took a plastic knob off the tensioner rod and had a hard time getting the nut threaded again. We never took the plastic knob off again. Perhaps the red cups had something to do with it.

[3Pillons]

Am I the only one that never removes the awning legs from the side of the camper?

Glad you got it fixed though.

[Beerlifter]

Originally Posted by 3Pillons

Am I the only one that never removes the awning legs from the side of the camper?

Glad you got it fixed though.

No 3pillons, you're not!!!

[Derek700]

Them red cups do it to me all the time, sometimes I have a couple more red cups to figure it out!!

[LongIslandCamper]

Lol

The next morning my brother was attempting to get the tension rod back together. He slide the two arms together and wanted me to get pliers to try and screw the black knob into the bolt. I took a look and took the two rods apart and the. Was easily able to attach the bolt to the nut. I only screwed it in a bit, then slid the rods together and then tightened the black bolt. Everything was then back to normal.

[Jayco 228]

I did the exact same thing on one of our first trips out with our old trailer. It started to snow and the awning was starting to sag and I forgot to loosen the black knobs before I started rolling up the awning and I bent the support bars a little before I figured out what I had done. The culprit.......RED SOLO CUP! Small world. Lol

I got a power awning on the new trailer, that **** red cup will not beat me again !

[rwilley]

Originally Posted by 3Pillons

Am I the only one that never removes the awning legs from the side of the camper?

Glad you got it fixed though.

I think in the past 30 some years I only took the awning legs out from the side of a tt one time.

[LongIslandCamper]

I don't understand why you WOULDN'T take the legs off the camper. Taking the legs off gives you a lot more usable walking space and less chance of walking into the arms. Am I missing something?

[rwilley]

Also I have never had trouble with an awning.

[Murphie]

When he arms are out they refer to that as the carport position. I would always have mine in that position unless it was windy or I was leaving the next day. You only need to run into one of the arms once to realize the carport position is much safer. The one thing I liked about the manual awning was how much easier it is to clean them. You can put the arms under the trailer and that will allow you access to the whole open awning as it hangs down from the top. The one thing I would advise is using WD 40 on the metal moving parts. I had to replace several parts due to rust. One last thing. If you find the spring loosening up over time you can actually detach one arm and keep turning it to wind the spring back up. Be very careful because the arm is under a lot of tension. Have a second person to help you so you don't get hurt.
I just bought a small electric leaf blower to help clean off our electric awning and slide out roof. I also noticed it did a pretty good job of cleaning the campsite of the debris from the trees. Who knew?

[RedHorse1]

What color was the cow?

[Snake Plissken]

Originally Posted by 3Pillons

Am I the only one that never removes the awning legs from the side of the camper?

Glad you got it fixed though.

I know they come off but why bother? I'm with you on this.