Awning

[campersam9]

We have a 2005 ex 17 sport trailer with a 10’ awning that needs replaced. We are going to Fort Wilderness for 3 weeks and an RV dealer will replace the arm that hangs up and the vinyl.
We got a cost on total replacement at $1700.00 at my local dealers. This is big money for a 2005 trailer. So we are getting a price on an arm and fabric replacement.
My question is fabric material is ok? Will it hold up? Is it better than vinyl?

[GABob]

Just my $.02, but I would check around at a few places for that much money. Being down in Florida there are several RV dealers...might scout them out and see what they'll charge and if they have time available. Worst case you'll have another datapoint or two to sue, if for nothing else but to perhaps negotiate.

[Greg58]

I replaced the fabric on my Jayco this summer myself with my wife helping me. I ordered the fabric from eBay, it was much thicker than what was originally installed. My awning would jam before replacement but works fine now. It took about 45 minutes to do the job.

[Greg58]

Here's a picture.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/a...8&d=1586475837

[TCNashville]

I replaced my 19' awning fabric this summer and did this job by myself. Took about 3 hours. I got the replacement fabric from E-trailer and it seems like quality stuff and the cost was $239. $1700 seems like a lot of money for a 10' awning fabric and 1 arm replacement. If it were me and I couldn't do the job myself, I would research it and buy the fabric and the arm on line and have a mobile guy come out and do the install. Parts markup and huge hourly labor costs are what the dealer is all about. Plus they'll probably screw it up, lol. Good luck.

[Greg58]

I need to correct myself on the post above, I bought the fabric from Amazon not ebay, it's a sunwave brand and was $135 delivered. A 10' awning uses a 9'2" or so width fabric, if you order it yourself measure the fabric not the drum. If you watch several youtube videos it's fairly easy, it's a little harder if you have a Faulkner/A and E because you have to drill out the revits that hold on the end cap. Ours is a Carefree of Colorado that has screws holding the end caps on.

[Greg58]

I used spray silicone in the track on the camper, the fabric slid in with no problem. I used a window screen tool with rollers on the ends to roll the fabric in the drum. The silicone made sliding the bead in easy there too.

[Cincinnati Kid]

We just this week got a 14' Jayco (Dometic) awning replaced at an authorized Jayco dealer for about $1300 installed. This was the complete awning, arms, roller, motor, fabric and all. Happy with that price.

[RedHorse1]

My son and I helped my neighbor replace an arm and fabric on his awning. 6 hands made it a snap, 4 hands would work but it’d make the job a little more difficult, 2 hands-maybe but it’d need to be someone more clever than me.
I sourced the parts on amazon or eBay (forget which).

[campersam9]

If I order the fabric and arms we can replace it in Florida.

[FPM III]

Originally Posted by campersam9

We have a 2005 ex 17 sport trailer with a 10’ awning that needs replaced. We are going to Fort Wilderness for 3 weeks and an RV dealer will replace the arm that hangs up and the vinyl.
We got a cost on total replacement at $1700.00 at my local dealers. This is big money for a 2005 trailer. So we are getting a price on an arm and fabric replacement.
My question is fabric material is ok? Will it hold up? Is it better than vinyl?

Judging by the year of your TT, I'd say your awning is a Carefree of Colorado (CoC) Pioneer awning. I'd agree that $1,700 is a lot of money, but it could be the only logical answer if time is of the essence and you lack the wherewithal to attack the repairs yourself.

Can you elaborate a bit on the arm that "hangs up" and maybe post some pictures? CoC awnings have two springs inside the awning tube that keep tension on the awning. If one of these springs break (and I know because I had this happen), you will have binding as only one side will have tension, resulting in difficulty when extending/retracting the awning. Most likely, you'll have to get a step ladder and wind the awning by hand into its travel position.

The obvious answer is to replace both springs, I say this because if one spring broke, the other won't be far behind in failing too. I didn't take that route because I found what I think is a better solution as seen in the picture below.

Carefree of Colorado - Pioneer Upgrade kit

I'm going to be honest up front and say the kit might be difficult to obtain as the awning is no longer made. However, it eliminates the springs in the tubes and permits you to tighten the awning more securely into the travel position. the cranking mechanism is worm drive and the awning will not unwind once you remove the crank, making the plastic retaining clips in the arms unnecessary (However, I still set them as insurance... just in case). The upgrade kit method also eliminates that lock/unlock switch on the arm and you no longer need put that long strap in the awning track to extent/retract the awning.

If you're going to have all this work done on your awning, I suggest installing the upgrade kit; especially if it's determined that broken spring(s) are the cause of your "hang-up". As I recall, it was around $120 for the kit when I installed it about 10 years ago.

[campersam9]

The right side. Top arm is the problem. The arm will come out of the track. I have to fight it to get it back in place. The vinyl is ok but after all the years we just want to replace it and not have a problem later.
Your information is very good.

[GABob]

Take a few pics and call Carefree to get the name of a customer service person you can send them to... ask if their parts folk can make some recommendations...just a thought.

[campersam9]

A dealer in Florida will come out to fort wilderness and replace the vinyl and one arm they have a used one for us. A total replacement is too much.
We will trade this trailer in next year on a Jayco.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by campersam9

A dealer in Florida will come out to fort wilderness and replace the vinyl and one arm they have a used one for us. A total replacement is too much.
We will trade this trailer in next year on a Jayco.

That sounds like a good plan!