2008 806 awning ,any mods to make user friendly?

[extenter]

I am finding that the awning is difficult to erect on my 806,especially when i am on my own.The springs in the three canopy poles are very strong and difficult to compress especially when standing on a step stool.Have any of you modified the poles in any way to make assembly more user friendly?I am thinking of shortening the springs.
I am also concerned that the tension in the poles will damage the side of the roof.

[Rapidly]

Those springs are tight but I believe they need to be in order to keep the thing up, I don't think I'd recommend shortening them. I am tall so don't have that much problem compressing them, but here's a couple of things you could try: first, once you've got the spring-loaded pole hooked into the front ridge pole, try starting the canopy pole at a significant offset from perpendicular -- shortening the pole, in effect -- then slide it sideways into place. Second, use a forked stick or rake to lift the canopy high before setting the canopy pole into place -- again, shortening the pole. I put up my center poles first, which holds up the canopy while I fiddle with the other two. I find the roof on my 2010 model 1006 is plenty strong enough to handle the tensioned poles.

Now if there was just a way to get rainwater to run off the canopy and not pool heavily in it....

[Tyreguy]

I had the same trouble when setting up...trying to compress the horizontal poles over my head. I stumbled across an unrelated camper video on another pop-up forum and discovered a much simpler way to get the canopy started and up.

Keep this in mind if you try this next time- there is quite a bit of 'flex' built into the awning system so don't be dismayed if the awning seems to be 'tweaked' as you're popping up.
Lay all the poles within easy reach, so you can work by yourself.

Set the awning up before you pop up. Start by putting the horizontal poles in place first- Its ten times easier pushing the spring-loaded horizontal poles into place at waist level than over your head (or on a stool). Set the 'upright' poles at half-mast when starting out, and work them up as the camper goes up. Giver' a try next time and see if this may prove easier for you when popping up by yourself!

[extenter]

Originally Posted by Tyreguy

I had the same trouble when setting up...trying to compress the horizontal poles over my head. I stumbled across an unrelated camper video on another pop-up forum and discovered a much simpler way to get the canopy started and up.

Keep this in mind if you try this next time- there is quite a bit of 'flex' built into the awning system so don't be dismayed if the awning seems to be 'tweaked' as you're popping up.
Lay all the poles within easy reach, so you can work by yourself.

Set the awning up before you pop up. Start by putting the horizontal poles in place first- Its ten times easier pushing the spring-loaded horizontal poles into place at waist level than over your head (or on a stool). Set the 'upright' poles at half-mast when starting out, and work them up as the camper goes up. Giver' a try next time and see if this may prove easier for you when popping up by yourself!

Thanks Tyreguy (English spelling of tyre?).I will give it a try,probably next May now.I have tried all the different angles as suggested previously.it is a good stable awning when up though.

[tlhdoc]

Originally Posted by Rapidly

Now if there was just a way to get rainwater to run off the canopy and not pool heavily in it....

Do you have the awning on an angle? Have the 3 poles at different heights with the middle pole the middle height.