A big wind caught my awning and it ripped along the roller. How easy is it for me to replace the fabric myself? Do I need special tools or does it just slide on both the trailer track and the roller?
Posted 2006-02-25 7:57 AM (#37793 - in reply to #37784) Subject: RE: Replacing awning fabric
Veteran
Posts: 195 Location: Atlanta, GA
WOW... That wind is bad stuff.. You can replace the canvas pretty easy. You can roll out the awning and slide the old off and slide the new in place, BUT be very carefully not to trip the lever to roll up. It is spring loaded and will ruin the tube. Then you will have to replace the tube too. When a awning is new it has clips to hold the spring until installed. The pins are removed after the legs are attached to the trailer and tube. It's not too hard if you are careful.
Posted 2006-02-26 1:13 AM (#37838 - in reply to #37793) Subject: RE: Replacing awning fabric
Veteran
Posts: 122 Location: Monroe, WA
Thanks for responding, sounds like I can have it locked in a half open position, I can slide it on the trailer and the roller. Why would tripping the lever ruin the tube, would it just break my hand and hit the trailer??16 Can I take the current fabric off and put the roller back up on the trailer until new fabric comes? Just want to make sure I don't screw up!
Posted 2006-02-26 7:56 AM (#37844 - in reply to #37784) Subject: RE: Replacing awning fabric
Elite Veteran
Posts: 662 Location: Vanzant, Missouri
I just had the material replaced on mine. I took it to the local rv dealer and had them install it. You MUST BE very carefull with installing the rollers. I have heard that if you don't know what your doing and the spring pops during installation it can hurt you. So we played it safe. The installation wasn't very expensive at all. Plus you'll have a gaurentee (sp) on the installation. And no freak accidents...
Posted 2006-02-26 9:12 AM (#37852 - in reply to #37784) Subject: RE: Replacing awning fabric
Veteran
Posts: 195 Location: Atlanta, GA
The spring is very strong. And yes it can hurt you... No, you can not remove the old until you are ready to install the new fabric. The canvas is what holds the tube and keeps the spring from springing . The canvas holds the spring tight and will only let it turn so far. If the tube is let go it will ruin it. The tube also needs to be pulled out to the full extended position to remove and then replace the new canvas. Maybe you should take it to a local RV dealer and let them take the risk.
Posted 2006-02-27 6:27 AM (#37898 - in reply to #37853) Subject: RE: Replacing awning fabric
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
This is definitely not a job that anyone wants to tackle in their driveway! I'm very mechanically inclined and had the same thing happen to me last Spring. I decided to take the fabric off myself, take it to an upholstery shop and have them sew the seam back together. I locked the roller in place with 1/8" high tensil wire, pulled the keepers out of the trailer track and the roller track. Once the fabric was off, I stowed the awning frame in the travel position with the roller locked and used the trailer at least 2 times, waiting for my awning to be repaired. Got the awning back a couple of weeks later and then the fun began! I got the awning secured in the trailer track without too much difficulty using a lot of liquid soap. The exercises I went through getting those 2 little rubber keepers back through the slots in the roller to keep the fabric attached was not something I want to do again. I had my teenager rolling on the ground with uncontrollable laughter watching me invent ways to get the last part of that job done. Take it to the dealer and shop for quotes before you go. Happy trails.
Replacing awning fabric
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