I noticed that when my awning is retracted the arm is not fitting flush with the top arm against the caravan. I wind it up and it hits on the now retracted top arm. I dont think it is bent, just a bit out of alignment. Someone told me I should loosen the fabric and move that over and it will remedy the problem.
Has this happened to anyone else and is the best way to fix it?
Before going to trouble of mechanical fix drop awrning down and give a couple of parallel shoves at (extended end) of roll, to attempt realigning. May need a couple of solid pushes.
__________________
Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Sorry for my stupidity Possum but parallel shoves at extended end of roll, do you mean go to end of the roller when awning is dropped down and a few pushes sideways as in for and aft ?
Exact same happened with our awning. There is usually a self tapping screw on each end of the top rail that the awning fits into. Remove both and then slide awning in one direction or the other to realign. Will need to redrill the self tappers to hold in place. With the awning out but not tensioned you can also slide the awning that fits into the roll up drum. If you move it one way and its worse alignment , move it the other way in small increments until is right. Took me a couple of goes and came good.
-- Edited by KM575 on Thursday 29th of April 2021 05:25:59 PM
This is a common problem with pop top caravans. The hydraulic struts used to raise the top can leak over time and when the top is raised it can pull the awning out of alignment with the awning struts attached to the van. Remedy is to replace the faulty stuts which can be evident by oil residue on the strut. Rather than replace one strut replace all of them because the others will most probably be faulty also.
It is a Carefree awning Laurie. When you hold onto the ribbon and let the awning retract into the side of the caravan it does not fit over the top arm that has been slid back into the vertical position.
I am away from the van at the moment but pick it up from storage on Monday and then will go to work on it. That is why I haven't posted a picture and just clumsily described the problem.
Hope that makes sense. I will try Possum's advice first and remain confident that will fix the problem if I have understood it properly.
-- Edited by DMaxer on Thursday 29th of April 2021 06:37:35 PM
I agree with KM575 on sliding awning along drum. It only takes 3-4 mm each time , roll up and adjust again as required. I found a bit of breeze sometimes affected so I marked awning edge on drum for future reference. Hope this makes sense ! Cheers
Dmaxer asked a genuine question and we got answers of wdh,gas bottles,generators,chains etc ?? This aint the joke section !!
Hawk D Maxer is an old member of the Forum and would be well aware of the "In Joke" being perpetrated by regular (old time) members. Sometimes the clique is misunderstood by newer members
__________________
Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Now I'm confused. I was going to try all those methods on Monday if your original advice didn't work Possum. I thought Doug and co were being helpful. You just can't trust some people.
-- Edited by DMaxer on Sunday 2nd of May 2021 08:48:42 AM
It is a common problem with a roll out awning.
Most roll them out and set them on a slope to run water from them should it rain. This causes the roll of vinyl to work one way along the roller causing the arm not to align as it it pulled slightly one way.
This can also be caused with a wind from one direction or a combination of both.
If you are one that sets a slope then set it at alternate ends each time you use the awning.
What I have done is just get the van level front to rear, and then roll the awning in and out several times and quite often it will realign itself as the vinyl roll comes back into position. Make sure to extend the awning each time to its furthest out position. Not good to do on a windy day unfortunately.
If after several rolls of the awning it is still a git out just get an assistant to push the arm at the other end until the vinyl rolls onto the drum evenly.
Unless there has been damage to the awning it will re align itself assuming if it was rolling up ok from new.
The only other thing that will change it is if the screws securing the vinyl have come out or the vinyl has torn or stretched away from the original securing point.
It is a common problem with a roll out awning. Most roll them out and set them on a slope to run water from them should it rain. This causes the roll of vinyl to work one way along the roller causing the arm not to align as it it pulled slightly one way. This can also be caused with a wind from one direction or a combination of both. If you are one that sets a slope then set it at alternate ends each time you use the awning.
What I have done is just get the van level front to rear, and then roll the awning in and out several times and quite often it will realign itself as the vinyl roll comes back into position. Make sure to extend the awning each time to its furthest out position. Not good to do on a windy day unfortunately. If after several rolls of the awning it is still a git out just get an assistant to push the arm at the other end until the vinyl rolls onto the drum evenly. Unless there has been damage to the awning it will re align itself assuming if it was rolling up ok from new.
The only other thing that will change it is if the screws securing the vinyl have come out or the vinyl has torn or stretched away from the original securing point.
Good luck with it
Regards
Rob.
hi Rob, you explained that well, that is what the vinyl replacement person did to ours when I took it back after a month or 2, easy fix.
Thanks for that advice Rob and Radar. I have had the van in storage for last two weeks and when I collect it tomorrow I will try out the advice from you both and from Possum. sounds pretty much the same advice, a bit of to and froing and muttering should get it fixed.
