carefree awning help

maids · Senior Member

carefree awning help

BAZZA44 · Senior Member

The clips would be to hang stuff on, clothes hanger etc. Can't help with the arm clip.

Barry

hufnpuf · Senior Member

When you refer to the arm clip are you talking about the "do-dad" that fits inside that channel in your photo and slides up and down and clips into the top of the arm when it's full open so it holds the arm up?

maids · Senior Member

yes

It is broken and it will not clip in

-- Edited by maids on Thursday 29th of December 2022 05:52:03 PM

-- Edited by maids on Thursday 29th of December 2022 05:52:40 PM

maids · Senior Member

BAZZA44 wrote:
The clips would be to hang stuff on, clothes hanger etc. Can't help with the arm clip.

Barry

They are plastic 2 ea side I cant see they would be strong enough to hang things off

Dick0 · Guru

Is this the part that is broken?

Slider Catch Awning.jpg

If so you can get on Ebay or Caravan parts outlet. It is an awning slider catch. Carefree and Dometic are same I believe.

This part is designed for the rope track and aids in hanging clothes, lanterns etc. It's called an awning hanger. Also available from caravan parts outlets and Ebay.

Rope Track Hanger.jpg

Also, make sure the awning roller is fully unwound and I would fit the tie down clip correctly.

Hope the above helps.

maids · Senior Member

Dick0 wrote:
Is this the part that is broken?
no it is metal as per the screenshot just need help on how to fit. I can get the part

If so you can get on Ebay or Caravan parts outlet. It is an awning slider catch. Carefree and Dometic are same I believe.

This part is designed for the rope track and aids in hanging clothes, lanterns etc. It's called an awning hanger. Also available from caravan parts outlets and Ebay.
Also, make sure the awning roller is fully unwound and I would fit the tie down clip correctly.
Hope the above helps.

Gundog · Guru

Is this the one you require most caravan suppliers will have them.

maids · Senior Member

Gundog wrote:was looking for instruction how to fit
Is this the one you require most caravan suppliers will have them.

hufnpuf · Senior Member

You need to take out the part of the arm to which the brace slide attaches. at around 5.39, this video shows how/where it goes . You need to thwack the new rivet so you can't do that vertically, you need to put the arm down on a workbench or ground or somewhere horizontal that you can thwack on.

Although the slide on the woman in the video's awning is different, it's essentially the same thing, you just need to get the old rivet out and fit the new assembly with the rivet supplied with the kit. She drills out the rivet, but the rivet on my carefree awning that came with the brace slide assembly is hollow inside, it's not solid. The easiest way I found to remove the old rivet was by bending/snipping the bent over bits with these teeny tiny craftright mini pliers. The rivet is aluminium so it's soft and not difficult to bend up/snip off the bent over metal.

Before you dismantle it, observe how it's put together (assuming it's all still there) or have a good look at the other side. You've got the bit that goes in the channel, and on the other side you've got the clip that fits in the top when you slide it up. Make sure you get the clip the right way around.

They say to just thwack the rivet end with a hammer. I had a bit of trouble getting it started. I used a nail punch to get it started to bend the edges over then the hammer worked.

When you've got the new assembly riveted on, you need to put the arm back in the upper channel and into the lower arm. There is a teeny tiny grub screw that holds it in at the bottom. A teeny tiny allen key will do and undo it. If you don't have that allen key, you can get the right one at the hardware.

I hope this makes sense.

-- Edited by hufnpuf on Friday 30th of December 2022 12:47:23 AM

maids · Senior Member

hufnpuf wrote:
You need to take out the part of the arm to which the brace slide attaches. at around 5.39, this video shows how/where it goes . You need to thwack the new rivet so you can't do that vertically, you need to put the arm down on a workbench or ground or somewhere horizontal that you can thwack on.
Although the slide on the woman in the video's awning is different, it's essentially the same thing, you just need to get the old rivet out and fit the new assembly with the rivet supplied with the kit. She drills out the rivet, but the rivet on my carefree awning that came with the brace slide assembly is hollow inside, it's not solid. The easiest way I found to remove the old rivet was by bending/snipping the bent over bits with these teeny tiny craftright mini pliers. The rivet is aluminium so it's soft and not difficult to bend up/snip off the bent over metal.
Before you dismantle it, observe how it's put together (assuming it's all still there) or have a good look at the other side. You've got the bit that goes in the channel, and on the other side you've got the clip that fits in the top when you slide it up. Make sure you get the clip the right way around.
They say to just thwack the rivet end with a hammer. I had a bit of trouble getting it started. I used a nail punch to get it started to bend the edges over then the hammer worked.
When you've got the new assembly riveted on, you need to put the arm back in the upper channel and into the lower arm. There is a teeny tiny grub screw that holds it in at the bottom. A teeny tiny allen key will do and undo it. If you don't have that allen key, you can get the right one at the hardware.
I hope this makes sense.

-- Edited by hufnpuf on Friday 30th of December 2022 12:47:23 AM

Thank you for the video, I hve seen that one but that part is so different to ours.

We are not sure where the clip fits into the equation

hufnpuf · Senior Member

maids wrote:
We are not sure where the clip fits into the equation

Look at the other side arm, you just need to do the same (reversed to take account that it's on the other side). The channel fitted side is on the side with the channel, the clip is on the side where the clip orifice is at the top. There's also a little channel on the side of the brace slide where the clip part fits in. You can see it in gundog's photo. The clip goes in that channel, with the hole aligned with the hole that the rivet goes through.

maids · Senior Member

hufnpuf wrote:
maids wrote:
We are not sure where the clip fits into the equation
Look at the other side arm, you just need to do the same (reversed to take account that it's on the other side). The channel fitted side is on the side with the channel, the clip is on the side where the clip orifice is at the top. There's also a little channel on the side of the brace slide where the clip part fits in. You can see it in gundog's photo. The clip goes in that channel, with the hole aligned with the hole that the rivet goes through.

Checked the part and it is fine. dont know why it wont clip in unless something else is broken at the top

Long Weekend · Guru

My guess would be there is a slight bend or misalignment in the groove that the slide moves in. Or even the slide itself could have a very slight bend. Doesn't have to be much for the slide to stop dead just short of the top so preventing the clip to go into the slot. The photo of the slide does seem to show a slight twist in it.

Try disconnecting the slide from the arm and running it up and down by itself right to the top. It will be easier to see what is stopping the tab from going into the slot. (Prop the roller up on a ladder or such while doing that.)

While not quite the same one time my son in law borrowed our van and he swung on the horizontal arm. The resultant bend was so slight it was hard to detect but it stopped the slide dead halfway along. (Before I worked out what the problem was I had to use a large hammer and belt the slide along when erecting or retracting the arm.)

Murray

Edit - fixed a spelling mistake

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 31st of December 2022 08:26:26 PM

maids · Senior Member

It does click in but doesnt stay in

the slightest movement and it starts sliding down

Long Weekend wrote:
My guess would be there is a slight bend or misalignment in the groove that the slide moves in. Or even the slide itself could have a very slight bend. Doesn't have to be much for the slide to stop dead just short of the top so preventing the clip to go into the slot. The photo of the slide does seem to show a slight twist in it.

Try disconnecting the slide from the arm and running it up and down by itself right to the top. It will be easier to see what is stopping the tab from going into the slot. (Prop the roller up on a ladder or such while doing that.)

While not quite the same one time my son in law borrowed our van and he swung on the horizontal arm. The resultant bend was so slight it was hard to detect but it stopped the slide dead halfway along. (Before I worked out what the problem was I had to use a large hammer and belt the slide along when erecting or retracting the arm.)
Murray
Edit - fixed a spelling mistake

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 31st of December 2022 08:26:26 PM

Long Weekend · Guru

Hmm.
I hesitate to suggest it as you probably have already tried it.
But have you tried opening the 'U' tip slightly?
Or bending the metal strip itself a little?
I imagine that the slot itself would be next to impossible to narrow, so that solution would be out.

A sort of emergency fix could be after inserting the 'U' clip through the slot slide a nail or piece of wire (a bit of a wire coat hanger perhaps) through it. That will stop the 'U' from dropping back out. Course, you may require a step ladder or a basketball player, but it should stay in place until a permanent fix can be made. Or somebody comes up with the correct solution.

Murray

maids · Senior Member

are you referring to the end of the black clip

Long Weekend wrote:
Hmm.
I hesitate to suggest it as you probably have already tried it.
But have you tried opening the 'U' tip slightly?
Or bending the metal strip itself a little?
I imagine that the slot itself would be next to impossible to narrow, so that solution would be out.

A sort of emergency fix could be after inserting the 'U' clip through the slot slide a nail or piece of wire (a bit of a wire coat hanger perhaps) through it. That will stop the 'U' from dropping back out. Course, you may require a step ladder or a basketball player, but it should stay in place until a permanent fix can be made. Or somebody comes up with the correct solution.

Murray

Long Weekend · Guru

Yes. On our van the 'U' on the tip of the strip slides through the slot, the strip has a slight bow in it so that the edge of the 'U' moves across the slot to rest on the side with enough pressure to stay there. To remove, or unlock, the 'U' is simply pushed off the edge of the slot and it drops through.

At least that is what I understand your problem is from your description "It does click in but doesn't stay in. The slightest movement and it starts sliding down."

For the bow in the strip to work it must be clamped tight to the slide, hence being rivetted - if it is loose then there will not be enough sideways pressure for the 'U' to stay in place on top of the slot. (Not sure about the photo that Gundog provided though.)

If that is not the case then I'll bow out and let someone else more knowledgeable solve the problem.

Murray

Edit: fixed up another typo!

-

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Sunday 1st of January 2023 10:40:21 AM

Possum3 · Guru

Maids, Note that your awning tie down bracket is incorrectly fitted - the small bent tab at roller is designed to fit into roller groove, this would mean attached ropes would be more horizontal, (rather than going straight down to ground) effectively making pegs less likely to pull out of ground in a sudden wind gust situation.

Long Weekend · Guru

Looking at the photo provided by Gundog again I realised that the pin is in fact a long rivet. That means it would clamp the strip firmly against the side of the slide, allowing a bow in the strip to exert enough sideways pressure to hold the tip in place.

Murray

Bobdown · Guru

Dick0 wrote:
Is this the part that is broken?

If so you can get on Ebay or Caravan parts outlet. It is an awning slider catch. Carefree and Dometic are same I believe.

This part is designed for the rope track and aids in hanging clothes, lanterns etc. It's called an awning hanger. Also available from caravan parts outlets and Ebay.

Maids, maybe the spring is missing? It may click in but doesn't stay there because there is no pressure from the spring. You need to explain the problem fully from the start.

Maybe another photo from the other side/end, have a good look at the other arm as well. You have to release the grey clip to lower, so maybe dirt or a bad connection is stopping it.

Cheers Bob

Long Weekend · Guru

By the way to all - hufnpuf in his post mentions the teeny tiny grub screw at the bottom of the arm that stops the slide from dropping out of the track. I had one somehow fall out and while buying a replacement screw bought two to have a spare.

When I came to fit it to my disbelief I found that the one on the other side had also fallen out! So the spare wasn't a spare anymore.

The upshot of that incident is that I put a dob of the rubber type contact glue on each screw to prevent it from happening again. Note that only use contact type glue, not araldite/epoxy or super glue - the contact stuff can be scraped off if necessary, whereas epoxy cannot.

Murray

Long Weekend · Guru

Deleted

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Sunday 1st of January 2023 12:34:41 PM

maids · Senior Member

Long Weekend wrote:
By the way to all - hufnpuf in his post mentions the teeny tiny grub screw at the bottom of the arm that stops the slide from dropping out of the track. I had one somehow fall out and while buying a replacement screw bought two to have a spare.

When I came to fit it to my disbelief I found that the one on the other side had also fallen out! So the spare wasn't a spare anymore.

The upshot of that incident is that I put a dob of the rubber type contact glue on each screw to prevent it from happening again. Note that only use contact type glue, not araldite/epoxy or super glue - the contact stuff can be scraped off if necessary, whereas epoxy cannot.

Murray

We actually used a tek screw as ours was jumping over the grub screw, but again that is not the problem

maids · Senior Member

Bobdown wrote:
Dick0 wrote:
Is this the part that is broken?

If so you can get on Ebay or Caravan parts outlet. It is an awning slider catch. Carefree and Dometic are same I believe.

This part is designed for the rope track and aids in hanging clothes, lanterns etc. It's called an awning hanger. Also available from caravan parts outlets and Ebay.
Maids, maybe the spring is missing? It may click in but doesn't stay there because there is no pressure from the spring. You need to explain the problem fully from the start.
Maybe another photo from the other side/end, have a good look at the other arm as well. You have to release the grey clip to lower, so maybe dirt or a bad connection is stopping it.
Cheers Bob

Very hard to explain when newbs dont even know what the bits are called but point taken.

Where does that part you are showing come into the equation, Is that at the top where the other metal part clips into

hufnpuf · Senior Member

Long Weekend wrote:
I found that the one on the other side had also fallen out!

My awning only had one. The part of the slide that is in the channel and needs to be held in is only on one side.

OP, I think it would ne useful if you could identify the awning you actually have. I identified mine by the carefree site, and they had detailed diagrams on there of all of the relevant parts.

maids · Senior Member

hufnpuf wrote:
Long Weekend wrote:
I found that the one on the other side had also fallen out!
My awning only had one. The part of the slide that is in the channel and needs to be held in is only on one side.
OP, I think it would ne useful if you could identify the awning you actually have. I identified mine by the carefree site, and they had detailed diagrams on there of all of the relevant parts.

We think it is a feista, I did put a picture above what it looked like but as I said we have no idea what it clips into at the top as that part in the picture is now back in the groove and we think that was only a small issue the clipping in is what was not working. We will test again later

hufnpuf · Senior Member

Well, mine is a fiesta. Here is the link to the manuals for it.

https://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/products/fiesta/

As for the clipping in at the top, it's just a hole in the top where it clips in and the clip on the slide brace goes into that hole and clips in.

maids · Senior Member

hufnpuf wrote:
Well, mine is a fiesta. Here is the link to the manuals for it.
https://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/products/fiesta/
As for the clipping in at the top, it's just a hole in the top where it clips in and the clip on the slide brace goes into that hole and clips in.

we have a manual but it covers all models hence guessing it is a Fiesta as I checked the parts list.

Obviously if there is no plastic parts at the top and just a hole in the metal leg, then can only assume the clip is missing the hole. we will check that. Thank you

hufnpuf · Senior Member

maids wrote:
Obviously if there is no plastic parts at the top and just a hole in the metal leg, then can only assume the clip is missing the hole. we will check that. Thank you

No, there's no plastic parts. There's a hole in the metal, and the clip on the slide brace goes into that hole. That's it. Is the other arm intact? Can't you see how it fits in from that?