So I had the angle happening with the awning. Mine was the only one in the park that folded in a recent massive downpour.
So, the tube that you roll up the awning onto folded in half. Someone else in the park has one that they took off theirs to put a hard awning/room on. It's a couple feet too long. Could I not drill out the rivet, pull out the awning (do the same with mine)... then use a hacksaw and cut their "tube" down to my size, thread my awning back in and remount?
It must be possible to remove the awning because you can get it replaced. So I'm going to attempt this anyway, I was just hoping for a couple things to watch out for (Spring tension on the other end is one). I figure for the spring tension, it's much like a really big blind, so I need to mount it with a couple twists before hand so it stays tight against the trailer.
Sounds OK ... but I'm thinking the spring may have to be cut if the tube is cut.. ??
And you are right about the spring being dangerous.. be very careful and have a good grip in the wrench and tube when you go to release the tension..
John
John Harrelson
Carson City, Nevada
fulltime since 1977
93 Ford 350 4wd Diesel
95 Prowler 30.5 ft 5th wheel w/slide
TWO CENTS WORTH
The story goes that a man died and was approached by the Devil who told him that he could buy his soul back for a dollar. The man searched his pockets and could only come up with 98 cent. While begging the Devil to forget the two cent he was short, an Angel happened by and hearing the Devil laughing, asked the man, "Would you mind if I put in my two cents ?" The Devil got so mad that he exploded in a puff of smoke and the man's soul was saved. The moral: Sometimes putting in your two cents worth makes a difference.
JOHN "the cook" 1997
You have a good question there. From last years experience I know that there's a spring in each end(least there was in this guys. We placed large vise grips on the rectangular part that slides into the upper part of the long vertical arms and then slowly unwrapped the springs, replaced the material, rolled up the tube by hand(almost to the top park position), and preloaded the springs by 3 turns at each end, slide the rectangular part back into the long arms, replaced the screws and done. Not 100% sure, but I would believe that the spring assembly may slide out once the tension is off, cut the tube to length, replace the spring assembly and finish up by doing the preload, etc.
Filled mine with about 100 gallons of rain water once, folded the tube, and State Farm replaced it no questions asked.
Hans, KØHB & Colleen, KØCKB Master Chief Radioman, US Navy -
'04 Prairie Schooner 34FBR Platinum XL
'08 3500HD Silverado Big Dooley LTZ Go-power by Max & Allie
Removing the awning is easy, It just slides out (Well, it would be easy if the roller tube was not ... folded)
You may have to CAREFULLY cut at the bend then you may have to dremel (hand grinder) the metal away right where it's bent in order to free up the fabric
Then just pull the halves of the tube off the fabric, it simply slides in the slot
You know that strap you use to pull down.. You know how it slides in the slot
Same thing
Seperating the tube from the arms and re-tensioning the new tube (And reattaching it) I can't help you
But I can help you get it off
CAUTION< SPRING
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
Mikeyxx - been there, done that!! One ( note the "one" ) of my first mistakes - ours is a ZipDee so I only know what applies to it. The torsion spring is an assembly that is pop riveted into one end of our tube. Once I had the awning off, as wa8yxm describes, ( took 4 people for ours because of the break in the middle and it is 19' long ) I drilled out the rivets and the spring assy. slid out. On the new tube I just drilled and pop riveted it back in. One word of caution - that spring is under a GREAT deal of tension, be VERY careful as you take the awning off and control the arm to release. I left the long arm on ours for leverage as I slowly rotated it around ( count the turns so you can pre-load to the same point )- just be careful not to strike the MH. If yours is the same, sounds like all you need to do is cut the replacement tube to length, drill and rivet, pre-load the spring and install. Mine was a $400.00 mistake ( was able to save the fabric ), sounds like you will do much better Ever notice how expensive experience can get??
Good luck and take care -
1987 36' Beaver Marquis High Tech Wide body
3208T CAT, MT643 Allison in a Gillig MHA
Koni's & Toyo all around
FMCA, Good Sam