awning

[john612]

Awning no longer retracts evenly, when rear portion is fully retracted, front is 3-4" still out there.
Anybody else had this issue?

Thanks,
John

[Cate&Rob]

Hi John,

We had exactly this same problem. The drive motor is on the forward arm, so the rear (non-driven) end of the roller is winding up the fabric at a faster rate. What seemed to be happening on ours was that the rear arm was staying straight so the fabric was winding with the folded end seam directly on top of the end seam of the previous wrap. The forward arm was moving out as it wound the fabric causing the seam to spiral and gaining only a single wrap of fabric on each revolution. By the time it gets to the wall, this double layer of wrap (the end seam) is getting larger at a faster rate and has gathered in a couple more inches of fabric than the spiral wrapping single layer end.

The short term fix for this was to push the forward arm sideways to keep the wrap on the end seam, the same as the rear wrap. We have recently replaced our awning fabric (the original crumbled to pieces as we took it off!) and this seems to have corrected the uneven wrap problem.

Rob

[john612]

Thanks Rob, I'll give it a go. We added the awning extension like Paul has, didn't think it would cause any issues, but it might be part of the problem. We leave the small piece on the roller then zip on the larger section once the awning is extended.

[Yoda]

Check for a bow in the awning back brace. Mine was doing the same thing, but fixing the bow fixed it. Also if you awning brand is Dometic there is a small rubber bumper that can be installed that may help. I posted about both of these issues.

[john612]

thanks Yoda

[john612]

it appears the front arm is a little bit loose because I can push on it and will seat correctly and then of course fall back out.
Not a huge deal, it's only about 1" difference.
Also found all of the screws holding the awning were ~1/4 loose and 4 were completely stripped, so will replace with larger diameter versions. Don't think loctite will help and gluing up a matchstick and inserting it didn't work either.

[Sumitk2]

Hi John,

We had exactly this same problem. The drive motor is on the forward arm, so the rear (non-driven) end of the roller is winding up the fabric at a faster rate. What seemed to be happening on ours was that the rear arm was staying straight so the fabric was winding with the folded end seam directly on top of the end seam of the previous wrap. The forward arm was moving out as it wound the fabric causing the seam to spiral and gaining only a single wrap of fabric on each revolution. By the time it gets to the wall, this double layer of wrap (the end seam) is getting larger at a faster rate and has gathered in a couple more inches of fabric than the spiral wrapping single layer end.

The short term fix for this was to push the forward arm sideways to keep the wrap on the end seam, the same as the rear wrap. We have recently replaced our awning fabric (the original crumbled to pieces as we took it off!) and this seems to have corrected the uneven wrap problem.

Rob

Cate&Rob

Rob,

Was your awning looking like mine? It seems I am having a rolling issue and it’s getting worse! Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jordan

[howson]

Cate&Rob

Rob,

Was your awning looking like mine? It seems I am having a rolling issue and it’s getting worse! Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jordan

I don't see that Rob's online so I'll take a shot if you don't mind, Jordan.

First thing to look at is ensure the rail is still secured to the side of the camper. The "rail" looks like the item below. It is secured to the camper with screws. Is the rail flush with the side of the camper or has it separated on one side with screws pulling out of the camper wall?



If the rail looks like it's OK, the fabric inserts thru the opening marked "A" in the picture above. Both ends are secured with a small screw. If you remove both of the small screws it is possible to slide the fabric from one side to the other. Keep adjusting the fabric (and run the awning in and out a few times) until the fabric is even on both sides.

If you'd like to do some more reading on how these awnings are installed, check out https://support.lci1.com/solera-power-awning and click on the Manuals tab. (Even if the awning is a Dometic the installation process is still very similar--they all use a rail system.)

[Sumitk2]

howson


Howard,

Always open to advice!

The rail is intact.

I went up on the roof, and I could not find any screws. I watched a couple of YouTube videos, to get the idea, and thought it was going to be an easy fix...I tried pulling it, and it doesn't want to move much. I am also limited by the LED lights, as there is not a lot of extra wire to play with.

Perhaps some silicone in the rail, as instructed in the assembly guide will help move the sunshade.

Whats also weird, it it seems the entire tube is rolling to the right, and, yet the fabric is rolling in on itself from both ends. The center looks a little bunched up a little.

Jordan

[howson]

howson


Howard,

Always open to advice!

The rail is intact.

I went up on the roof, and I could not find any screws. I watched a couple of YouTube videos, to get the idea, and thought it was going to be an easy fix...I tried pulling it, and it doesn't want to move much. I am also limited by the LED lights, as there is not a lot of extra wire to play with.

Perhaps some silicone in the rail, as instructed in the assembly guide will help move the sunshade.

Jordan

I ran out back and extended my awnings. This first pic is the screws that hold the rail to the camper. That's the first thing to check--ensure both ends of the rail are securely fastened to the camper. (If you put a screwdriver on them be gentle--the backer isn't very strong. Do not use a "power" anything (screwdriver, impact driver, etc)!


Looking down from the top there should be set screws on both ends. Then the fabric will (with a lot of effort-it can be difficult) slide left or right to center as needed. Reattach the screws when finished.



Note when the fabric is installed lubricant is used to help with getting the fabric to slide through the rail. It's not easy to move.

[Cate&Rob]

Sumitk2
Hi Jordan,

I don't see evidence in your pictures of the awning fabric moving in the rail attached to the side of the RV. This is what the screws previously discussed prevent, but sometimes the screw head gets pulled through the top lawyer of awning fabric and is difficult to see even though it is still retaining the awning cord.

I think what is going on is the "spiral wrap" that gets started because the folded back edge of the awning is twice as thick as the main awning material and gains diameter much faster as it rolls (as discussed earlier in this thread). Once the awning fabric starts doing this, it is difficult to "teach" it not to. As I roll in our awning, I try to put side pressure on the arm closest to the door to prevent this from happening. (I have had limited success doing this . . . even with new fabric).

Rob

[Sumitk2]

Cate&Rob and howson

Thank you both for the advice. I will look again for the screw, and try to train it!

Jordan

[howson]

Cate&Rob ,
When I went out to retract my awnings I took a good look at the construction. In addition to the possibilities already discussed causing Jordan's problem, if the vertical awning braces attached to the camper aren't reasonably straight, could that induce a resistance on one side or the other? Almost like having a braking effect on one side but not the other as the awning is retracting.

The other parts that caught my attention were all the pivot points. If any of them have an issue that could again introduce an imbalance in resistance?

In all cases if the arms aren't moving freely (I think) it would reveal itself by the fabric wrapping incorrectly. In other words the fabric issue is a symptom, not the cause.

Just thinking...could be way out in left field...

Howard

[Cate&Rob]

howson
Agreed that there is a lot of side-to-side flexibility in the awning arms. The problem is keeping the double thickness edge seam winding directly on top of itself. If it slips off to one side or the other, this starts the spiral wind.

Rob

[JCR GD]

Awning no longer retracts evenly, when rear portion is fully retracted, front is 3-4" still out there.
Anybody else had this issue?

Thanks,
John

When mine was doing this I slide the fabric about 1/4" in the channel and it cured the problem.