Solera Awning Front Gas Cylinder Not Extending ng

[Collin Ellis]

2022 Imagne XLS LDE Looks like the front gas cylinder has already given up. When you try to extend the awning it extends about a foot. Both front and rear motors keep rolling, the rear continues to extend but the front will not scissor out. The awning continues to roll out and the rear will continue to extend but the front just unrolls and sags. Am I looking at the function of this correctly? The gas cylinder keeps the tension on the awning?

Collin

[Country Campers]

The strut does keep tension on the awning when deployed. There is also just one motor, usually at the front but may be at the rear, there will be wires that run out the arm on the end with the motor. You may also need to clean the track and/or the rollers that ride in the track that is screwed to the wall, there are small plastic rollers that ride up and down the track, I would guess that this is the issue and not the strut.

Brian

[howson]

2022 Imagne XLS LDE Looks like the front gas cylinder has already given up. When you try to extend the awning it extends about a foot. Both front and rear motors keep rolling, the rear continues to extend but the front will not scissor out. The awning continues to roll out and the rear will continue to extend but the front just unrolls and sags. Am I looking at the function of this correctly? The gas cylinder keeps the tension on the awning?

Collin

With the awning partially deployed (and with the fabric sagging on the one side), if you stop can the offending arm be manually pulled out? If the strut is not working right you'll know in an instant, because it's nearly impossible to push back in by hand. There will be a dramatic difference in the tension from one side to the other.

If the strut is OK then there's a mechanical reason (binding bearing, etc) in the mechanism's arm system that's getting caught that the strut can not overcome.

WARNING: Those struts are powerful and the mechanism moves in a hurry when it's able--so keep all body parts away from pinch points when messing with the awning!

[Collin Ellis]

With the awning partially deployed (and with the fabric sagging on the one side), if you stop can the offending arm be manually pulled out? If the strut is not working right you'll know in an instant, because it's nearly impossible to push back in by hand. There will be a dramatic difference in the tension from one side to the other.

If the strut is OK then there's a mechanical reason (binding bearing, etc) in the mechanism's arm system that's getting caught that the strut can not overcome.

WARNING: Those struts are powerful and the mechanism moves in a hurry when it's able--so keep all body parts away from pinch points when messing with the awning!

The cylinder is dead. After closer inspection I found oil at the bottom (rod end) of the cylinder. When you motor the awning out a little I can move the arm and the cylinder will move freely by hand in both directions. (Extension and retraction)
This is our first outing with the new RV. Dealer says they won’t get to it for a “few weeks”. I’ll just do the repair myself.

Collin

[DarnDave]

Collin Ellis we had a similar issue with our carefree compass awning arm. Dealer looked at it twice, and once "adjusted" the arm which "didn't help". At the second write up and dealer check, the tech recommended wiping from a rag some liquid (spray) silicone where the arm retracts onto itself, at the edges. Haven't had a problem since. But if you found oil, you likely do have a bad gas spring.