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01-18-2024, 06:11 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: MOBILE
Posts: 40
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Is damaged awning DIY repairable?
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2019 Keystone Outback Ultra-Lite 240URS
2015 Ford F150 Platinum, 3.5L ecoboost, max tow, Equalizer e2
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01-18-2024, 06:54 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,720
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With enough time, money, the right tools, and the space to do the work, anything is fixable. Yes, you probably can do it. But normally, when awnings arms get bent up, it's just much easier to replace them. You might check at a couple RV dealerships near you and see if they have any old ones laying around they are tossing out. Maybe you can find the parts for the end not twisted up and they will just give them to you.
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2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Duramax HD 6.6 - 3500 Diesel Dully Long bed Crew Cab
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01-18-2024, 07:14 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,357
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JMHO, it will be a LOT less stressful to just replace and move on.
You need an arm and the tube and the idler end. Trying to straighten things out can end badly.
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2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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01-18-2024, 07:36 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 387
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beernutzbob
I think I brushed the side of a tree leaving a campground with the rear awning and didn't realize it until we tried to open the awning at the next site. I found that pantherrvproducts.com carried Dometic awning replacement parts and I'm wondering if anyone has attempted a similar repair. I watched a couple youtube repair videos done by professional rv repair techs which made me think it was at least possible to DIY the repair.
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If you are going to try fix the parts you have, it is not worth the effort, if you are going to replace the damaged pieces with new then it is worth the effort if it is cheaper than buying a whole new awning. if the price is close to replacing then you really have to look at the condition of the rest of the awning and decide which way you want to go.
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2014 F350 Platinum
2016 Cougar RBK330
1991 Slumber queen 100WS
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01-18-2024, 03:48 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: MOBILE
Posts: 40
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Thanks for the replies everyone.
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2019 Keystone Outback Ultra-Lite 240URS
2015 Ford F150 Platinum, 3.5L ecoboost, max tow, Equalizer e2
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01-19-2024, 05:14 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: COLUMBIA
Posts: 107
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We are always more than happy to provide our opinion! Good luck with the repair, no matter how you decide to proceed.
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Roy and Rhonda
2006 Ford F350 Powerstroke
2022 Raptor 362 Toy Hauler
Columbia SC
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01-28-2024, 09:16 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Ft Wayne
Posts: 56
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Yes its DIY repairable. We're on a Permanent Site and the Hat Boys have repaired or replaced ed many awnings. Three guys here that love to wear Straw Hats!
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01-28-2024, 10:22 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 106
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I did the same thing , only I had the guided help from the county road crew working on my road! With there help I took out a mailbox and pulled the rear part of the awning away from the body. I managed to bring it all back in-line and secure it with screws but could not open it due to the center support of the rear mechanism had ripped the pins attaching it to the gas strut. I found the part on eBay. Dealer couldn’t help, neither did domtectic. Got it back together and works fine. Still a little bent so it binds a bit when opening and closing but better than replacing the whole thing.
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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC. Passport 23rb. Ford F-150 ecoboost
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01-29-2024, 08:37 AM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Orange County
Posts: 58
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Like many have probably stated before, and I haven't read all the responses, I have the exact same thing happened and I spent several hours trying to repair the old bar. And then I gave up, looked up on Amazon how much they cost, about $300. Following that I went to a junkyard and found a used one for $110 and it took me about 30 minutes to complete the repair. That's my journey, I hope this helps.
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01-31-2024, 06:27 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 2
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Our trailer is in a seasonal sight and there is a lot of people who remove their awning to install a hard top, screen room. I sold our 19' power awning complete for $400.00 it was 2 yrs old.
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02-21-2024, 02:55 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: MOBILE
Posts: 40
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I was able to repair the awning today using this video as a guide
I followed what he did almost exactly except at the end where he used the locking oil filter clamp to put tension on the torsion spring bar. I couldn't do it the way he did but had to use both the locking oil filter clamp on one side and some channel lock pliers on the other to get the end of the torsion spring bar back into the awning arm so I could bolt them together. That part alone took me 30 minutes to complete.
The entire repair took about 2 hours as I worked slowly and used a manual riveter but the good thing is I can't tell where it was damaged now. I spent $144 for the Dometic 9100 torsion spring bar at panther rv products and $20 for the locking oil filter clamp at Amazon. If I was doing it again I would use something other than the locking oil filter clamp.
Thanks for all the advice.
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2019 Keystone Outback Ultra-Lite 240URS
2015 Ford F150 Platinum, 3.5L ecoboost, max tow, Equalizer e2
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02-21-2024, 03:05 PM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,357
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Good job!! Glad to see you got it fixed.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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02-21-2024, 05:06 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,999
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Glad to see you got it repaired. Good Job !!!
Looking at your photos, you might want to check the fabric alignment on your awning. It looks like it has slipped aft on the roller tube or slipped forward on the awning rail. Either way, the alignment (or bad alignment) can cause undue tension on the roller tube and lead to problems with the awning not retracting or deploying properly. If it pulls the awning arms out of alignment, it can bend them, cause the awning not to lock for travel or even bind the motor and burn it up.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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02-22-2024, 05:38 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: MOBILE
Posts: 40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
Glad to see you got it repaired. Good Job !!!
Looking at your photos, you might want to check the fabric alignment on your awning. It looks like it has slipped aft on the roller tube or slipped forward on the awning rail. Either way, the alignment (or bad alignment) can cause undue tension on the roller tube and lead to problems with the awning not retracting or deploying properly. If it pulls the awning arms out of alignment, it can bend them, cause the awning not to lock for travel or even bind the motor and burn it up.
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Thanks, I was so relieved to get the awning extended I hadn't noticed that. Do you adjust the fabric alignment by extending the awning and pulling the fabric?
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2019 Keystone Outback Ultra-Lite 240URS
2015 Ford F150 Platinum, 3.5L ecoboost, max tow, Equalizer e2
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02-22-2024, 07:21 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,999
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beernutzbob
Thanks, I was so relieved to get the awning extended I hadn't noticed that. Do you adjust the fabric alignment by extending the awning and pulling the fabric?
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Typically, if the fabric at the roller tube is centered (equal amount of space at each end of the roller tube) then I'd leave that alone and adjust the position at the awning rail. There is (or should be) a small screw anchoring the fabric in the awning rail. Remove the screws, extend the awning and move the fabric, in your case, to the rear of the trailer, about 1/2 the "eyeball measurement" of the space between the bottom layer of fabric and the to layer of fabric. Then roll the awning up to travel position, see how the fabric rolls, extend and adjust as needed.
It's not a "critical measurement/adjustment" that requires precision, but the edge of the fabric should roll up with less than about an inch of distance between the bottom and top layer. It looks like yours is about 3 inches or so.
Once you get it adjusted, reinstall the anchor screws in the new location and use some sealant to seal the old holes. If the fabric has stretched out of square over time, you may need to adjust it again at a later date.
ADDED: It's easier to adjust the fabric if it's warm and flexible, so I wouldn't try to do the alignment on a "cold, crisp morning when the fabric is less pliable"... A HOT SUNNY SUMMER DAY is a blessing for this type work.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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02-22-2024, 09:30 AM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: MOBILE
Posts: 40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
Typically, if the fabric at the roller tube is centered (equal amount of space at each end of the roller tube) then I'd leave that alone and adjust the position at the awning rail. There is (or should be) a small screw anchoring the fabric in the awning rail. Remove the screws, extend the awning and move the fabric, in your case, to the rear of the trailer, about 1/2 the "eyeball measurement" of the space between the bottom layer of fabric and the to layer of fabric. Then roll the awning up to travel position, see how the fabric rolls, extend and adjust as needed.
It's not a "critical measurement/adjustment" that requires precision, but the edge of the fabric should roll up with less than about an inch of distance between the bottom and top layer. It looks like yours is about 3 inches or so.
Once you get it adjusted, reinstall the anchor screws in the new location and use some sealant to seal the old holes. If the fabric has stretched out of square over time, you may need to adjust it again at a later date.
ADDED: It's easier to adjust the fabric if it's warm and flexible, so I wouldn't try to do the alignment on a "cold, crisp morning when the fabric is less pliable"... A HOT SUNNY SUMMER DAY is a blessing for this type work.
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Thank you. I'll give that a try. It's pretty warm here already. It was 70 when I did the repair work.
__________________
2019 Keystone Outback Ultra-Lite 240URS
2015 Ford F150 Platinum, 3.5L ecoboost, max tow, Equalizer e2
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02-22-2024, 10:16 AM
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#17
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,999
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If the awning fabric has been "misaligned like that" for a long while, the actual fabric may have stretched "out of square" and it may take several "partial alignment steps" before you get it "stretched back into the correct shape". If that's the case, don't put the screws back in the awning rale to anchor the fabric until you get it where you want it to be on the final attempt. No need to put multiple holes in the awning rail during the process. Just make sure you anchor it the "last time"....
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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02-22-2024, 03:28 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: MOBILE
Posts: 40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
If the awning fabric has been "misaligned like that" for a long while, the actual fabric may have stretched "out of square" and it may take several "partial alignment steps" before you get it "stretched back into the correct shape". If that's the case, don't put the screws back in the awning rale to anchor the fabric until you get it where you want it to be on the final attempt. No need to put multiple holes in the awning rail during the process. Just make sure you anchor it the "last time"....
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Thanks, I appreciate the info. I'll post an update after giving this a try.
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2019 Keystone Outback Ultra-Lite 240URS
2015 Ford F150 Platinum, 3.5L ecoboost, max tow, Equalizer e2
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