Awning sag / stretch on 2007 Outback 23RS

[jrhoads23]

We have a 2007 Outback 23RS with a manual Sunchaser awning. I have noticed that each half is starting to sag more and more. It is to the point where unless I have it all the way up, the door is starting to rub on it when it opens. And when it rains, it puddles up in there. The middle "band" of the awning still seems to be tight, what that does is just make two sagging sections (a left and a right)
I attached a pic of it before it is raised up. I make sure when I do raise it up to have the cross arms as tight as possible.

Is this just a normal part of aging for an awning that is 12 years old? Is there anything that can be done to tighten it up?

[JRTJH]

In the second photo, your "top stretching arms" are not in proper position. The lower part should be slid to the awning roller tube and extended to stretch the awning so it is tight. There is a "locking knob" on those "top stretching arms" that will maintain tension on the awning fabric.

When you do set it up properly, be sure that if there is any chance of rain, to lower one of the "diagonal side arms" so your awning "dips on one end" so the rain water can drain off the fabric. One of the fastest ways to destroy and awning, pull the awning rail away from the trailer sidewall, causing it to leak and cause trailer rot is to allow rainwater in any large quantity to remain on the awning fabric. Each gallon weighs about 8 pounds, so 50 gallons of rainwater would place a "400 pound pull" on the trailer awning rail. If it doesn't pull the rail away from the trailer sidewall, it will likely bend/break one of the awning sidebars.

Anyway, all that said, those two "sliding bars" will lock in the top of the large side arms (at the roller tube) and can be adjusted to stretch the awning fabric so it's tight and doesn't sag.

Here are a couple of pictures of what I'm talking about and here is a "generic how to" describing what you "should be doing". https://www.wikihow.com/Open-an-RV-Awning

[jrhoads23]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

In the second photo, your "top stretching arms" are not in proper position. The lower part should be slid to the awning roller tube and extended to stretch the awning so it is tight. There is a "locking knob" on those "top stretching arms" that will maintain tension on the awning fabric.

When you do set it up properly, be sure that if there is any chance of rain, to lower one of the "diagonal side arms" so your awning "dips on one end" so the rain water can drain off the fabric. One of the fastest ways to destroy and awning, pull the awning rail away from the trailer sidewall, causing it to leak and cause trailer rot is to allow rainwater in any large quantity to remain on the awning fabric. Each gallon weighs about 8 pounds, so 50 gallons of rainwater would place a "400 pound pull" on the trailer awning rail. If it doesn't pull the rail away from the trailer sidewall, it will likely bend/break one of the awning sidebars.

Anyway, all that said, those two "sliding bars" will lock in the top of the large side arms (at the roller tube) and can be adjusted to stretch the awning fabric so it's tight and doesn't sag.

Here are a couple of pictures of what I'm talking about and here is a "generic how to" describing what you "should be doing". https://www.wikihow.com/Open-an-RV-Awning

Thank you for the reply. In my original post that is what I was referring to when I said "I make sure when I do raise it up to have the cross arms as tight as possible." - "cross arms" is what I was calling what you call "top stretching arms"

When I do raise the awning up, yes, I do move those top stretching arms all the way up to the roller and get them to lock like you describe, trying to make them as tight as possible. I just took the pic of it in that position because it was easier to show the sagging I was referring to. And yes, I am always sure to put a good pitch to the awning so rain will drain off.

When I do put it all the way up, I try to make those top stretching arms as tight as possible - but I still have the stretching. We are camping this weekend so maybe I will try to put a little more force into extending them and see if that makes it tighter.

[Brentw]

How long is that awning, do you already have a bow in it? You may wish to consider a center support arm. Some of the longer ones should have had a center carrier support even for transport position.
Like this.
https://www.campingworld.com/tension...ite-28014.html

[JRTJH]

Many people use "de-flapper" clamps to hold the awning fabric tight on the edges.

You might also find that over the years, the awning fabric has stretched from holding water (pooling) and has deformed the fabric. I'd suggest that getting 12 years service out of an awning fabric is pretty darned good service. Most people find that with typical use, they start getting "leak through" and dry rot at the attachment to the awning rail.

You can buy a new fabric for about $150 from Amazon or EBay and here is a photo of the "de-flapper clamps" that you can find most anywhere RV supplies are sold. Here's one online source: https://www.amazon.com/Carefree-Fies...gateway&sr=8-5

[jrhoads23]

Originally Posted by Brentw

How long is that awning, do you already have a bow in it? You may wish to consider a center support arm. Some of the longer ones should have had a center carrier support even for transport position.
Like this.
https://www.campingworld.com/tension...ite-28014.html

What is odd is when they manufacture the awning they must put some kind of reinforcement in the material down the middle. You can kind of see a line going down where they doubled up the fabric or something. The reason I say this is this middle area is the only part that is stiff and tight.

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Many people use "de-flapper" clamps to hold the awning fabric tight on the edges.

You might also find that over the years, the awning fabric has stretched from holding water (pooling) and has deformed the fabric. I'd suggest that getting 12 years service out of an awning fabric is pretty darned good service. Most people find that with typical use, they start getting "leak through" and dry rot at the attachment to the awning rail.

You can buy a new fabric for about $150 from Amazon or EBay and here is a photo of the "de-flapper clamps" that you can find most anywhere RV supplies are sold. Here's one online source: https://www.amazon.com/Carefree-Fies...gateway&sr=8-5

Thank you very much for the suggestion... I may try those out!