Re-tensioning slide out awning?

OP back, finally got around to swaping out the slide out awning. I never did find a video or write up on it so I just went ahead and did it.

On my awning there was just a single spring held in place on the left side, the small (12") center tube which held the spring end was held in place by an 11mm bolt. The trick was to lock the bolt down and rotate the outer tube until you could place a cotter pin thru both tubes AFTER you wound the tube 14 times. Once you placed the pin in place wrap some tape around the tube and pin, to keep it from falling out, don't ask how I know why to do that. The difference with my awning and others was the pin does not go through both tubes completely, I assumed the cotter pin went all the way through and you just spread the legs of the pin apart to keep it in place.

Once the tensioning is done and it's pinned loosen the 11mm bolt so the entire tube can rotate to make installing the awning easy. Once the fabric was in place tighten down the bolt and carefully pull the pin while holding the main tube to keep the pressure off the pin.

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and get it done.

Ron W.

I helped my Dad replace his awningfabric a few years ago. Seems I remember we used the awning arm to unwind the tension and rewind the tension by counting the revolutions. Used a step ladder to support one end of the awning tube while unwinding the spring. Good luck and be careful.

SpoiledRotten wrote:
There are a couple of great teaching videos about replacing the RV awning canvas on YouTube.

I looked and couldn't find one that showed how to re-tension my model Carefree awning. For example most awnings have 2 holes that go through the tube so you can place a 3" cotter pin through to hold the tension while you change out the awning fabric, mine does not. The 10mm bolts on the sides seem lock the tubes so maybe I'll try loading up the spring and then tighten them down to hold it place.

Thanks

Ron W.

There are a couple of great teaching videos about replacing the RV awning canvas on YouTube.

Hi,

My friend had a campground repair place fix his while I was at the nearby table. Basically, you put in a cotter pin to hold the tension on the spring while removing the brackets or whatever. Then remove the cotter pin to put more tension back on the spring.

To wind the spring back under tension, he used a ratchet wrench. Don't know what size, I was not paying that much attention to the work. If you know how many wraps the awning is around the roller, then add about 4 more turns, it will be a great place to start with tension. Say the awning wraps around 8 times, + 4 = 12 turns to pre-tension the awning spring. Then put in a cotter pin ( DO NOT bend it) and then re-attach the bracket to the awning arm. After this, you can remove the cotter pin by tugging slightly on the awning fabric, to unload tension from the cotter pin to the awning fabric, and after the cotter pin is removed, the spring will be ready to wind the fabric back onto the main roller.

Reading the instructions for changing out the awning fabric would be a great place to start for proper insturctions on how to tension the spring.

Be VERY careful, as the spring has a lot of potential energy, and could tear your fingers off if you get it pinched between a movable end bracket and the awning fabric.

Fred.

Why not go to Care frees site and read up on how to replace spring?

I'm tired of the tension spring failing and causing me to climb on something to wind the awning up by hand. I just ordered a hand crank style upgrade for my Carefree awning. $80.00 and you don't have to deal with that spring again.