How to Tighten RV Awning Springs over the slideout

I followed this youtube vidio to replace my toppers.
I would think that if you followed the first steps, then just tighten the roller one turn it would work.

not wd-40 please

You may have ONE spring that has broken that is not allowing it to retract fully if it is a long slide. If that is the case, replace BOTH springs since the other one is not far behind.

Don't remember what kind I had but when the spring broke I looked up the web site and they had a manual you could download with instructions.

Easy job just be careful what kind of tool you use you do not want the spring to suddenly unroll while tightening you might eat the tool.

Easy job just be careful what kind of tool you use you do not want the spring to suddenly unroll while tightening you might eat the tool.

I'll second this - I had to replace a broken spring on my awning - this can be a dangerous job - there is a lot of tension on the spring;

DO NOT play around with the spring in the fully extended position - there is a lot of energy stored.

I downloaded the instructions/youtube and replaced one spring - winding up the spring was "nail biting".

Assuming you do not have one of the springs broken...only the last few inches does not roll up you have to remove the frabic. There should be a hole to put a nail in on one end to lock the tube from spinning while you slide the frabic out. Holding the tube by hand remove the nail and rotate the tube probably two turns tighter and put the nail back in...slide the frabic back in and remove the nail.

If the hems on both ends are starting to fail/break have them resown while off. All four of my toppers had this problem and there was enough unused frabic on three of them to cut the used off to exposing the unused.

Ivylog wrote:
Assuming you do not have one of the springs broken...only the last few inches does not roll up you have to remove the fabric. There should be a hole to put a nail in on one end to lock the tube from spinning while you slide the fabric out. Holding the tube by hand remove the nail and rotate the tube probably two turns tighter and put the nail back in...slide the fabric back in and remove the nail.

If the hems on both ends are starting to fail/break have them resown while off. All four of my toppers had this problem and there was enough unused fabric on three of them to cut the used off to exposing the unused.

Thanks Dick,

That is what I'm doing - From my old days in the boat business I've got a good fabric guy - will likely reverse (Inside to outside) too, so as to put the unexposed side out so as to get a few more years out of it.

Was able to get them both in with a little on the top not wound up - then as we went down the road they bounced their way in.

Springs not broken, just like me a little older and not as quick as they once were. .:B

Should be fine, lots of work to do on that roof line while I have the scafell set up.

Thanks,

Bill

On mine the size of the J track was different (could not reverse) so cut off old and sewed the plastic rod back into the end that attaches to the MH.

It takes 2 "healthy" guys to do this job. Hold on very tight to the tube when you rotate it. It has lots of tension... one slip, and it all over!

Encore wrote:
It takes 2 "healthy" guys to do this job. Hold on very tight to the tube when you rotate it. It has lots of tension... one slip, and it all over!

Awning tubes YES but slide topper tubes NO.