Hello folks,After 14 good years, it is now time to replace the fabric on our trailer's awning. I have watched lots of videos where the rivets are drilled out of the end cap, multiple marks are made, vise-grips employed, spring turns counted, injuries inflicted and blood let.On my awning at least, the end cap is the only thing blocking the round channel/groove that the awning fabric and "rod" slide into. Instead of drilling out rivets, unwinding springs, etc., why can't I unroll the awning to full extension, leave the latch tripped to "out" or "unwind" position, unbolt the ends of the awning roller from the arms, and drill a hole in the cap at the end of the channel? Then I slide the old fabric out through the hole, the new back in, and thread a stainless or nylon screw into the end of the channel that the fabric came out of to plug it back up?Has anyone tried this before? I might still have to capture the non-latched end (left end as you face the awning) with a screwdriver or something through the hole in the end cap, correct?Any input or experiences with this method would be appreciated!

Woodtroll wrote:Any input or experiences with this method would be appreciated!You could start by telling us the make / model of awning. ;)

Because as soon as you take the end off the latch no longer locks and it will spring and the ribbing in the awning is folded into the tube so the ends have to come off

Yes, should have included the brand and model, sorry...It is a Sunchaser by A&E/Dometic, model 834CU18.400, made 02-28-03.If I'm not mistaken, the latch will keep the spring from unwinding as long as the latch is not flipped in the other direction (I think?), and as long as the cap is not removed from the roller. That's the whole point of my question - not having to take the cap off at all. And yes, the rib in the awning is creased into the tube and is held in by the cap, thus the need to drill the hole to slide the awning rod/rib/crease THROUGH the cap instead of removing it, if that makes sense.

Its a lot easier to just take it apart than try to short cut it.you can put it back together and use the legs to wind the springs if that's what you are worried about

See my post with pictures here showing how I replaced the fabric on our A&E awning.

Alternate Method of Replacing Awning Fabric? | Good Sam Community

Woodtroll
Explorer
Mar 05, 2017
dougrainer wrote:
14 years old. I am a professional RV Tech(37 years). 14 years old and I doubt you have any idea how the old fabric/rope insert will be stuck to both the tube insert and the Awning rail on the sidewall. You will need 3 people to do the job. 2 can do it. 1 cannot. 3 makes it a LOT easier. ....

Have you remembered to remove either the front or rear mount bracket on the arms to get the awning rail rope out? Most awnings like yours the upper wall mount brackets hinder the slide out of the awning fabric.

Thanks for your input! Yes, I have three people willing to help me. Fortunately (I guess), there were never any screws put it the rail on the side of the trailer, so that edge can and does slide easily back and forth. I'm hoping by cutting the fabric the length of the roller between the two grooves where the awning inserts on the lower/roller end, I can work those two pieces out without too much trouble.

Yes, one of the arms will have to be unbolted from the sidewall, as the bracket completely encloses the gutter and awning rail. I hate that part though, as I just sealed that attachment point real well a couple years ago when I applied Eternabond tape to all the roof seams and edges.

Again, thanks for everyone's advice and suggestions! Anything else anyone has to offer is certainly welcome.

Thanks,
Regan
RAS43
Explorer III
Mar 06, 2017
While doing it yourself is good and I have done most things that way, I didn't want to tackle the awning. So I waited for a Camping World sale on fabric and labor and had them do it. Dropped it off one day and picked it up the next day. Labor was $75. Cheap enough for me.
beemerphile1
Explorer
Mar 06, 2017
Piece of cake to drill and notch the end cap allowing the new fabric to slide in.

Works best if you have two helpers, the upper and lower must be threaded at the same time and the third person helps to manage all the loose fabric.

After the prep was done, the installation of the new fabric took about 15 minutes.
jetcare
Explorer
Mar 06, 2017
The poly cord usually wraps under the each cap preventing the fabric from moving left and right during the life of the fabric. You won't be able to pull the fabric out of the tube unless you remove the caps.

If you open the awning only one foot from the coach and work on a ladder releasing spring tension, you only have 1/2 the tension you have when the awning is fully extended. This is much safer. Get all the tension released, cut the fabric and lower the whole roller tube and fabric to the ground using two people.

When you install the awning with the arms fully extended, add about 8 turns to each spring. Retract the awning to the almost closed position (you may need to push it closed with your hands). Then add the remaining turns (about 8 depending on length). Center the fabric at the top rail so the arms stow properly and add the top two screws holding the fabric in place.

When installing the new fabric, it is important to wrap the poly cord under each spring cap so it will not more left and right during operation.
Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 06, 2017
jetcare wrote:
The poly cord usually wraps under the each cap preventing the fabric from moving left and right during the life of the fabric. You won't be able to pull the fabric out of the tube unless you remove the caps.Not on the ones I have done. If it did, I would just cut the cords off at the cap.

If you open the awning only one foot from the coach and work on a ladder releasing spring tension, you only have 1/2 the tension you have when the awning is fully extended. This is much safer. Get all the tension released, cut the fabric and lower the whole roller tube and fabric to the ground using two people.

When you install the awning with the arms fully extended, add about 8 turns to each spring. Retract the awning to the almost closed position (you may need to push it closed with your hands). Then add the remaining turns (about 8 depending on length). Center the fabric at the top rail so the arms stow properly and add the top two screws holding the fabric in place.

When installing the new fabric, it is important to wrap the poly cord under each spring cap so it will not more left and right during operation.
Not needed. Just zap a couple of screws thru the fabric into the roller, and upper rail.
That is how my TTs came from the factory It works fine.
beemerphile1
Explorer
Mar 06, 2017
jetcare wrote:
The poly cord usually wraps under the each cap preventing the fabric from moving left and right during the life of the fabric....

I have never seen that. All of mine allowed the fabric to move on the roller tube but was fixed in place in the awning rail with a screw at each end.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Mar 06, 2017
beemerphile1 wrote:
jetcare wrote:
The poly cord usually wraps under the each cap preventing the fabric from moving left and right during the life of the fabric....

I have never seen that. All of mine allowed the fabric to move on the roller tube but was fixed in place in the awning rail with a screw at each end.

Same here one on a 1981 awning and my current 2007 A&E. So much for the "USUALLY" misinformed idea.

Larry
Woodtroll
Explorer
Mar 06, 2017
Thanks, everyone, for all the discussion. It's easy to see that there is lots of variation in the way these awnings are put together. Personally, I have never seen one with screws through the fabric into the roller, but obviously there are lots of those out there. I'll have to look at mine; since it doesn't have the screws, it may have the cord trapped behind the cap. I'd never thought of that.
dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 07, 2017
LarryJM wrote:
beemerphile1 wrote:
jetcare wrote:
The poly cord usually wraps under the each cap preventing the fabric from moving left and right during the life of the fabric....

I have never seen that. All of mine allowed the fabric to move on the roller tube but was fixed in place in the awning rail with a screw at each end.

Same here one on a 1981 awning and my current 2007 A&E. So much for the "USUALLY" misinformed idea.

Larry

Well I have installed at least 500 awnings in my 37 years as a RV Tech. Repaired probably 1000. Fabrics replaced, probably 100 to 150. Almost ALL the Dometic ropes curl over the end of the tube into a slot in the tube and then the Torsion cap goes over the end. Now, Usually????? 99 times out of a hundred will be that way. What CAN happen is the rope gets cut when folded over, but when you install the new fabric, the rope will be LONGER than needed and you will cut the excess off and fold it over. You have looked at 2 or 3, I have done HUNDREDS. So, like Jetcare, we know more than you. Doug
dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 07, 2017
Huntindog wrote:
jetcare wrote:
The poly cord usually wraps under the each cap preventing the fabric from moving left and right during the life of the fabric. You won't be able to pull the fabric out of the tube unless you remove the caps.Not on the ones I have done. If it did, I would just cut the cords off at the cap.

If you open the awning only one foot from the coach and work on a ladder releasing spring tension, you only have 1/2 the tension you have when the awning is fully extended. This is much safer. Get all the tension released, cut the fabric and lower the whole roller tube and fabric to the ground using two people.

When you install the awning with the arms fully extended, add about 8 turns to each spring. Retract the awning to the almost closed position (you may need to push it closed with your hands). Then add the remaining turns (about 8 depending on length). Center the fabric at the top rail so the arms stow properly and add the top two screws holding the fabric in place.

When installing the new fabric, it is important to wrap the poly cord under each spring cap so it will not more left and right during operation.
Not needed. Just zap a couple of screws thru the fabric into the roller, and upper rail.
That is how my TTs came from the factory It works fine.

That is how Carefree does it, not Dometic. You are comparing apples and oranges. Doug

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