When the manual awning is fully pulled away from TT and the short slide arms/rails are extended now ready to be raised up on each side I have difficulty in pushing the arm/rails up. I do not extend one side fully then the other. Just extend a little on one side then the other. It is still hard to push the arms/rails up to the fullest even at short extensions. The rails appear to be free of dirt/grim. Can a lubricant be sprayed on them to make it slide up/out easier? Any suggestions appreciated on how to extend them with ease even if a lubricant should not be used. Thanks in advance.

If they are that hard to extend I would definately use a spray lubricant. I can see no reason not to.

Are you undoing the arm locks (rafter knob) before trying to raise them?I use a silicone spray occasionally.....not because they are difficult but because I don't like the chatter when sliding the rafter up/down channel

maybe the awning arm has been bent a little, or maybe the awning is just heavy… How big is it???raising one side part way then the other side farther is common for many people…

Old-Biscuit wrote:Are you undoing the arm locks (rafter knob) before trying to raise them?You do slide them all the way up and latch them in place, then tighten the rafter know, right?Ours has an odd flexing piece on the end. If it is in a bind, it sticks.When raising the awning up, we stand facing the camper with the locking handle near our hip and put it up a couple notches at a time, then the other side.

With the knobs loose does the knob push up and down freely into the hole? The knob most likely threads into a square nut that uses the sides of the rafter to prevent it spinning. If the knob gets over tightened it can cause the square nut to slip and sit corner to corner inside the track. This would have the effect of swelling the sides of the track and causing a bind. If that happens the know won't push freely up and down in the hole.

Manual Awning Question/Help | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

tcgg
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
Nvr2loud wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Are you undoing the arm locks (rafter knob) before trying to raise them?

I use a silicone spray occasionally.....not because they are difficult but because I don't like the chatter when sliding the rafter up/down channel

Mine are easy to raise and I'm actually doing it wrong...

1) I pull the awning away from the trailer (unrolling)

2) Extend the rafter arms and put a little outward pressure on each for some tension

3) Tightly lock the rafter knobs

4) Extend the main arms to desired height.

I'm too short to reach the rafter knobs when the main arms are fully extended, so I do them up earlier. I have had no binding problems at all. I'm thinking something must be bent or jammed elsewhere in the OP's awning system

It has been a couple years since I raised the awning and what I did was tightly locked the rafter knobs then extended the rafters to their locking position.

Therefore, as you stated I should have extend the rafter arms put a little outward pressure for tension then tightly lock the rafter knobs. You may have solved my problem. I will give it a try.
DiskDoctr
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
That's how I do it, too.

The loosening of the rafter knob is before pulling them away from the upright stowed position to slide them into place, then retighten them.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 21, 2013
BarneyS wrote:
Nvr2loud wrote:

Mine are easy to raise and I'm actually doing it wrong...

1) I pull the awning away from the trailer (unrolling)

2) Extend the rafter arms and put a little outward pressure on each for some tension

3) Tightly lock the rafter knobs

4) Extend the main arms to desired height.

I'm too short to reach the rafter knobs when the main arms are fully extended, so I do them up earlier. I have had no binding problems at all. I'm thinking something must be bent or jammed elsewhere in the OP's awning system

That is not the wrong way. Your procedure is the correct way! :)
Barney

That's the way I've done every awning for years....didn't know that was considered wrong :B
I'm tall and I can't reach rafter arms or knobs otherwise.
JJBIRISH
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
agree
BarneyS
Explorer III
Aug 21, 2013
Nvr2loud wrote:

Mine are easy to raise and I'm actually doing it wrong...

1) I pull the awning away from the trailer (unrolling)

2) Extend the rafter arms and put a little outward pressure on each for some tension

3) Tightly lock the rafter knobs

4) Extend the main arms to desired height.

I'm too short to reach the rafter knobs when the main arms are fully extended, so I do them up earlier. I have had no binding problems at all. I'm thinking something must be bent or jammed elsewhere in the OP's awning system

That is not the wrong way. Your procedure is the correct way! :)
Barney
Terryallan
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2013
Nvr2loud wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Are you undoing the arm locks (rafter knob) before trying to raise them?

I use a silicone spray occasionally.....not because they are difficult but because I don't like the chatter when sliding the rafter up/down channel

Mine are easy to raise and I'm actually doing it wrong...

1) I pull the awning away from the trailer (unrolling)

2) Extend the rafter arms and put a little outward pressure on each for some tension

3) Tightly lock the rafter knobs

4) Extend the main arms to desired height.

I'm too short to reach the rafter knobs when the main arms are fully extended, so I do them up earlier. I have had no binding problems at all. I'm thinking something must be bent or jammed elsewhere in the OP's awning system

Me as well. I put the "rafters" into their slot at the top of the arm. Pull them as tight as I can, lock them with the knob, and then raise the support arm. It's easier to raise, when the "rafters" are already in place.
Nvr2loud
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2013
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Are you undoing the arm locks (rafter knob) before trying to raise them?

I use a silicone spray occasionally.....not because they are difficult but because I don't like the chatter when sliding the rafter up/down channel

Mine are easy to raise and I'm actually doing it wrong...

1) I pull the awning away from the trailer (unrolling)

2) Extend the rafter arms and put a little outward pressure on each for some tension

3) Tightly lock the rafter knobs

4) Extend the main arms to desired height.

I'm too short to reach the rafter knobs when the main arms are fully extended, so I do them up earlier. I have had no binding problems at all. I'm thinking something must be bent or jammed elsewhere in the OP's awning system
mich800
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
After many years of use they might just have some play in them. I generally hold onto the area near where it slides and maybe wriggle as you slide them up. Mine seem to cock slightly and will hang up. Maybe that is what yours are doing also.
ksg5000
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
Maybe you have some crud stuck in the channel - lube won't hurt anything I do on a regular basis.
opnspaces
Navigator II
Aug 21, 2013
With the knobs loose does the knob push up and down freely into the hole? The knob most likely threads into a square nut that uses the sides of the rafter to prevent it spinning. If the knob gets over tightened it can cause the square nut to slip and sit corner to corner inside the track. This would have the effect of swelling the sides of the track and causing a bind. If that happens the know won't push freely up and down in the hole.