Awning rail adjustment

[Romer1]

Have a Dometic 8500 manual awning that recently started having a problem when retracting it. In order to get the front outer rail to seat properly when rolling it up someone has to put rearward pressure on it or it will not slide over the inner rail. Is there a way to adjust the outer rail?

[Romer1]

Thanks for the replies. Will have to get to storage lot to work on it.

[Hank_MI]

The roping inside the awning material should be wrapped over end of roller tube. That prevents the awning from shifting on the tube. Screws through the gutter prevent it from shifting in the gutter. Easy to remove the screws.

Open the awning and leave the ratchet in the down position. Now lift up the ends of the roller tube, tighten up the upper arm so it holds the roller tube up. This will take the weight off the awning and make it easier to slide in the gutter.

I just replaced the material on our 8500 awning. The rear arms were binding and wouldn't close. Even with new awning material they were still binding. The brackets holding the awning at the top have slotted holes. I had to loosen the lag screws and adjust the brackets front to rear so the two arms came together properly. I didn't put the screws through the gutter and into the awning until everything worked smoothly. Works like a dream now.

[Old-Biscuit]

Sounds more like awning material has shifted in roller tube grove so that it rolls up cockeyed.

Extend awning fully
Then measure from edge of awning to end cap on roller tube.
One side will have wider distance then other side
Working from wider side.....grasp awning material with one hand and pull at same time push on roller tube arm shifting awning material in grove.

When both sides are equal awning with then roll up straight and match up with arms fully closing.

After shifting awning and to prevent it from shifting again.
Install a couple of 1/4" short self-taping screws in roller tube grove right at edge of awning material.

[SoundGuy]

Remove the set screws securing the awning bead in the rail, allowing you to then shift the fabric so it's square on both the roller tube and in the awning rail.