Alternate Method of Replacing Awning Fabric?

[Woodtroll]

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!

[BruceMc]

Welcome! Glad you found it helpful.

Enjoy your project, and post pics as you are working your way through the process.

[Woodtroll]

BruceMc, that does indeed help! A very well-done gallery, thank you. And I even see that you had one of the controversial cord-under-the-cap awnings ;-).

Thanks again,
Regan

[BruceMc]

Here's pics on my Dometic fabric replacement in 2012: DometicAwningFabricReplacement

I didn't cut the slots, but I did drill holes in the endcap for the polyrod. I did the bulk of the work myself; I only needed help pulling the fabric onto the C-channel using a clamp/rope/pulley setup.

Help that hopes!

[Woodtroll]

jetcare wrote:
Since the OP indicated he was changing fabric on a Dometic product, I gave him some good advice on his installation.

I have indeed received a lot of good advice here, and I am very appreciative of that. I have also learned there are lots of differences between brands of awnings and probably the trailer manufacturers that use those awnings. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help me out!

[pdogg]

I changed mine out last year, traditional dometic awning, rivets, visegrips, etc... It's not as bad as it sounds, quite a simple process actually.. I used a Carefree vinyl awning fabric as replacement.

two people required..

[Huntindog]

dougrainer wrote:

Huntindog wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

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

Nope. All I have ever owned are Dometics.

Sorry, Dometic NEVER installed screws on the Roller tube. NEVER. The screws on the Awning RAIL are installed by the installer, not Dometic. Doug

Never is a really strong word.
I do believe I know what a screw is. I have a LOT of experience with them. And yes I did remove screws from the tube of two different Dometic awnings, on TTs I purchased new. Perhaps Dometic did not do it, and the manufacturer did... I don't know. But they were there.

[dougrainer]

Huntindog wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

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

Nope. All I have ever owned are Dometics.

Sorry, Dometic NEVER installed screws on the Roller tube. NEVER. The screws on the Awning RAIL are installed by the installer, not Dometic. Doug

[Huntindog]

dougrainer wrote:

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

Nope. All I have ever owned are Dometics.

[beemerphile1]

dougrainer wrote:

Well I have installed at least 500 awnings....like Jetcare, we know more than you. Doug

I am happy to take your word for it. I didn't say Jetcare was wrong, just that I had never witnessed it.

[jetcare]

Since the OP indicated he was changing fabric on a Dometic product, I gave him some good advice on his installation. I always want to do a professional job when I work for a customer. I don't cut corners by drilling holes in customer parts. It is "USUALLY" quite prudent and safe to follow the manufacturers installation instructions. I was also offering some helpful instructions regarding spring winding and the dangers associated with such work.

[dougrainer]

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

[dougrainer]

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

[Woodtroll]

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.

[LarryJM]

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