Ok, I read up, I watched the videos. I was ready to go. Cotter pin, right end -- annnnnnd....*go*!
Yeah...
Realized I had a different design so the cotter pin needed to go in sideways -- ok, no problem. Right before starting I realized the youtube video I was watching had a sister video by the same people for manual dometic/AE awnings. Perfect. This one told me to put the pin in the left side of the awning. (I suspect that larger awnings (or is it manual awnings) have two springs. Can anyone confirm that? Ok, yes that's right, they do) Oh...Ok. Got the pin in there just fine. Went to pull up on the ends the roll it down and the spring mechanism -- on the RIGHT -- violently unspools itself. I know...I'm lucky I didn't get hurt. I was holding it by the tube and when I lifted it out it unwound. The video I watched (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnxDLPDoVCc&t=302s) said to pin only the left spring, then *roll it down*, then release the tension from the right spring but the right spring unspooled itself the second I lifted the top casting out of the holder. I could have really been hurt. (It's *possible* that I had it set on the "roll down" setting rather than the "roll up" setting.)
So I rolled it down, removed it. Cleaned all the parts, put the metal guard on the new awning fabric. But I need to know how many tension turns are needed for an 18' A&E 9000 awning. Found it -- 12 full rotations for the 9000. If anyone needs this rotations for different lengths chart for future reference: page 6 http://www.rvrepairmanual.com/manuals/awning_replacement_instructions.pdf
So tomorrow I need to keep the pin in the left spring, rehang it, replace the bracket, replace the tube, replace the rivets, retension the right side with it set in the "roll down" setting (is that what holds the tension tight?) pulling toward me, then roll the awning back up and replace it in it's holder on both ends. Bolt them back in then remove the pin on the left side. Yes? ๐
I answered most of my own questions but the links here are really helpful for anyone doing the job in the future...
