Awning torn - can remove and go without or not ?

[RoadXYZ]

Last month when we moved the TT to another volunteer site, we saw that the awning was torn and probably would not be able to extend the awning again without it tearing more. And so have not extended the awning for two months - and have been in rain storms we know that the awning is full of water.

Plans are to replace it the first of June when we return to our home base. So in the meantime, can we extend it, remove the awning material and go without the awning material until we get home ?

We will be in Newport for March, Tillamook in April and May in Reedsport. If we knew there was a good, reputable repair shop in one of those cities, we might have the awning replaced before June.

[doxiluvr]

I would say you are fine just leaving it as it is. Then take it to an RV repair place when you get back home and have it replaced with a new awning.

[_tiredTeacher]

RoadXYZ wrote:
We are toooo old for Do-It-Yourself projects involving muscles.

I hear ya! Me? I'm ladder impaired so anything above 6 feet goes to the shop.

Teach

[RoadXYZ]

kalynzoo wrote:
When I was up in that area two years ago an RV emergency brought me to the Wilsonville/Portland Camping World for a repair. I cannot speak highly enough for the guys and gals there. The worked after hours to get me back on the road. They were knowledgeable, caring, and neat. It is a beautiful drive from Tillamook to Wilsonville. You pass a buffalo ranch, a sake distillery with tours, and plenty of u-pick farmland on a well maintained easy to drive two lane road. It would be a nice drive and I truly believe the service you will get from CampingWorld Wilsonville will be worth the trip. JMHO,

Except we will be going on down to Umpqua State Park, then onto Crescent City and coming back up towards Portland via Grants Pass, and Albany .. so will check with DH (Dear Hubby) but sounds like your recommendation might be a good idea before arriving at our home base in SE Washington. Thank you.

[kalynzoo]

When I was up in that area two years ago an RV emergency brought me to the Wilsonville/Portland Camping World for a repair. I cannot speak highly enough for the guys and gals there. The worked after hours to get me back on the road. They were knowledgeable, caring, and neat. It is a beautiful drive from Tillamook to Wilsonville. You pass a buffalo ranch, a sake distillery with tours, and plenty of u-pick farmland on a well maintained easy to drive two lane road. It would be a nice drive and I truly believe the service you will get from CampingWorld Wilsonville will be worth the trip. JMHO,

[RoadXYZ]

robsouth wrote:
Water in a rolled up awning will not be a problem for travel. Just go like always and the water will spill out or not. Won't hurt anything.

Thank you for the response.

Hubby thought we would be ok by just leaving it alone, and go on down the road ... so will do that.

[RoadXYZ]

dmctlc wrote:
how did it tear... do u have insurance I know my brother ripped his in a high wind and his insurance for his trailer covered replacing it.... Of course you aways need to weigh whether it's worth claiming something like that that might cost a $1000 to replace and risk ur rate going up.... He said his never did....

Our RV is almost 10 years old ... not an insurance issue .. just aging of awning material.

[RoadXYZ]

Passin Thru wrote:
Why wait? You can do one yourself in about 2 hrs. Order a new Carefree of CO cover, seems to be the best material and put it on. You can take the old one off and run with the frame only.

We are toooo old for Do-It-Yourself projects involving muscles ... and looks like what sounded simple is indeed not ..

Thank you for the response ...

[2chiefsRus]

Removing the fabric is not as easy as it might sound. There is a lot of pressure on that spring. We had a neighbor in the hospital for 3 days after nearly losing his thumb when he lost control of the vise grip he was using while trying to remove the end cap.

[1971duster340]

How much and where is it torn? I can't understand how water will affect the coiled material on the drum. Not knowing the extent of the damage, maybe wind would cause problems if you move...I would remove the drum with material as it is. One end of the drum on my awning is springloaded so remove the end not under tension, then you can control the unwinding of the drum while you're standing on the ground. Call the manufacturer about the spring.

[74alex]

The tricky part to remove the awning fabric is the removal from the roller tube. On my Carefree awning one end cap has to be removed. That entails release of the spring pressure inside the tube. You can get hurt badly if you loose control of the spring pressure from the vise grip you need.
It is basically a two men job. I had mine redone by a repair shop for safety reasons.
If you want to tackle this yourself, I suggest you look up the manuf. website and check the removal and installation procedure.
Alex

[robsouth]

Water in a rolled up awning will not be a problem for travel. Just go like always and the water will spill out or not. Won't hurt anything.

[Passin_Thru]

Why wait? You can do one yourself in about 2 hrs. Order a new Carefree of CO cover, seems to be the best material and put it on. You can take the old one off and run with the frame only.

[dmctlc]

how did it tear... do u have insurance I know my brother ripped his in a high wind and his insurance for his trailer covered replacing it.... Of course you aways need to weigh whether it's worth claiming something like that that might cost a $1000 to replace and risk ur rate going up.... He said his never did....

[RoadXYZ]

wrvond wrote:
Yes, you can.
As an aside, awning repair tape is good stuff.

There are differences of opinion on that ... heard some have used Eternabond ..

But the real question is can we take the material off and just have the frame up there ... don't want to travel with all that water up there !