Manual Awning Issue

[jorge1958]

Hi Folks. Question for you. The manual awning on my travel trailer will not pull out all the way. When I pull it out it stops with what looks like a couple feet to go. I have retracted it and tried again several times. It just will not pull out all the way. It just locks up. Other then that it works fine. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks

[dodge_guy]

FF286 wrote:
Barney’s response was my first thought.

That's my thought also!

[FF286]

Barney’s response was my first thought.

[mike-s]

What brand/model awning? Barney may be right if it's one of the common Sunchaser/Dometics. Here's a video.

Otherwise, if it's never opened up fully, it may have been installed with too much pre-tension of the roller springs. That should be a warranty issue.

[BarneyS]

Sounds like maybe the black knobs on the two rails that slide inside the main awning arms are not loosened up. If they are tight, they will allow the awning to unroll almost all the way and then stop.
Barney

[jorge1958]

Thanks for the ideas. I have had the trailer for a year. Everytime i attempt to pull it out it stops with a couple feet to go. The arms are all straight. Nothing seems bent. The awning material it self is smooth. When you get to the last 2 feet your done. It will not free up. Probably take it to a shop and see what they can do. Thanks

[Farmboy666]

Sound like the spring inside the tube might be binding or partially broken if nothing on the outside is physically stopping it.

[SoundGuy]

the bear II wrote:
Are the stabilizer arms bent or binding. These are the arms at the top that go from the RV out to the roller tube. If they are slightly bent or twisted from wind damage it will stop the awning from deploying completely.

Not just wind damage but if the awning material itself has slipped even slightly in one direction or another, whether in the track securing it to the trailer or along the awning tube, it will create a lateral force that can cause the inner awning arms to not seat properly within the outer arms. However, I wouldn't think this would be noticeable when the awning is still 2' out from full extension but rather just as it's about to close completely. Whether manual or power, it's happened to me, and the solution is to simply redress the awning fabric so it is being pulled evenly as it retracts.

[the_bear_II]

Are the stabilizer arms bent or binding. These are the arms at the top that go from the RV out to the roller tube. If they are slightly bent or twisted from wind damage it will stop the awning from deploying completely.

[enblethen]

What material is the awning fabric?
Seeing from Oregon, was it put up wet? The awning fabric could be sticvking to itself.

[rrupert]

SoundGuy wrote:
Questions - is this a new to you trailer or one you've owned for some time now? Did the awning otherwise work fine 'til now and suddenly now it doesn't? :@

X2

[SoundGuy]

Questions - is this a new to you trailer or one you've owned for some time now? Did the awning otherwise work fine 'til now and suddenly now it doesn't? :@