Shrinking Awning

[LoveTwoCamp]

We went camping this week and had some rain. We have a double door camper with a 19' striped awning that did cover both doors when new. It has shrunk about 4-5" on each side over the past 5 years.

Is this normal? Both doors now get wet when it rains.

This is a Colorado/Carefree awning, forget what material. probably vinyl.

[beemerphile1]

Shrinkage of 8 - 10 inches is difficult to understand but vinyl does shrink over time.

I had to replace a tonneau cover that had shrunk too much to fit and all the seams were splitting due to the shrinkage.

[LoveTwoCamp]

Thanks for your replies.

The awning tube has a small screw on each side where the awning edge used to be. So the amount of shrinkage should be accurate.

Some time this week I plan to call the dealer who installed it, and the manufacturer. I will post what I find out.

[Grit_dog]

subcamper wrote:
Our 14' awning shrank about 3" total in length over 10 years.

Shrinking 5" at each end (10" total) in 5 years is huge.

Are you sure you are correct in remembering the actual original length?

Steve

Is this actually a thing to measure or keep track of?

This thread is like the trailer can opener thread....
TT forums are like the twilight zone!

[subcamper]

Our 14' awning shrank about 3" total in length over 10 years.

Shrinking 5" at each end (10" total) in 5 years is huge.

Are you sure you are correct in remembering the actual original length?

Steve

[GrandpaKip]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:
An awning shrinking 8" to 10" overall? Maybe the trailer expanded?:W

Never heard of that (trailer expansion or awning shrinking. Something strange going on.

The last time I experienced trailer expansion it cost about $20K 😉

Seriously if an awning fabric shrunk one would think it would be so far out of alignment it would no longer extend or retract correctly. The idiotic black vinyl fabric on our Rockwood, that heats up in the sun to the point of feeling like your sitting under a resistance coil, has not shrunk after 3 seasons.

Our trailer shrank 2’ and the awning expanded 1’. We shoulda got money back.

Did the awning shrink at the tube, also?
I’d call customer service at Carefree and have a chat. Something screwy for sure.

[Ralph_Cramden]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:
An awning shrinking 8" to 10" overall? Maybe the trailer expanded?:W

Never heard of that (trailer expansion or awning shrinking. Something strange going on.

The last time I experienced trailer expansion it cost about $20K 😉

Seriously if an awning fabric shrunk one would think it would be so far out of alignment it would no longer extend or retract correctly. The idiotic black vinyl fabric on our Rockwood, that heats up in the sun to the point of feeling like your sitting under a resistance coil, has not shrunk after 3 seasons.

[SidecarFlip]

Ralph Cramden wrote:
An awning shrinking 8" to 10" overall? Maybe the trailer expanded?:W

Never heard of that (trailer expansion or awning shrinking. Something strange going on.

[Ralph_Cramden]

An awning shrinking 8" to 10" overall? Maybe the trailer expanded?:W

[MFL]

Many/mine have a screw fastener on each end to keep the awning in place, not slide side to side. If yours actually did shrink, not much you can do, other than replace.

Jerry

[Executive45]

Not normal but it's carefree..Dennis

[donn0128]

Not normal.