How do I adjust Dometic awning

**Tireman9** · 05-28-2016, 02:38 PM

Here is our electric awing fully extended.

I would sometimes like to tilt the awning so the outer end is lower. -Drain water and better shade.

For some reason there is no adjustment possible as the lower arms are riveted together.

Thumb screw serves no purpose other than to rattle and make noise. I asked a Dometic rep at an FMCA event but he had no clue. Anything bad happen if I remove the rivet?
My previous Dometic awning was manual, had no rivet and was nice and adjustable.

Todouble · 05-28-2016, 02:42 PM

Should be able to loosen that whee and pull the awning down on that side then tighten the wheel back up to hold it tilted down.

raspivey · 05-28-2016, 03:05 PM

Lower arms should slide into each other. I believe the rivet just holds them in. Grab the main awning arm and pull down, then tighten the nut.

**Tireman9** · 05-28-2016, 03:53 PM

Nope. Rivet goes completely through both the outer (black) and inner (aluminum) arms. Both front and rear arms.

Todouble · 05-28-2016, 03:59 PM

Can you take a picture from the under side where the knob wheel is?

Todouble · 05-28-2016, 04:02 PM

It has to move somehow unless they goofed building it. I see you have shocks on it and the knob wheels like mine so that tells me it moves.

themounties · 05-28-2016, 04:04 PM

I just went out and pulled mine down and tightened that same nut and it worked, mine has a piece inside the tube and it tightens it down

**Tireman9** · 05-28-2016, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todouble

Can you take a picture from the under side where the knob wheel is?

Sorry it is in storage. Underside has simple rounded large rivet head that looks a bit like carriage bolt head. Black hand nuts are completely loose and no movement between the two arms is possible.

I believe that my previous awning might have had a rivet but that was only to prevent the arms from separating i.e. limiting the extension of the two arms.

**Tireman9** · 05-28-2016, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themounties

I just went out and pulled mine down and tightened that same nut and it worked, mine has a piece inside the tube and it tightens it down

Yup The nut can be tightened with a threaded piece inside the aluminum arm but no movement is possible with the rivet going through the bottom of the aluminum arm.

I can't find anything in writing from Dometic or Coachmen or FR that says anything about adjusting arms.

I have 1 month on warranty so time is running out.

Grisham91402 · 05-28-2016, 04:14 PM

The rivet should be a stop for the silver tubing. It's tough but that silver tubing pushes up into the black tubing. You then tighten it. The first time I tried I was the way thinking it was broke. It will take some force as you are pushing against the shocks. If your still really worried about unhook the shock and then its the weight of the frame and material you have to deal with.

bubbles · 05-28-2016, 08:46 PM

It might be easier if you just deploy the awning a few inches and then pull the unpainted arm into the desired amount and lock the hand wheel before full deployment. That's the way I adjust mine because I can't reach the adjustment without a step stool if completely deployed.

Maggiewaggie · 05-29-2016, 01:50 PM

Mine looks like that. When it gathers too much water, one corner dips and dumps it, then pops back up. I wasn't expecting that to happen...quite a shock!

bubbles · 05-29-2016, 02:03 PM

I typically rely on the automatic dump feature and it has never failed to work. Occasionally I will set in a drop on one side if I want the runoff on a particular side.

raspivey · 05-29-2016, 02:34 PM

Might try a little silicon spray in the track. Mine sticks a little sometimes. It could just be bound up somehow. My rivet looks like yours.

Myrle · 05-29-2016, 02:56 PM

Mine is terrible also usually have to wrap a rag around that nut to tighten and sometimes will still slip.

MCTroy · 05-29-2016, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myrle

Mine is terrible also usually have to wrap a rag around that nut to tighten and sometimes will still slip.

I agree! ,I can't tighten ours enough to dip one end for shade. It stays 10 -15 minute then POP up it comes.. I know there are pole kits available to hold the awnings down but DH said no to that idea. He wants to tie one end down. Anyone had any success doing that? What could we break.if we put a rope on one end and staked it down.?

Capt. Mike · 05-29-2016, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCTroy

I agree! ,I can't tighten ours enough to dip one end for shade. It stays 10 -15 minute then POP up it comes.. I know there are pole kits available to hold the awnings down but DH said no to that idea. He wants to tie one end down. Anyone had any success doing that? What could we break.if we put a rope on one end and staked it down.?

I don't think you would "break" anything, unless he wind caught your awning. With only one end tied down, wind could twist it pretty quickly.

The awning poles that Turbs and (previously) OldCoot sell on this forum are used in conjunction with ratchet straps. The straps actually hold the awning down tight to prevent wind damage. The poles fasten at the outer end of the arms and provide support so that the ratchet straps don't inadvertently get "ratcheted" down too tight and bend or put too much stress on the awning arms.

raspivey · 05-29-2016, 03:56 PM

My second outing with a power awning. I expected rain and pulled one side down, but didn't expect the sudden wind. You can't retract with one side down and locked. Woke up to the trailer rocking and banging, realized immediately what was going on, then darted outside in my underwear to loosen the knob while yelling to my wife to bring it in. It was bad enough nobody noticed...people laying across tents trying to hold things down...everybody had they're own problems, lol. It actually lifted me off the ground a few inches before we got it in. Thankfully no damage.

**Tireman9** · 05-29-2016, 04:49 PM

Thanks to all for the comments.
Went back and again tried to move the black & silver pieces but no go. Then I closed the awning part way and discovered that if I got the right leverage I could push hard and the two arms do slide together.

Looking at the whole setup I noted that the gas strut is putting enough force on the upper arm to actually put a noticeable curve in it. When I am trying to collapse the two arms together I am working against the gas strut.

So the problem is fixed. Just open part way ( per suggestions from Grisham91402 and bubbles) then push hard on the bottom end of the outer end up toward the silver arm and they will slide together.

I just see no way to slide the two arms when the awning is fully extended unless you are the Hulk.

I can't generate 30 - 40# compression when my arms are fully extended above my head.

No idea why such a strong gas strut was selected. maybe Dometic just got a good price on some over-power struts.

Thanks again. Your input pushed me to look harder and more for the solution.

raspivey · 05-29-2016, 05:06 PM

Did you try pulling straight down on the main arm? I don't think I can push mine into each other directly either. If I pull straight down, the pivot points help provide a little leverage. It may be designed that way.

The strut power is probably needed to hold the awning out. When extended, all the motor is doing is unrolling the tube.

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