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02-16-2019, 04:26 PM
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#1
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Canadian Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Eastern GTA, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,238
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Proper Technique For Opening Power Awning
Josh at Haylett RV recently posted this video. Has anyone ever heard this before?
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2023 Rockwood Signature 8262RBS
2016 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCrew, 6.2L, 4x4, 6'9" bed
2019 Rockwood Signature 8290BS (2019 - 2022)
2011 Rockwood Signature 8293SS (2015 - 2018)
2010 Rockwood Roo 23SS (2012 - 2014)
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02-16-2019, 04:59 PM
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#2
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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That guy has no clue what he is talking about.
First, the door closer at your home is an open system. As you open the door it sucks air in. when the door closes the adjustable metering valve allows the air to be released at a rate to not allow the door to slam shut. The shaft end is open to the ambient air. There is a adjustable screw on the closed end to allow for different closing speeds and force.
Second, the gas strut is a closed system containing a gas that is metered by a valve in the piston. This valve is not adjustable and allows the gas to flow from one side of the piston to the other. It does not suck in or expel air or gas. The main cause of failure is dirt/dust wearing out the seal surrounding the piston shaft allowing the gas to leak out. This strut works similar to the shocks on your car or truck.
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Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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02-16-2019, 05:21 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,290
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right, his description is a little off, as no one's awning somehow 'flys' out uncontrolled, but we all know it takes TIME for the awning to get all the way out - PLENTY of time for any gas strut to 're air' itself!
but, it also sounds like he's just looking for something the 'talk about' in a video - you run out after a while : ) Maybe he, himself, needs to go camping.
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02-16-2019, 06:17 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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To me the proper way is to first make sure there's enough room for the awning to extend into, that the door is out of the way (full open or full closed) then push the switch. The motor doesn't roll the awning out any faster than the strut can accommodate.
His explanation MIGHT be valid if it's -50 outside.
Then again, he did admit he only found out by reading a post on the Internet so based on that it's probably true.
Not only will I have to be more careful when extending my awning, I'll need to be more careful when raising the hood on my truck and opening the rear hatch on my Volt. Both have gas struts and I sure don't want to damage them. Of course the truck is going to be 15 years old this coming fall without strut issues.
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"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change  )
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02-16-2019, 07:01 PM
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#5
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Canadian Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Eastern GTA, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,238
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All I know is that on our TT one arm wouldn’t extend as quickly as the other and then eventually something would give and it would extend quickly and catch up with the other side. They both retracted at the same speed though.
__________________
2023 Rockwood Signature 8262RBS
2016 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCrew, 6.2L, 4x4, 6'9" bed
2019 Rockwood Signature 8290BS (2019 - 2022)
2011 Rockwood Signature 8293SS (2015 - 2018)
2010 Rockwood Roo 23SS (2012 - 2014)
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02-16-2019, 07:36 PM
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#6
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itat
All I know is that on our TT one arm wouldn’t extend as quickly as the other and then eventually something would give and it would extend quickly and catch up with the other side. They both retracted at the same speed though.
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Probably a slight bend in the strut rod. The bend may be so slight you don't notice and it doesn't take much to interfere with it's smooth operation.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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02-16-2019, 08:13 PM
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#7
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Trailer Park Supervisor
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,626
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Quote:
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Of course the truck is going to be 15 years old this coming fall without strut issues.
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You're lucky! I have a 14 year old Nissan Maxima and 16 year old Accord that gas struts are shot on hoods and trunks. I have to use a vice grip to clamp onto strut piston to keep hood from slamming shut on my head.
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2019 Rockwood Geo Pro G19FD w/off road package
2015 Ford F150 XLT Super Cab 4x4 V8
Yes, I drink the water!
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02-16-2019, 08:13 PM
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#8
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Canadian Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Eastern GTA, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,238
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
Probably a slight bend in the strut rod. The bend may be so slight you don't notice and it doesn't take much to interfere with it's smooth operation.
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Could be that. I don’t recall exactly but it may have started doing that after I installed the awning support poles. Could it have been a weakening motor on that arm?
__________________
2023 Rockwood Signature 8262RBS
2016 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCrew, 6.2L, 4x4, 6'9" bed
2019 Rockwood Signature 8290BS (2019 - 2022)
2011 Rockwood Signature 8293SS (2015 - 2018)
2010 Rockwood Roo 23SS (2012 - 2014)
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02-16-2019, 09:17 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itat
Could be that. I don’t recall exactly but it may have started doing that after I installed the awning support poles. Could it have been a weakening motor on that arm?
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Mine was doing that on my GT (Dometic A&E awning) and I replaced the gas strut. Took care of the issue. The original strut was softer than the new one. It was a challenge for me to change the strut by myself.
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02-16-2019, 10:24 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 122
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Does anyone raise their hood a few inches, wait and then go the rest of the way? What about trunk lids or back hatches on millions of hatchbacks, minivans ans SUVs?
All use the same strut.
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02-17-2019, 12:05 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Might also be a good idea to make sure awning mechanical parts are clean and move smoothly, with locking knobs/screws loose while extending or retracting. Who knows how much dirt and grit the sliding pieces acquire while driving down the highway. A little spray "Dry Lube" where appropriate might make everything work smooth and save the cost of a strut replacement.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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02-17-2019, 12:25 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 291
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itat
Has anyone ever heard this before?
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No
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02-17-2019, 01:31 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 3,188
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Really just applies to awnings that have that "dump" feature. If it rains the weight on the awning will cause the strut to close dumping the water off the awning. Our daughter has one on her new trailer. I suspect most of us have the older awnings where we have to manually lower one side to allow water to run off.
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Tom & Renée
Durham, NC
2021 Jayco Class C model 27U
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02-17-2019, 01:49 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5er_tom
Really just applies to awnings that have that "dump" feature. If it rains the weight on the awning will cause the strut to close dumping the water off the awning. Our daughter has one on her new trailer. I suspect most of us have the older awnings where we have to manually lower one side to allow water to run off.
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If you have a Dometic (A&E) electric awning on your 2015 unit it has the auto dump feature.
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02-17-2019, 02:03 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Port Richey Florida
Posts: 640
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Me thinks this guy has eatin too many magic mushrooms.
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02-25-2019, 07:03 AM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Taylorsville, IN
Posts: 29
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I watched another of his videos on slide topper awnings. In it he states that when the wind gets under the topper awning, snd lifts it up several times, that the awning becomes loose and to tighten it back up, you have to bring the slide in and then back out to “reset” the spring inside the awning spool. I call bull squat on that theory as I just watched my slide toppers yesterday in very high winds here in Indiana. The awnings would billow up slightly snd the spool would unroll a small amount, then the spool would rewind and tighten the awnings when the wind slacked up. Exactly as they do when you retract the slide. My guess is that when you have to do what Josh explains is when the springs become weak or are not wound tight enough.
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