Anyone with the power awning can you help - Page 2

**Herk7769** · 06-06-2013, 07:46 PM

From what I can see it looks like your awning material may have shifted a fraction of an inch on the roller.

Unroll the awning all the way and climb up a ladder and look at the roller.
There should be a "dirt mark" where the awning is supposed to be.

"Flap" the awning material while tugging (one side or the other depending on which way it needs to go) to try and get it back where it belongs.

Try rolling it up again. If that fixes it, you should "tack" the awning material to the roller with a pop rivet like the photo below.

OldCoot · 06-06-2013, 07:55 PM

Herk, I believe that is the initial problem, but if you look at the pictures of the awning retracted, the roller is above the attaching rail. Looks like the arms were mounted too high on the trailer.

**Herk7769** · 06-06-2013, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Herk, I believe that is the initial problem, but if you look at the pictures of the awning retracted, the roller is above the attaching rail. Looks like the arms were mounted too high on the trailer.

Looks to me like the outer channel is hitting the cross pin and not allowing it to close. Hard to tell from that angle, though. The awning material is certainly twisted as you can easily see that.

OldCoot · 06-06-2013, 08:25 PM

Just went out and looked at mine and the channel stores against the cross pin but the top of the roller is level or slightly below the mounting slot for the material. The top of his roller is above the material slot and it looks like the tube mount itself in tilted out. Could be mounted at an angle or the mount itself is crooked holding the tube too far away from the camper side. Regardless of the cause, the tube is definitely too far away from the camper. If it is designed to be this far away, I would definitely put an awning lock on it like I did mine after I had the dealer lower the whole roller & arm assy down lower.

BarryD0706 · 06-06-2013, 08:33 PM

Why don't we all stop speculating on this now (it's fairly old at this point) and wait to see what the two dealers who are involved have to say.

OldCoot · 06-06-2013, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

Why don't we all stop speculating on this now (it's fairly old at this point) and wait to see what the two dealers who are involved have to say.

It is not speculation that this is an improper installation. As to the mounting of the tube itself being so far from the trailer is speculation as to whether it is designed that way or if something is mounted wrong.

Didn't know we had a limit to posts, but I stand corrected. Sorry about that Barry!

**Herk7769** · 06-06-2013, 08:49 PM

I am going to go watch some TV.
A lot less drama there...

BarryD0706 · 06-06-2013, 08:51 PM

Guys, I'm sorry, but you've already said these same things days ago in this very thread.

**Herk7769** · 06-06-2013, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

Guys, I'm sorry, but you've already said these same things days ago in this very thread.

I am old....

OldCoot · 06-06-2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

I am old....

And I am older, so cut us some slack!

Kdz300 · 06-07-2013, 01:59 PM

So, I finally got an answer.... Ie I had to call them and wait on the phone till I got an answer... :-) But I got one none the less. They tell me that is totally normal for that type of power awning and that is as closed as they get. He thought it weird also but they looked at 3 others on the lot and all were the same. He is going to send me pictures of the other ones so I can see for myself.. Seems like a cruddy design, but I know diddly about designing awnings on campers so who am I to judge. ;-). I got up there and honestly I cannot figure out how it would be possible for it to close any more than it is with those big black plastic motor caps on there. There is no recess in the back of them, so I guess I move on. Thanks for all the help and suggestions fellow campers.

OldCoot · 06-07-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kdz300

So, I finally got an answer.... Ie I had to call them and wait on the phone till I got an answer... :-) But I got one none the less. They tell me that is totally normal for that type of power awning and that is as closed as they get. He thought it weird also but they looked at 3 others on the lot and all were the same. He is going to send me pictures of the other ones so I can see for myself.. Seems like a cruddy design, but I know diddly about designing awnings on campers so who am I to judge. ;-). I got up there and honestly I cannot figure out how it would be possible for it to close any more than it is with those big black plastic motor caps on there. There is no recess in the back of them, so I guess I move on. Thanks for all the help and suggestions fellow campers.

If you get the pics and they are the same as yours, I would definitely install a lock similar to what I did. That motor is going to be under a constant load trying to unroll all the time you are towing and with the problem Dometic had with some of their awnings, it would be worth the effort to lock the roller from turning while towing. I think I would still try to get the dealer to re-mount the arm supports lower on the trailer to get the top of the roller at least down level with or slightly lower than the mounting rail.

stomperz71 · 06-15-2013, 12:31 PM

This is the same awning I have on My 2013 Hemisphere. I just noticed couple days ago that the rail that holds the awning material is pulling away from the camper. Just at one end maybe a foot and half the end. Mine looks just like yours with the roll tube being above the rail mount when closed. I thought to that the side rails should be mounted maybe 2" lower to let the tube roll in another turn and be level with the rail. Mine gets to full in(closed)position and is still pulling hard on the awning material and the side arms look to be all the way up against camper. Kinda scared to even take mine down the rode right now the way it is, the place that its pulling away is to the front of camper. With that much awning material still hanging out their it has to be allot of stress on the rail and electric motors trying to hold it in.

OldCoot · 06-15-2013, 12:47 PM

If there is no help coming from the awning mfg or FR, I would definitely be investigating and designing something to get the motor/roller closer to the side of the camper. If not modifying the upper portion of the arms, I would devise an alum. wedge to tilt the motor/tube in to the trailer side and lower it at the same time. Might be to cut the arms off and angle cut the end and heliarc the end back on.

stomperz71 · 06-15-2013, 01:43 PM

I thought about leaving the side arms that are mounted to the camper in their place and just move the the arms that hinges out down about 2". That arm just has two pins that hold it to the arm that is mounted to the camper. Would just need to drill two new holes 2" lower and remount. Doing it this way their would be no holes in camper side to patch or any new holes to drill in camper. Probably sounds easier then it will be.

stomperz71 · 06-20-2013, 06:41 PM

I took the time to lower the side rails on mine today and it worked out real nice. Looks allot better when rolled in. The top motors are now somewhat flush with the top of the camper roof line, where before the motors were sticking up some. When rolled in the fabric is now pretty close to level where it mounts to camper instead of being higher on he roll tube side. When rolling it in the way it was before, once it got all the way in it was pulling up real hard on the fabric mount(camper side) because the roll was to high. Being 2" lower now, the side arms bottom out against camper right about the same time the roll meets the camper. Doesn't seem to be pulling on the fabric mount near as hard now. Even with it being 2" lower, still plenty of room at top of entry door to open and close with out rubbing. Have some pics on my phone after the mod. i'll see if I can post them.