How To Repair A Torn Rv Awning

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Awnings are an of import role of an RV. They go on you shaded and help keep your RV cooler by keeping the sunday off the side of your RV. Unfortunately, damage can occur to your awning from normal article of clothing and tear or from wind and bad weather. Shortening your awning may be an alternative to fully replacing information technology since new awnings are expensive.

Photo ID 79168609 © Bounder32h | Dreamstime.com

You can shorten an RV awning by disassembling your awning, cutting the tube, resewing the fabric, and reinstalling. No special tools are needed but several people are required to brand removal and reinstallation easier likewise as some sturdy ladders.

Shortening an awning is non a particularly difficult task but it does take some time and attempt to attain. There are likewise some hazards to this job since an awning is a bit ungainly to manage and the tension springs that command the retracting of the canopy can be powerful. In this article y'all'll find the verbal procedure for how to shorten your RV'south awning.

Before diving into this project you need to be aware of how your canopy works and you lot tin can find all the details in my article.

Tools Needed to Shorten an Awning

Here is a list of suggested tools that you will likely need to shorten your awning. This list may vary depending on your specific awning. Enquiry your make and model to assist determine the best style to first your projection.

Accept a thorough look at how your awning is installed to brand sure y'all accept the proper tools and bits required so you don't demand to nuance to the hardware shop in the middle of your project.

Straight edge
Cordless Drill (Amazon link)
Bits
Razor pocketknife or Heavy Duty Fabric Scissors
Screwdrivers
Hammer
Step ladders
Wrench or sockets
Vise Grip (Amazon link)
Rivet Tool (optional) (Amazon Link)
Hack Saw (Amazon Link)
Metal File
Fasteners – types will be specific to awning brand and model
New Awning Mounting Hardware (if required)
Exterior Silicone or sealant

While not exactly a tool YOU MUST accept at least i other person to aid you with this project. It would be extremely dangerous to endeavor this on your own. When we repaired our awning nosotros had three people helping just a fourth would accept been extra handy at times.

Why Shorten Your Awning?

Shortening your canopy is something that may not have occurred to yous beforehand. Still, adjustments can be needed at any fourth dimension, and for quite a few reasons.

The cloth has been damaged
Purchased the incorrect size replacement
Purchased a used canopy

All of these seem similar bang-up reasons to shorten an awning. Replacing an awning is an expensive prospect. If you tin can detect a great deal on a replacement awning, simply it's the wrong size you can shorten it. Carefully measure out and even sketch out your idea. Make a notation of anything that you don't understand and research it.

If you want to shorten your awning because of damaged material, check a few things start. Is the rest of the material in good shape? Are in that location whatever cuts or tears further up the material?

It might be best to just replace the awning material particularly if the tear occurs where the awning meets the roof. The poly string on both the roof border and the tube edge is required to feed the textile through the channels on the tube and roof edge.

How to Shorten Your Awning

Step 1: Audit Awning

As I mentioned in a higher place, thoroughly bank check how the awning joins the roof of your RV. A picture is worth a 1000 words and much better than a bad memory. You will need a gameplan to reattach it.

Accept many pictures of the current installation and apply markings to aid y'all understand how everything goes back together.

This is also the time to mensurate how long your electric current awning is. Awnings are measured from the arm to arm then make sure yous know how long your current awning is and have a clear programme as to how much you need to shorten the awning.

Step 2: Stow the Awning

Get-go past stowing your awning then it is completely rolled upwardly then extend it about a foot or two. This puts the torsion springs (the mechanism that lets it extend and retract) into the extended position and so it shouldn't snap back at you lot when you lot disconnect information technology from the RV. You tin can also access where the awning attaches to the roof.

Step iii: Disconnect Awning from your RV

Next, pull the legs of the awning out of the clips near the bottom of the RV. You can leave the awning to hang for the RV with the legs leaned upwards against the RV for support.

Now, remove the bolts from rafter brackets, these are at the top of the awning that connects the legs to the RV. There should be two bolts on either support. Use your socket or wrench to unscrew the bolts. Your helper tin help support the awning while you're disconnecting it.

Then you demand to remove the screws that hold your textile in place and slide the fabric out of the superlative rail. This can be a flake tricky and awkward and is the perfect time to enlist some extra assist.

Equally a side notation, our RV actually had a metal awning encompass as the commencement pes of the awning. We had to unscrew a couple of screws in this role instead of the fabric and slide it out of the summit rail. Every RV will be a little flake different only the general process will exist the same.

Footstep iv: Unwind and Remove Torsion Springs

Now that you have disconnected your awning, you'll want to lay it out on a work surface. A couple of saw horses or a picnic tabular array volition proceed your canopy off the ground and easier to work on.

Using vise grips accept a firm concord of the cap on one stop of the awning. You can identify some electrical tape on the vise grips to prevent them from damaging the end cap. While one person firmly holds the vise grips the other tin can remove the bolts connecting the leg (aka rafter) to the awning then take the rafter off the end cap.

Carefully unwind the torsion spring by rotating the vise grips. Count how many total revolutions information technology takes to release the spring. You'll demand this number when we reassemble the awning later. Await around ten-11 revolutions.

Make a mark on the terminate cap and the awning tube and so you know where the cap fits dorsum on the tube later. Then drill out the rivets connecting the end cap to the tube. You lot might need a flat head screwdriver to tap out the heads of the rivet.

Remove the cap and pull the torsion spring out from within the tube and fix aside. Pay close attending to how the springs are assembled considering they will need to be reassembled the same style.

Now repeat the same procedure on the other end of the canopy. Again exist very careful to have a firm concord on the vise grips when you unwind the bound.

This video on YouTube is extremely helpful to empathize how you go virtually the procedure of taking apart your awning. Technically information technology'south about replacing the fabric of your awning but the process is similar.

Stride 3: Cut the Canopy Roller Tube

Next, you'll unroll the fabric from the awning tube, it'south easiest if yous roll it up as y'all go so the fabric stays neat and more manageable. Then y'all'll slide the fabric out of the channel. If you have a valence yous'll demand to repeat the procedure with the valence.

Now we will cut the tube of the awning. If you are replacing your electric current canopy with a new or used one and need to cutting the tube to match the one-time awning. If you are shortening your awning due to damage you'll need to decide how much of the tube you demand to cut.

When reducing the tube length, mark the tube exactly where it needs to exist cutting. Measure out down from one end of the tube and mark a line all the way around. This way you can ensure you are keeping your cut every bit direct every bit possible. Don't forget to transfer the marking y'all made to line the tube upward with the end cap to the other side of the cut line.

Take hold of your hack saw and some gloves and have your buddy brace the tube for yous. Follow your line around the tube doing your best to keep the cut equally straight as possible. The metal may rut up every bit y'all cut due to friction then be careful. In one case you are through the tube yous can use a metal file to clean upwardly any rough edges.

After yous brand the cutting make sure that the springs and cease caps fit correctly. Line up the endcaps exactly as they go along the tube, mark on the tube whatever holes required for spiral or rivets. Remove the springs and end cap again and drill any screw or rivet holes required. Do this before installing the fabric.

Step iv: Shortening the Material

Now the textile needs to exist shortened or replaced to match the new tube size. Unroll the awning textile on a large flat surface. If you are reusing an older awning advisedly inspect the textile for any spots that need to exist patched.

Have a look at how the edges of the fabric have been finished. You'll desire to reproduce this method as closely every bit possible. Mark along the edge of the cloth how much you demand to cut, information technology should exist similar to the amount you reduced the tube past. Use your direct border to make a nice straight and even line. Cut the fabric with a pair of loftier-quality sharp scissors. Dull pair of scissors will not give you a make clean edge and be a hurting to work with.

Next, you'll demand to sew the edges of the fabric to prevent fraying. Do your all-time to replicate the edge finishing method that was used earlier. You'll want to employ a very sharp needle specific to heavy-duty canvas, go slow and steady while sewing and have some assist feeding the fabric through the machine.

Nearly home sewing machines aren't designed to sew this type of heavy-duty material so y'all'll want to exist careful to not damage your motorcar.

Alternatively, you can look for a local canopy visitor and take them shorten your awning fabric for you lot. Or buy new fabric for your awning that is the correct size.

If you need to shorten your awning in width, not length, i.eastward. the management perpendicular to the RV, then you lot'll want to keep the original "roof" edge and tube edge intact. You need these "rope" edges to reinstall the fabric in the tube channels and the roof channel.

Footstep 4: Reassemble

Now it's time to put it all dorsum together. Basically y'all will just opposite the steps it took to take apart your canopy.

Start by sliding the fabric back into the awning tube, if you have a valence you'll install it every bit well. In one case the fabric is back in place and secured y'all'll insert the torsion spring assembly in the tube and supersede the finish cap ensuring the marks you made on the cap and tube line up.

Yous tin can rivet the end cap in identify using a basic mitt riveting tool or if your end caps allow utilise bolts to secure it in identify. Echo this process on the otherside and so both torsion springs and terminate caps are fully installed but there is no tension on the spring even so.

Now wind your fabric back onto the tube so there is nigh a ane-ii foot extended similar to how it was when disconnected from the RV. This will keep your fabric out of the manner and prepare to be reinstalled.

Grab your vise grips and firmly secure them to the end cap. You'll start winding the spring applying tension, this is where you demand to recall how many revolutions you unwound it originally. Once fully wound reattach the awning leg to the end cap. Repeat this process with the other jump and leg.

The video below is the 2nd part of the first video showing how to reassemble and reinstall the awning.

Step v: Reinstall Awning on the RV

If you've had to shorten your existing RV'southward awning you lot will need to move the rafter brackets. Of course 1 tin stay in position but ane will need to be moved to accommodate the new size of the awning. Measure the distance betwixt the commodities holes on the awning and then mark them on the side of the RV. Predrilling the new commodities locations will brand it easier to install the awning rafters.

You will need to repeat this procedure with the lower leg clips but it'south probably easier to do these one time the awning is reinstalled to ensure you place them in the right location. It'southward a proficient idea to check there is proper backing backside where the leg prune is being moved to before you start drilling holes. It may demand to be reinforced.

When reinstalling the fabric in the channel along the roof of the RV it's best if you have 3 people available. 1 on a ladder feeding the fabric into the channel and one on each leg to slowly walk the awning along the length of the RV. This is an bad-mannered part of the job so take your time and care for your textile gently. Yous wouldn't want to damage your fabric at this point. Putting some electrical tape on the start of the channel may assist you lot feed your textile through and protect it from existence damaged past the edges of the aqueduct.

Prior to bolting on the rafter brackets, y'all'll want to add some silicone or sealant effectually the bracket holes to forestall any water infiltration into the roof. If you have moved one of your brackets y'all'll need to fill the old holes likewise and even go some extra bolts to make full them.

Install both rafter brackets and tighten the bolts. Then install the screws y'all removed from along the top of the fabric. These screws forbid the material from sliding along the aqueduct. If you lot need to motility one of the leg clips now is the time to do it.

After the Reassembly

Now you tin take your newly shortened RV canopy and examination that it works. Make certain that the spring engages and has enough tension to whorl the canopy upwardly. There should be plenty tension that you should not have to aid it merely information technology as well should not snap back too speedily either.

If you find the tension is a flake off you might demand to accept the canopy off again and either add another revolution if it doesn't roll up fully or unwind a revolution if there is too much tension in the spring.

If the fabric gets hung upward, you may need to have the assembly apart again and brand sure that it stayed seated in the track. If any of the screws accept come loose then tighten or supervene upon them.

Potential Dangers

Before you start taking your awning apart and cutting, there are few things that you should know. The springs inside the rolling tube accept quite a chip of tension on them. It is very important that the tension is released prior to repairs. If yous are not conscientious, this can cause injury. Make sure that you follow the tips beneath.

Don't attempt to remove or install an awning past yourself. Understand what will be required and make sure that you lot take the skills needed to consummate the repair. Most of all, take your fourth dimension.

If this is something that y'all cannot handle. Almost RV dealerships or even sign shops are able to help with some of these repairs.

And then, although you may think that it is a relatively simple task at first, shortening an awning tin can turn unsafe quickly, so it is crucial that you are prepared properly earlier tackling this project.

Once y'all've completed shortening your RV canopy you might be looking for a much simpler project, like adding lights to your RV awning. This is a quick DIY project to create a footling atmosphere on your RV patio.

Source: https://lifeonroute.com/shorten-an-rv-awning/

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