can anyone offer advice on an awning that won't retract? I currently rewind it back by hand (I'm just tall enough and luckily I have a pop top). I'm trying to figure out how to post a pic of how it all started to go wrong.
heck, thepic is huge and I can't figure how to make it smaller. Sorry for that. The only way I can view it is to squish it on my ipad...
anyway. I got hit by wind, with the awning up about 2 weeks into my maiden voyage At 3 am. I was terrified. I couldn't even open the door at first to get out. Luckily I had ropes in the van so I tied it down as best I could before I lost it all. Got it back together, a bit bent and sad and 3 months later it suddenly wouldn't retract.
So, a bit about me. My first ever caravan, no childhood memories etc. I bought it second hand, went on an 800km trip around Victoria to test it for faults and promptly ended up back at Jayco with a good list of troubles. The workshop guys were great. Showed me how to check/maintain suspension etc, invaluable. I'm from a farming background and used to drive semi trucks so I'm ok on that side of stuff. I have a mentality of common sense and will attempt to fix anything ( but not electrics!) before I pay someone. I just like to tinker! I've read up on awnings, and if have a concern regarding my fingers and basically getting it all wrong. If anyone has any tips, I would love to hear them.
I've been a bit vague. So I got the awning back together with some help, and carried on travelling. Awning was going well but suddenly stopped retracting about 15,000 kms later.
Welcome to the site Triple 333 - boy that is some warped awning, but as Rosie says - insurance job for sure!
We very rarely leave our awning up at night for that very reason, don't want to be up at 2am or whatever trying to get it down in the wind.
Where we are now, (Greens Lake), couple of years ago, guy here had his awning take off in the wind, even though he had it roped down - went over the top, broke the window over his bed, and knocked him out!!! All fixed on insurance, luckily!
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Oh, when I say awning was up, I meant it was rolled up. It wasn't out in the open. Since that episode, I now wrap tons of Velcro around both arms and lock the open close lever down with rope. Not that I'm paranoid or anything. I also do that on the road.
Don't have the answer to your question but the guy we brought our annex from told us DO NOT put the awning in all the way before you put the top down leave it out a quarter of the way it takes the pressure off the awning and will roll up easy when the roof is down. We know do this everytime we pack up.
