How to Replace an RV Awning

How to Replace an RV Awning

Bluelizardworld/Flickr.com

Recreational vehicle awnings increase your trailer's usable living space and help keep the interior temperature cooler in warm weather. Awnings can be expensive to have replaced by the dealer, but this is not a job for an amateur. Serious injury is a very real possibility as the springs that operate the awning must be unwound and then rewound, which is a difficult task. You also need help with this job so that neither the awning nor the awning rail is damaged.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:
  • Screwdriver Vise grips 7/16 inch wrench Drill Replacement parts or new awning
  • Screwdriver
  • Vise grips
  • 7/16 inch wrench
  • Drill
  • Replacement parts or new awning
Step 1
Open the awning 12 to 18 inches. Remove the screws that hold the fabric in place on the awning rail.
Step 2
Release the arms, or uprights, that hold the awning up while someone holds one end. Hold the spring with vise grips while you check for a cotter pin holding the spring in place. Remove it very carefully.
Step 3
Start on the end where it's being held and rotate the upright in the opposite direction from the way the awning fabric rolls out.
Step 4
Continue to rotate the upright to unwind the spring. Make note of how many full turns you make. You'll need to rewind the spring using the same number of turns. Generally the ratio is one full turn per foot of awning.
Step 5
Repeat the process with the front spring.
Step 6
Carefully slide the awning assembly off the rail, making sure to keep it straight, and set it on the ground.
Step 7
Use a 7/16 inch wrench to remove the bolt that attaches the upright to the tube and remove the upright. Keep the vise grips on the spring in case there's any residual energy. Remove the other upright.
Step 8
Drill out the three rivets on each end cap. Make a mark on the tube and the cap so that you can line them up exactly the same way when you replace the cap after you've installed new hardware.
Step 9
Install any new hardware and put the awning back on the RV, or replace with a new awning.

Article Written By Meg Jernigan

Meg Jernigan has been writing for more than 30 years. She specializes in travel, cooking and interior decorating. Her offline credits include copy editing full-length books and creating marketing copy for nonprofit organizations. Jernigan attended George Washington University, majoring in speech and drama.

Write for Trails.com
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