Awning Care and How to Set Up and Retract an Awning Manually
Awning Care
- Try to avoid retracting the awning while the fabric is still wet. If you must, then open as soon as possible to allow the fabric to dry and avoid mildew.
- Be careful washing the fabric. All awning fabric is not bleach safe. A stiff brush, lemon juice, salt and water will also do the trick. Make a paste with the salt and lemon juice and scrub any mildew areas. Follow your RV manual directions.
- Remember to lower one side of the tension arm during a rain storm to allow water to run off and away from campsite. The weight of the water can tear the fabric.
- Reproof the fabric periodically. It's cheaper than replacing the awning
Setting Up an Awning Manually
- Release the locking mechanisms on both awning arms.
- Loosen the knobs behind the awning arms. They are hand tightened.
- Using the awning rod reach up to the top and pull the lever down to release the roller tube. It will be on just one side.
- With the hook end of the awning rod reach up and hook the awning strap loop. Pull the awning strap down until you can reach it with your hand. The awning roller tube should release and pull freely from both sides.
- Continue pulling down on the strap until the awning fabric and tube are fully extended.
- The inner support arm, where you loosened the knobs should slide freely to the top of the main arm and lock into place. Do this on both sides.
- When they are locked in place, starting on either side, take one hand and pull down on the main awning arm until the awning fabric is taught.
- With your other hand reach up and hand tighten the knob. Repeat this on the other side.
- On the side of each main arm you will notice a lever. Starting on either end of the awning, take one hand and put it on the front of the main arm and take the lever with your other hand. Raise the main arm up to the height you want the awning, using the lever to help lift it. When you lower the lever it will lock into the closets adjusting hole on the arm where you released it. Repeat this on the other side.
- NOTE: If it is raining, lower one side of the awning's tension arms for rain to run off of the awing and away from the camper. The weight of the water sitting on the awning can cause the fabric to rip.
Retracting an Awning Manually
- One person should be in the middle holding the strap or you will lose it.
- Place one hand on the front of the main awning arm and the other hand on the lever on the side of the arm. As soon as you pull out on the lever the awning arm will begin to lower. Using the lever for support slowly lower the main arm until it stops. Repeat on the other side. CAUTION: keep fingers and hands away from moving and sliding awning parts.
- Reach up and loosen the knob on one of the support arms.
- On the front of the main arm, toward the top, pull the release latch out that is locking the support arm in place.
- Holding the latch out begin to slide the support arm down the main arm. Continue to slide it all the way down until it stops. Repeat on the other side.
- TWO PEOPLE: If you have a second person let them locate the awning strap in the middle of the awning tube and hold tension on the strap while you release the awning lock lever.
- The person assisting can then use the awning rod to slowly allow the awning to retract until it is in the stored position.
- ONE PERSON: If you are retracting the awning alone then take the awning rod in one hand and with the other hand take awning strap and slide it all the way down the awning tube, to where the awning lock lever is located, toward the front of the RV.
- Then pull down on the awning strap applying enough pressure, until you can release the awning lock lever. As soon as the lever is released the awning tube will begin to retract.
- Continue to hold the strap firmly and work it back to the middle of the awning tube by sliding it in the grove.
- When the awning strap is close to the middle of the roller tube slowly let the awning begin to retract by easing off the awning strap.
- Place the hook end of the awning rod into the loop of the strap and continue to retract the awning until it is in the stored position.
- CAUTION: Do not let go of the strap too early. The awning can violently hit the side of the RV causing damage to the awning and/or the RV.
- LAST STEP: Secure the travel locks on both main arms and hand tighten both knobs on the back of the support arms.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway
― Ernest Hemingway
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