Annoying Rattle

[4RXLA]

I have an annoying rattle coming from my trailer that I think is coming from the awning or center rafter support. The rattle occurs as the trailer goes over dips and bumps. I suspect the awning arms touch eachother from road vibration. The awning is properly secured. I'm thinking about buying some long velcro strips to wrap them around the awning arms and see if that stops it. It is not coming from the running gear or brakes. Just curious if anyone else has a similar rattle?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by dougsale

I have an annoying rattle coming from my trailer that I think is coming from the awning or center rafter support. The rattle occurs as the trailer goes over dips and bumps. I suspect the awning arms touch eachother from road vibration. The awning is properly secured. I'm thinking about buying some long velcro strips to wrap them around the awning arms and see if that stops it. It is not coming from the running gear or brakes. Just curious if anyone else has a similar rattle?

That rattle could be coming from your LPG bottles.

Your test with the Velcro, should isolate the issue.

Andy

[4RXLA]

Hi Andy, the LPG bottles are good and tight. I'm thinking the center rafter support could be the culprit as it is fastened right over the front wheel and it hangs loosely. The bolt/pin that holds it in at the top is a loose fit and the hole that it sits in at the bottom is also loose. The spring-loaded arm pops into position but does not provide any tension and I think it is bouncing around and making the rattle.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by dougsale

Hi Andy, the LPG bottles are good and tight. I'm thinking the center rafter support could be the culprit as it is fastened right over the front wheel and it hangs loosely. The bolt/pin that holds it in at the top is a loose fit and the hole that it sits in at the bottom is also loose. The spring-loaded arm pops into position but does not provide any tension and I think it is bouncing around and making the rattle.

The awning "center support" must have adequate tension to stay in the bottom bracket properly.

Recheck it's location according to the Zip Dee instructions.

Andy

[4RXLA]

Andy, I have about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of slack when the support bar is in the stowed position. The metal pin that goes in the carrier hole just above the wheel well is long enough to where it cannot pop out of the carrier hole while on the road. However, the lack of tension could be my problem. I might try to find a rubber washer or something similar that I can slip over the pin to make a tighter fit. Perhaps the carrier hole was riveted in a tad bit too low. The carrier was installed about 12 years ago when a screen room was purchased.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by dougsale

Andy, I have about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of slack when the support bar is in the stowed position. The metal pin that goes in the carrier hole just above the wheel well is long enough to where it cannot pop out of the carrier hole while on the road. However, the lack of tension could be my problem. I might try to find a rubber washer or something similar that I can slip over the pin to make a tighter fit. Perhaps the carrier hole was riveted in a tad bit too low. The carrier was installed about 12 years ago when a screen room was purchased.

Doug.

The bottom of the center support arm, when the bottom bracket is correctly placed, must be pushed upward to creat some tension and then place the pin in the bracket.

I would move the bracket upward so that the bottom of the arm is pushed upward about a 1/4.

Adding a grommet will push the pin further away from the bracket, which might allow the pin to jump out of place when the trailer hits a good bump.

Andy

[wdh]

I know this is an old thread, but did you ever resolve the rattle? One of the rafter arms rattles on my awning and I was thinking about using velcro on it also.

[4RXLA]

Wdh, it turned out the rattle was not related to the center rafter support. The rattle comes from my disc brake assemblies...the pads rattle on the pins that hold them in place.


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