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dznf0g · 01-02-2012, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

If the awning is on backwards, maybe the awning tube is as well. In that case, the spring will be at the front instead of the rear.

Or, too much pretension and the spring is "bottoming out"??????

I think the pic looks like the "wrap" is there....but if not....or a section is missing....that would definitely cause the fabric to be "short".

Silver Goose · 01-02-2012, 05:07 PM

This link to ZipDee shows the parts (obviously not to scale). It also indicates it applies to awnings 1985 to present... Can't tell what was different prior to then.

http://www.zipdeeinc.com/diagram_caseandfabric.htm

barts · 01-02-2012, 05:15 PM

Well, the awning is off the trailer... but whoever made the awning didn't use Dacron thread to match the Sunbrella, so all the stitching is coming apart... and they crimped the tube that holds the fabric with Vice Grips, sigh, so getting the fabric off the aluminum wrap is an interesting proposition. Most of it is movable now, but it's going to make things interesting.

The fabric just looks too short... could save it by re-doing all the stitching, but it would still need several patches. Barbie's game for making a new one, but I'll need to get the right dimensions. Pacific Blue Fancy is a nice pattern at Sunbrella.com...

Hmm. Looks like a problem to mull over for a bit. I'll drop the folks at Zip Dee an email.

Thanks for all the help!

- Bart

barts · 01-02-2012, 07:42 PM

Well, it looks like this fabric works for both webspinner (Barbie) and I:

http://www.fabricmaven.com/stripes-b...-pr-17079.html

so that's going to be our new awning .

Now to see how to fix up that aluminum wrap.... and exactly how to determine the right length of awing.

- Bart

dznf0g · 01-02-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barts

Well, it looks like this fabric works for both webspinner (Barbie) and I:

http://www.fabricmaven.com/stripes-baycrest-pacific-fabric-c-258-p-1-pr-17079.html

so that's going to be our new awning .

Now to see how to fix up that aluminum wrap.... and exactly how to determine the right length of awing.

- Bart

Surely Zip Dee can tell you. I'm not sure I'd rely on forum member measurements unless you are sure of original hardware and someone here has a same model and year of AS which they can measure for you. I know your rafters look different than mine.

barts · 01-02-2012, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Surely Zip Dee can tell you. I'm not sure I'd rely on forum member measurements unless you are sure of original hardware and someone here has a same model and year of AS which they can measure for you. I know your rafters look different than mine.

Yup... putting email together for the folks at Zip Dee.

- Bart

webspinner · 01-02-2012, 10:43 PM

It will be nice to have the awning fully functional at last. We have often avoided using it because it was so temperamental and the arms never locked onto the roller bar.

Looking more closely at the awning, it's obvious that the fabric has been redone. The fabric doesn't feel like sunbrella to me; it is far more fragile than sunbrella that has been rolled up away from the sun ought to be. Also, there is no Zip-Dee info tag anywhere on it, as there should be with an original. I'm looking forward to tackling the job, getting to know the awning better and having a fully functional shade/rain attachment at last.

richinny · 01-03-2012, 03:34 AM

when i clicked on the fabric link i got this message from NORTON:
"Malicious Web Site Blocked"

overlander63 · 01-03-2012, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richinny

when i clicked on the fabric link i got this message from NORTON:
"Malicious Web Site Blocked"

I get a 404 error.

Silver Goose · 01-03-2012, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

I get a 404 error.

The link as posted has an extra http in front of the address.

richinny · 01-03-2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Goose

The link as posted has an extra http in front of the address.

that fixed it for me.
http://www.fabricmaven.com/stripes-baycrest-pacific-fabric-c-258-p-1-pr-17079.html

can a mod fix that link please?

HiHoAgRV · 01-03-2012, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richinny

that fixed it for me.
http://www.fabricmaven.com/stripes-baycrest-pacific-fabric-c-258-p-1-pr-17079.html

can a mod fix that link please?

Done

overlander63 · 01-03-2012, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barts

Well, it looks like this fabric works for both webspinner (Barbie) and I:

STRIPES - BAYCREST PACIFIC*::*Stripes*::*Sunbrella Awning and Marine Fabrics*::*FabricMaven Upholstery Fabrics

so that's going to be our new awning .

Now to see how to fix up that aluminum wrap.... and exactly how to determine the right length of awing.

- Bart

The Zip-Dee awning is officially 10 feet shorter than the trailer length, so your 25' Tradewind would take a 15' awning. The actual fabric length would be something like 14', 11 1/4".

barts · 01-03-2012, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

The Zip-Dee awning is officially 10 feet shorter than the trailer length, so your 25' Tradewind would take a 15' awning. The actual fabric length would be something like 14', 11 1/4".

Hmmm. Our trailer has the battery access door right where the lower rafter arm would attach with a 15' awning - so it looks like the fall back plan was a 14' awning. The attachment piece on the top of the trailer is definitely setup for a 15' awning.

In the picture you can see how the awning didn't roll up correctly until we increased the tension on the spring.

- Bart

HiHoAgRV · 01-03-2012, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barts

Hmmm. Our trailer has the battery access door right where the lower rafter arm would attach with a 15' awning - so it looks like the fall back plan was a 14' awning. The attachment piece on the top of the trailer is definitely setup for a 15' awning.

In the picture you can see how the awning didn't roll up correctly until we increased the tension on the spring.

- Bart

From lookin at the photo, i tend to agree with a previous post...some of the metal slats look to be missing. That alone would make the awning too short.

dznf0g · 01-03-2012, 03:13 PM

I don't think they are missing. I looks like they added a track BELOW the awning roll to mount the fabric. It appears there is a rain gutter (with fabric channel???) above the awning not being used?????

Either that or the whole assembly is mounted too high. See the fabric going straight up the side to the roll.

Wait! Is your aluminum metal slat just riding on top of the fabric? The fabric should fit in a slot at in the last slat so the slats are actually part of the awning roof when deployed and roll over the fabric to cover it when stowed. If the fabric AND the aluminum slats are BOTH attached to the trailer, that's why your material seems short.

What am I missing here?

That track has been added. It goes right across your vista window. More close up pics of the tracks and slats and top fabric mounts will clear this up. You may not need new fabric afterall if that's the case.

barts · 01-03-2012, 05:12 PM

The aluminum slats didn't roll up correctly in this photo; this was very difficult to do until I (this last weekend) disassembled the stuck main arm and got everything freed up and increased the tension on the spring; after that, the aluminum slats would roll up correctly as in the video posted earlier in this thread.

The awning needs to be replaced; much of the stitching is failing due to the use of (apparently) linen upholstery thread rather than the Dacron (polyester) thread one is supposed to use with Sunbrella.

The fabric was clearly not done by Zip Dee.

=- Bart

dznf0g · 01-03-2012, 05:17 PM

But it appears in your last photo that the fabric is connected directly to the wall?????
Not sure about the old ones but not at all like mine is set up.

Lumatic · 01-03-2012, 05:44 PM

I did not take time to examine each post, so this may have been already covered.

The extra handle to extend the awning is worth it's weight in gold. I had great difficulty extending the main arms fully so the rafter arm will attach.

If you flip the roller over from left to right the fabric will be right side up. But then you will have to take the fabric off the alumaguard and re- insert it the right way. That means you will also have to pull the alumaguard out of the track on the coach body and thread that in again too.