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Old 09-05-2013, 10:30 PM   #1
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Rusty Rear Awning Retention Struts – SOLUTION

Several years after purchase of my 2002 ASCL 31’ I noticed that the raw 3/16” steel rod retention struts which hold the rear awning open were rusting, including their push-on retention caps (quality???). Over the years I’ve tried to source identical rods in stainless steel, but 3/16” stainless rod was never available when the matter was on my mind.

About a week ago I was in “Fastenal” on another matter; the rusted struts crossed my mind so I ask if they had any 3/16” stainless steel rod; they did, so I purchased one 3’ length (description = 3/16” X 3’ 304 SST Round 47722). I then sourced stainless steel “Cap Nuts” with #10-24 threads from Home Depot (PN32361).

Using the OEM struts as a template, I fabricated same (added ~1” to length) from the stainless steel rod, cut #10-24 threads and rounded the opposite end, sanded “shop rash” with 400 grit wet/dry and polished with “Mother’s Mag & Aluminum Polish” from an auto parts store (that stuff will polish ANYTHING). It took 2 to 3 hours.

So now I have stainless steel struts that will never require maintenance to go with my stainless steel vent, furnace and hot water heater covers; maybe I should source some stainless steel sheet to kill the aluminum filiform corrosion …………. naw, that would add too much weight.
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Old 09-05-2013, 10:42 PM   #2
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Nice ..... pics?
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Old 09-05-2013, 10:48 PM   #3
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Nice ..... pics?
It's midnight, no light, I'll take some in the morning.
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Old 09-06-2013, 09:45 AM   #4
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I did something similar last week. My acorn push nuts were rusting, so I cut 10-24 threads on the end of the support rods and added the stainless steel acorn nuts from Home Depot. I put them on with some blue thread lock.

Thanks to withidl great solution, I may replace the support rods with stainless steel at some future date.
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Old 09-06-2013, 01:18 PM   #5
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Awning Strut Photos

Awning Strut Photos per request:
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Old 09-08-2013, 08:48 PM   #6
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Awning Strut Photos per request:
Nyce! Thanks!
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Old 12-26-2013, 01:09 PM   #7
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Withidl,
How did you make the bend, just clamp it in a vice then bend it? I thought about making some of these, but thought the metal would be weakened and break if bent that sharply.
Thanks for sharing your info!
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Old 01-03-2014, 04:40 PM   #8
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Withidl,
How did you make the bend, just clamp it in a vice then bend it? I thought about making some of these, but thought the metal would be weakened and break if bent that sharply.
Thanks for sharingour info!
Alan, it's just a cold bend in a vice and using a hammer to make it "tightly" 90 degrees. Stainless steel is tougher than regular steel, but still bends fairly easily. Make the piece a little too long on each end and then shorten after the bend.

The hardest part was finding the correct diameter rod as it's not carried in the normal hardware stores.
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