Video for awning tension fix?

[BessieB]

Zipdee told me there was a video to help in the fix for the tension fix. I can't seem to find one. Can anyone help locate this? Or I can call Zipdee again and see if they can guide me to it, thanx,
Beth

[CRH]

What is your tension problem?

[Drathaar]

I'm not sure what you're asking, but there are a number of tutorials on YouTube. This is the one that describes opening and closing the awning.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dYtYqk_05oQ

[AWCHIEF]

This one?

http://youtu.be/bl3EHpWk8dk

[PaulnGina]

Not a video, but their site has instructions for adjusting the spring:

http://www.awningsbyzipdee.com/media...ebffffd524.pdf

[barts]

Originally Posted by PaulnGina

Not a video, but their site has instructions for adjusting the spring:

http://www.awningsbyzipdee.com/media...ebffffd524.pdf

These instructions work like a charm. Be aware that these springs have considerable force, and those warnings in the PDF should be taken to heart.

Our blog has some info on the new awning Barbie sewed for our 40 year old Zip Dee here:

http://tinpickle.blogspot.com/2012/0...al-repair.html

- Bart

[PaulnGina]

Originally Posted by barts

These instructions work like a charm. Be aware that these springs have considerable force, and those warnings in the PDF should be taken to heart.

Yes!!! Notice that the bar is to be left attached to the head casting. Should be easy to keep control the closer you are to the enc of the bar (away from the head casting.) Gives you a lot of leverage.

I have a window awning that has too much tension on it. I need to unwind it a bit.

[BessieB]

It's the tension spring. I have the manual, just that there are such good videos and I am procrastinating.

[TomKirk]

Awnings operate just like a window shade, you hafta wind 'em up by hand: about 14 to 16 turns; wind clockwise on one end, wind counter-clockwise on the other end (you'll find out which is which when you take it apart).

BTW - It's a two-man job.

Tom

[BessieB]

Sooooo..... finally unprocrastinated and hubby and I dove in to fixing the tension on the awning. First problem was no vise grip would fit between the awning roller and the pin thingy. We could not get that bolt out, probably because of the pressure. The screw stripped at the head and then hubby had to dremel in a slot to use a flat head screw driver. Anyway, finally got the bolt out and WHAMO!!!!! Did it ever unwind!!!!! Had to find a new bolt and screw in order to continue. Since no vice grip would work, we put the head casting on and used that to turn the tension. Had to take the support arm off to achieve this process. And then put the support arm back in the head casting when the winding was done. Well.............. I still need more tension, but it is partially working. Hubby won't take all the stuff off to wind some more. Maybe now it will be a once a year chore.
One thing that was funny, we had the awning resting through a ladder as we were working with it. Wound up the awning and put the support arm back on. But the problem when my husband thought we were done and was going to attach the support arm back on the trailer, the awning was still through the ladder. Oh oh, had to take the head casting out again with the support arm and get the ladder out of there.
All done for now.

[CRH]

You aren't supposed to take that bolt out without the awning locked....All you needed to do was the the arm off the trailer and wind the spring using the arm as a lever.

[PaulnGina]

Sounds like you are lucky that your friends are not visiting you in the hospital! 🚑

Please be careful and follow the instructions that were referenced previously in this thread.

Good luck!


PaulnGina
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F250 7.3L PowerStroke

"I don't mean to sound degrading but with a face like that you got nothing to laugh about" Rod Stewart (Faces)

[BessieB]

So it looks like I let other information influence how I did not comprehend the information in the manual. My very bad and as you said, "lucky" I am much smarter now.

[CRH]

Fixing your lazy awning is very easy. Roll out awning. Detach rafter from trailer. Hang on to it because it will try to unwind. Manually unwind it so you can start from no tension. Now wind it one turn for every foot of awning length, plus 7 more turns, then reattach arm to trailer.....These instructions are on Zip Dees site....the whole thing won't take 5 minutes to do

[pcskier]

I wondered why deploying the awning on my FC 19 was so difficult! I watched the videos on how to deploy, and noticed that when pulled open, the awning is supposed to stay unrolled, allowing you to go to each side and deploy the rafter bars.

My awning does not stay unrolled, tension stays on the awning so I have to have somebody hold it open while I deploy the rafter bars.

Is there a fix for why my awning doesn't want to stay in the unrolled position while I deploy the rafters?

[PaulnGina]

Originally Posted by pcskier

I wondered why deploying the awning on my FC 19 was so difficult! I watched the videos on how to deploy, and noticed that when pulled open, the awning is supposed to stay unrolled, allowing you to go to each side and deploy the rafter bars.

My awning does not stay unrolled, tension stays on the awning so I have to have somebody hold it open while I deploy the rafter bars.

Is there a fix for why my awning doesn't want to stay in the unrolled position while I deploy the rafters?

Probably need to unwind the spring a turn or two. Zip Dee's site has the document that shows how to do it. The link to that document is in a previous post in this thread.

BE CAREFUL!!!!!! Or have someone else do it that can do it without injuring themselves.


PaulnGina
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F250 7.3L PowerStroke

"I don't mean to sound degrading but with a face like that you got nothing to laugh about" Rod Stewart (Faces)