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cwf · 04-08-2013, 10:57 PM

Howdy!

I found our 1999 Excella street side awning is attached with a fabric panel running length o'd awning tube. It attaches the body mount to the sections of aluminum. The sections of aluminum then wrap the awning.

This will be a problem as the fabric is deteriorating rapidly. Looks like it has some kind of algae / tree fungus growing on it. Looks similar to "lichens" I think.

Anyway, was this a cost saving step for ZD?

How would you go about repair before it rips?

Thanks!

barts · 04-08-2013, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwf

Howdy!

I found our 1999 Excella street side awning is attached with a fabric panel running length o'd awning tube. It attaches the body mount to the sections of aluminum. The sections of aluminum then wrap the awning.

This will be a problem as the fabric is deteriorating rapidly. Looks like it has some kind of algae / tree fungus growing on it. Looks similar to "lichens" I think.

Anyway, was this a cost saving step for ZD?

How would you go about repair before it rips?

Thanks!

If this is the original awning, it is made from Sunbrella, which doesn't rot and AFAIK isn't subject to other biological attacks, either. However, if it's dirty, the fungus _will_ grow on the dirt. I'd clean it with the awning out but the arms in the stowing position; a light soft push broom would help you reach the top, I think. I'd use water w/ a bit of liquid laundry detergent, and rinse thorougly afterward.

Here are detailed instructions from the zipdee web site:

Maintenance Instructions

- Bart

webspinner · 04-09-2013, 12:09 AM

Even the polyester in Sunbrella will begin to break down under the right (wrong) conditions. Is the fabric breaking down, or is it just covered with scum?

If you can figure out how the fabric attaches (pictures?), it might be a simple matter of copying the damaged fabric in a fresh piece of Sunbrella and carrying on for another decade or so.

pmclemore · 04-09-2013, 10:26 AM

My Limited is about the same age as CWF's. My streetside awning connector (the fabric strip he is talking about (zipdee calls it "Wide Flex Key Only") failed at Alumapalooza a couple of years ago. The zipdee folks were there and I placed the order for the stuff at 4.10 per foot.

I was able to do the work myself on the rear awning, but the longer one up forward was just too much - couldn't open the crimps. So I got the guys at Airstream to do it for me the next time I was there.

Pat

webspinner · 04-09-2013, 10:31 AM

Our old awning had been badly installed by a PO who not only put the fabric in upside down (so that the pull strap was on top) but had crimped the tubular casing so badly that it could not be opened. We ended up cutting that off and riveting on a new piece of tubular casing, purchased from sailrite.com, along with the awning rope that runs inside it.

thenewkid64 · 04-14-2013, 06:07 PM

Jim Webb (President of Zip Dee) will be doing a seminar on this exact replacement at Alumapalooza 4 this year if you are there you can see how to do it yourself!

Silver Otter · 04-16-2013, 07:10 AM

Hi - Our Excella is the same age as yours. Like Pat, we had ours (the long one, curb side) replaced at Airstream Jackson Center because I wasn't up to the job by myself. The PO had already bought the replacement key strip so I don't know the cost of the part itself. Keep it clean is what I'm told, so I get up there with a long brush from time to time.