Carefree Awning - help please

[Spookies]

Hello everyone,,

Does anyone has an idea about where can I find this part for my Carefree awning? Only the plastic cap is broken, I want to replace it. I appreciate any help.
I couldn't find what model or year my awning is.

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by Spookies

Hello everyone,,

Does anyone has an idea about where can I find this part for my Carefree awning? Only the plastic cap is broken, I want to replace it. I appreciate any help.
I couldn't find what model or year my awning is.

Attachment 289227
Attachment 289228

Is the other endcap intact? If so find someone to 3D print you up a new one. Ed

[Spookies]

Originally Posted by BIGED52

Is the other endcap intact? If so find someone to 3D print you up a new one. Ed

Both cracked and broken. Is that the only way I can have these end caps?

[Glenritas]

Originally Posted by Spookies

Both cracked and broken. Is that the only way I can have these end caps?

I just got a pair from http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com

Call them and send them a picture of what your looking for.

They just bought a bunch of used Airstream parts and have them at their new
Santa Fe warehouse . They will have to match them.

Your's look just like the ones I just got from them.

BTW have you figured out how to get them off the shaft ?

[rvb]

I am considering trying to adapt current Carefree Pioneer crank ends to my tube and arms. these replace the end caps and springs and are available from Camping World and others for about $70 and replace both ends. they use a crank to open and lock closed and have no springs. The crank arm is extra. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...ar-white/54527

According to measurements I have seen on line, the caps should fit over my existing tube and are secured with screws thru the outside. The big "IF" is: how to fit them to my arms. My vintage ends fit into the top of the arms and these fit over the top of the arms so I may have to do some adaptation, or they may actually fit with only a little modification. The price is cheap enough to try and I can always return them or sell them on Ebay if I decide I can't make it work.

I'll probably be working on this in a couple of months. Both plastic ends and springs are good on mine but the metal tube the spring shaft goes thru on the front end is broken so the spring just spins. If I can make this work my ends and springs will be on Airforums classifieds for others to use.

[Spookies]

Originally Posted by Spookies

Both cracked and broken. Is that the only way I can have these end caps?

No I haven't, it seemed like so hard. How should I do that? I thought it won't come out. I appreciate your help.

[Spookies]

Originally Posted by rvb

I am considering trying to adapt current Carefree Pioneer crank ends to my tube and arms. these replace the end caps and springs and are available from Camping World and others for about $70 and replace both ends. they use a crank to open and lock closed and have no springs. The crank arm is extra. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...ar-white/54527

According to measurements I have seen on line, the caps should fit over my existing tube and are secured with screws thru the outside. The big "IF" is: how to fit them to my arms. My vintage ends fit into the top of the arms and these fit over the top of the arms so I may have to do some adaptation, or they may actually fit with only a little modification. The price is cheap enough to try and I can always return them or sell them on Ebay if I decide I can't make it work.

I'll probably be working on this in a couple of months. Both plastic ends and springs are good on mine but the metal tube the spring shaft goes thru on the front end is broken so the spring just spins. If I can make this work my ends and springs will be on Airforums classifieds for others to use.

Do you have the same ends that I have, I would like to see what you do and of it works (I don't like the parts is white tho). If you decide to sell your old ones please let me know. I appreciate.

[rvb]

Carefree replacement end caps are currently for sale in an ad on Ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carefree-of...item2395a7a5b6

[Spookies]

Hello, thanks for the link but shouldn't be there screw holes on them? That's what mine has. Please see the picture attached. Thanks

[Spookies]

Originally Posted by rvb

Carefree replacement end caps are currently for sale in an ad on Ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carefree-of...item2395a7a5b6

Did your new parts work on your vintage arms? If yes does it work properly? Thanks

[rvb]

Originally Posted by Spookies

Did your new parts work on your vintage arms? If yes does it work properly? Thanks

I just received them but won't have time to disassemble the arm springs for a few weeks. I figured for $10 it was a cheap gamble. Another ebay listing has the arm top plugs for about the same price

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carefree-90...YAAOSwFLBaT7hU

[Spookies]

Originally Posted by rvb

I just received them but won't have time to disassemble the arm springs for a few weeks. I figured for $10 it was a cheap gamble. Another ebay listing has the arm top plugs for about the same price

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carefree-90...YAAOSwFLBaT7hU

Oh I have never seen this top caps before. Thank you I appreciate! So you haven't purchased the new parts (the one doesn't require the springs)?

[rvb]

Originally Posted by Spookies

Oh I have never seen this top caps before. Thank you I appreciate! So you haven't purchased the new parts (the one doesn't require the springs)?

I am still trying to fix the original tube ends, but, the later crank end caps are still an option. I havn't worked on it over the winter. I have determined that my arms are for the standard size 70's trailer, so, I am shortening those to fit the Minuet and modifying the mounts. After that is complete I will get to the tube.

I will attempt to repair the original front end cap before I go to the newer style caps. As near as I can tell, the crank style caps are for a larger diameter tube so they will have to be shimmed to fit along with adapting them to fit the arms.

My end caps also have screws which I had not noticed. The crank caps are metal and screw thru the outside rim. It may be possible to cut the center out of the old caps and epoxy them onto the new to reinforce and provide screw reinforcement. I'll look into that.

The end caps fit on the end of the arms after the tube is installed. I have 2 originals that are shattered into fragments. It is mostly a cosmetic part, but, I have never seen them for sale before.

[rvb]

I just went out and compared the new caps to the existing. Without disassembling the ends, they appear the same except for the holes and raised areas for the screws. On the back there are actually tabs at the 3rd points where the screws would be. My original front cap is good, but, the rear one has a tab broken off. I think I can reinforce this and drill the holes and it should work. They are very heavy plastic.

What is broken on my front end cap assembly is the metal housing the shaft goes thru between the cap and the arm. The arm connector is pinned at the end but with the housing broken it just spins and doesn't connect to the spring. I think I can drill and pin it at the base in front of the cap inboard of the break and it should work the same as original.

[Spookies]

Sounds good. That helps me a lot! Thank you for your time. Yes that's what I thought just to drill it to screw. I will go and buy it. I may need to change my springs since when I roll the awning it is not tense at all.

[rvb]

Originally Posted by Spookies

Sounds good. That helps me a lot! Thank you for your time. Yes that's what I thought just to drill it to screw. I will go and buy it. I may need to change my springs since when I roll the awning it is not tense at all.

The springs should be pre-tensionsed before being instaled on the arms. Clamp a vice-grip on for leverage and be very careful as they are very strong. The number of turns varies with the length of the awning. I am attaching the installation instructions for your use. Send me PM if you can't read them.

[rvb]

I am a happy camper! I finally decided to attempt adapting Carefree Pioneer crank out end caps to my vintage Carefree awning arms.

When I bought the Minuet the seller said the awing was not installed because he could not get parts and when I finally got around to looking into what I had and what was needed I found the following:

Arms: The curved arms were not from a Minuet but for a a larger Airstream so they were too long by about 7" and the extra was a straight section above the arm curve. After trial and error adjustments determined that the straight section above the curve would have to be cut off to be the right length.



Brace arms and brackets: Brackets were on the body and obviously old. When the brace arms were mounted to the brackets they stuck out too far so the arms leaned out instead of being parallel to the body. I shortened the brackets.


Springs: .The springs appeared ok, but, the metal shaft housing on one end was broken so the spring shaft just spun. I didn't want to cut the U shaped slots on the side of the arms for the vintage ends so I decided to go with the Pioneer crank ends.



Pioneer Caps: I was able to buy the crank end at a close out price on Amazon so started with that part. I was surprised to find that the vintage arm were wider, but, the inside opening was very close and could be opened up easily to fit the new caps.


Tube: My vintage awning tube was 3" dia. and the Pioneer caps fit a 3 1/2" dia. tube. It would be possible to shim the caps but I'd have to cut down the original tube since the distance from center line to end of tube was longer on the new caps. I bit the bullet and bought a new tube instead of cutting down and shimming the original.

All it took to fit the new caps was to file the inside opening slightly and cut 1/8" notch on each side to clear a ridge on the end cap with an open ended hack saw. The new tube is grey and the end caps are available in white or black. Black was a cheaper so those are now painted silver.

Cost: Tube $345 including tax and delivery to my local RV store, end caps from Amazon were $32 for the Idler end and $29 for the crank end (clearance price, normally $60). Crank handle was another $50 so about $450 and I keep my vintage orange and white stripped fabric

After installing my original fabric and bolting everything together, it works great. The crank part on the arm normally points down at a 45 degree angle, but, with curved arms points out at a 90 degree angle. It still works great with the crank handle. It opens quickly and easily, can be set anywhere from half open to full open and locks up solid when closed using both the original arm locks and the crank end.

[montanaphoto]

Hopoing someone has solved this riddle already. I have a 1970's era carefree awning and i need to replace the endcaps. I have a 3d printer making them BUT i cannot figure out how to remove them from the post.

[rburditt]

Originally Posted by montanaphoto

Hopoing someone has solved this riddle already. I have a 1970's era carefree awning and i need to replace the endcaps. I have a 3d printer making them BUT i cannot figure out how to remove them from the post.

did you end up 3d printing the ends? Do you have files that you'd share? Also, did you figure out how to remove them from the post?

Thanks!