Argosy awning support arm bracket separation

[Argosynaut]

Hello friends. I'm prepping my 1976 Argosy for painting and found this little (I hope) issue. The rivet on the bottom bracket the awning arm has popped out. I do full-time in it and I have been camped in a hot and sunny field lately, so I have been using the awning a fair amount. (I do strap it down with rubber truck ties if it's deployed, and if there's wind in the forecast I pull it in.)

The bracket appears to be attached with two large screws and I believe a buck rivet. Any chance there's a simple fix for this?

Thanks!

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by Argosynaut

The rivet on the bottom bracket the awning arm has popped out.

The bracket appears to be attached with two large screws and I believe a buck rivet. Any chance there's a simple fix for this?

Thanks!

Usually (in my experience), the bottom awning brackets are riveted/screwed into the lower c channel. There's more meat there for attachment. I looks to me like yours is installed somewhat above that area.

Regardless, screwing high tension/force things into thin aluminum (even if it is aircraft aluminum), such as awning brackets/arms, is a recipe for eventual failure.

If it were me, I would cut an access hole in the interior skin (behind where the awning bracket attaches.) I would then cut and add thicker aluminum reinforcement plates and through-bolt the bracket on with stainless steel bolts and locknuts. I would then patch the interior skin hole with a bigger sheet of aluminum and rivet that on and paint to suit.

[Argosynaut]

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

Usually (in my experience), the bottom awning brackets are riveted/screwed into the lower c channel. There's more meat there for attachment. I looks to me like yours is installed somewhat above that area.

Regardless, screwing high tension/force things into thin aluminum (even if it is aircraft aluminum), such as awning brackets/arms, is a recipe for eventual failure.

If it were me, I would cut an access hole in the interior skin (behind where the awning bracket attaches.) I would then cut and add thicker aluminum reinforcement plates and through-bolt the bracket on with stainless steel bolts and locknuts. I would then patch the interior skin hole with a bigger sheet of aluminum and rivet that on and paint to suit.

Thanks for the input. It definitely doesn't look like a structurally sound part of the trailer it's attached to! This sounds like a pretty solid idea.

[DKB_SATX]

Guessing from the vertical rivet line one side of the bracket sits on, this is right at a rib which will make getting a backing plate "just right" a little fiddly, but should be somewhat secure when done. It may have lasted about 48 years so far, after all! It MAY be younger than that, since it looks like it's a Zip Dee arm (my Argosy had a Carefree that was tough as nails, though kinda fiddly to deploy and furl.)

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Guessing from the vertical rivet line one side of the bracket sits on, this is right at a rib which will make getting a backing plate "just right" a little fiddly, but should be somewhat secure when done.

True, and a good observation. I would then make to thick/large aluminum "washers," each with a flat side to butt up against/straddle the rib and bolt through as described.


I had to put a reinforcement plate inside the wall on my '64 where the front rock guard arms attach. One side had ripped through the original exterior aluminum skin entirely.