Zip Dee Awning

[tworavens]

It rained a bunch while we were away and I had left the awning out. So when we got back there was a huge pool of water on the awning and the roller pole that the awning wraps around got badly bent. I managed to get the awning rolled up. Now I need to remove the awning so that hopefully I can bend the roller straight.

How do I get the awning off the trailer so I can get to the roller tube?

Thanks!

[azflycaster]

The zipdee website shows how to straighten the roll while it is attached to the trailer. You will need a couple of friends to help.
Zipdeeinc.com

[dznf0g]

What AZ said. I straightened mine with a ladder and a lawn tractor as an anchor....by myself. The tube is TOUGH. I had to hang and bounce from the end. Got it 95% straight.

[dznf0g]

Double and triple check the arms and rafter rods.

[Jim Foster]

I think I would try to straighten the tube without removing the awning.
You will need a couple of helpers.

I would unroll the awning all the way, then let it back half a turn until the curve in the tube us upward. Then, support the ends of the tube with something sturdy, perhaps lengths of wood. Pull or push down on the center of the tube and see if it doesn't come straight. I don't know how much weight it took to bend it, but I would think you could apply enough weight to straighten it. When it became bent it was supported at the ends, with the awning installed. I would think it could be straightened the same way.

[dznf0g]

What Jim said...except put a step ladder AT the center of the bend point, anchor the end (the lawn tractor comment) and use your weight on the other end. I couldn't get it to behave properly with the ends supported and bouncing on the center....but I had no helper. Also it is difficult to get the "re-bend" in the exact low spot without your fulcrum (ladder) ON the low spot. It is too easy to make an "S" if you don't re-bend exactly on the low spot.

[TBRich]

Good luck with the straightening. It's best if you do it without removing the roller due to the danger of injury because of the extreme tension of the spring in the roller.

An easy trick to avoid this happening (again or at the get-go) — lower one end of the awning by 1 notch setting so that a slope is created allowing the water to run off the lower corner rather than pooling in the middle. If you have a front entrance, lower the rear side...if you have a rear entrance, lower the front side.

[dznf0g]

hmmm, although you have only a 25'er. How long is the roll? My roll was 21 feet, so I had a bit of leverage from my bend ( about 1' off center). You may not be able to get enough leverage with the ladder in the middle.....unless there are 2 people's weight pulling down. The tube is made of tough stuff.

[dznf0g]

I almost bought a new tube....they're only about $10 a foot. Shipping to CO, though, would be very expensive. Zip Dee is only 35 miles from my house, so I would pick up.

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

What Jim said...except put a step ladder AT the center of the bend point, anchor the end (the lawn tractor comment) and use your weight on the other end. I couldn't get it to behave properly with the ends supported and bouncing on the center....but I had no helper. Also it is difficult to get the "re-bend" in the exact low spot without your fulcrum (ladder) ON the low spot. It is too easy to make an "S" if you don't re-bend exactly on the low spot.

Sure. Whatever it takes. There has got to be a way without taking the whole thing apart.

[tworavens]

Thanks everyone. I will round up some muscle and give it a shot.