Problem with manual awning

[cjnexplorers]

Help! Our manual awning will not stay open...it opens fine but as soon as we ease up on the tension it begins retracting. Any suggestions?

[flywithcoop]

There should be a little lever to flip at the end of the roller to lock it in the open position. Hold the awning open with the strap and use the metal hook to flit the lever.

[70ChevelleSS]

Originally Posted by flywithcoop

There should be a little lever to flip at the end of the roller to lock it in the open position. Hold the awning open with the strap and use the metal hook to flit the lever.

If it's an A&E awning that's how they work, almost. If the ratchet assembly is working then he would have had to flip the lever before he could pull the awning down. In which case it should hold the awning from retracting. Carefree awnings are similar, some have a slide lever on the side of the arm to lock/unlock the awning. Not real familiar with them so not sure of exactly how they work.

[cjnexplorers]

Originally Posted by flywithcoop

There should be a little lever to flip at the end of the roller to lock it in the open position. Hold the awning open with the strap and use the metal hook to flit the lever.

Yes we did flip the lever on the right end once retracted but it still began to retract.

[70ChevelleSS]

Originally Posted by cjnexplorers

Yes we did flip the lever on the right end once retracted but it still began to retract.

You flip the lever to open the awning. DO NOT flip it again until you're ready to close it up. It's a ratchet assembly, with it flipped in one direction the roller tube can rotate one way but not the other. Flip it and the roller tube can rotate in the opposite direction.

[Waiter21]

If its an A and E (Dometic), the ratchet paw may be broke inside. The "RETRACT / EXTEND" lever only moves about 90 degrees. If it seems like it moves a lot more, it may be broke inside.

You will need to remove the ratchet end. Find YouTube videos on how to replace the awning fabric, These will show how to remove the end cap.

When we bought our "New-to-Us" Southwind, we noted the awning shaft was bent and thought it was broke inside (where the ratchet connects), so we had to remove the end cap. On ours, it was only bent, so we lucked out. We greased the ratchet and put it back together.

Repairs on main awning – 1999 Southwind 35S

NOTE - If someone worked on this in the past and the old drilled out rivets fell inside the tube, these could work their way up into the paw and jam it..

If you remove the end caps, make sure there are no parts laying inside the tube or jammed in the paw / ratchet assembly.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

Sounds like the ratchet mechanism in the roller tube has bit the dust!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[riverat]

Originally Posted by cjnexplorers

Yes we did flip the lever on the right end once retracted but it still began to retract.

I'm thinking you may have flipped the lever to the middle position instead of all the way to the lock position, had this happen to me once. Try flipping the lever back to the retract position and then flipping forward to the extend position making sure it goes all the way to the stop. Good luck

[cjnexplorers]

thanks to all of you for your responses. It is a Dometic awning. We didn't hear the ratchet sound when we opened it this last time so it could be that mechanism. We will try again though and make sure the latch if fully closed then opened to make sure.

Have a great day!

[koda59]

When My locking mechanism broke I did not have the cotter pin all the way when I disconnected by bolt. It took 9 sutures because of my stupidity. I ended up needing to rewind the spring after I was done. I rested the awning on a extending ladder.