Community Forums

jeffholste · 02-06-2023, 08:09 PM

Two weeks in on the new 2023 Anthem. Love those huge awnings. Had the front awning in and out about three times. Kinda bouncing / cycling in and out when it was at trying to finish retracting (like the upper limit wasn't set right). This morning I put out all the way and ... won't go back in.

Got out the ladder and found the motor on the rear end of awning (manufactured Oct 2022). Got on the phone with Entegra / Girard and they wanted me to try and do the limit adjusting (kindly sent me the manual, but not exactly helpful over the phone). I knew wind would be coming up in the afternoon, I went to the KOA office an bought a length of rope.

After securing the awning with the rope, I set to work on the manually retraction screw. That doesn't work. 1st, you need a 7 mm Allen wrench, about 6 inches long (which I had). Second, there is WAY too much tension with the awning out. Now I am getting concerned.

So I called the Camerons. We cut the elbow off the Allen wrench to make it straight and fit it into a 7mm socket on a drill. Ken 1st tried using the drill to pull it in, no joy. He determined the motor / clutch (on the new awning) must be shot.

Remember the rope? Fed it under the Awning and tied it off the drivers side awning. Threw the other end up over the top to the roof where we slowly pulled the awning up while Rachel ran the drill to roll up the fabric. Got it in and zip tied shut.

NOW, remember to take a picture of the serial number (up at the motor BEFORE you zip tie every then up).

The warranty process is, well, not exactly streamlined. Tune in tomorrow, next week maybe next month when I figure out how to get a new motor and get it installed.

brobox · 02-07-2023, 04:47 AM

Great share, thank you.

Gary.Jones · 02-07-2023, 08:43 AM

Those huge Girard awnings have always impressed me with their similarity to a sailboat sail than they do an awning. I don't use mine much.... I never deploy it even 80% unless I am sitting out there the whole time. I'm too worried of a wind gust catching the sail and blowing it up and over the coach.

In fact, we use our awning more as a source of flood-light after dark when I am grilling beside the coach, or just Dee and me sitting outside sipping a glass of red wine than we ever deploy those awning during the daytime ..... gotta be concerned about them any time they are out more than enough to illuminate the side of the coach IMO.

Be careful with those things !

Oh, and I've had my auto-retract system worked-on several times and it has never worked to my satisfaction. I can live and enjoy the SW winter sun outside, without it.

Gary

alank · 02-07-2023, 05:20 PM

I have the Girard awning and haven't had any trouble with its operation but don't use it much. I've done quite a bit of adjustment on the arms to get them where i want them. In fear of a non-operating instance, I wanted to try retracting the awning some with the wrench. Speaking of the wrench, did you know there is a wrench attached to the awning? Mine was on the opposite end from where the motor is located. So I get the wrench and go to the motor end of the awning, the hole for the allen wrench isn't over the screw. With a flashlight, I can see the screw through the hole, but a new hole is required to get the allen wrench to work. Hope I never actually need to use it but glad I tried.

A couple years ago, while in AZ, a fellow had a new Dutch Star all shined up and looking good. A whirl wind came up in the afternoon and wrapped both his awnings up over the top of the coach while he was inside. I'll bet that made some racket on the inside. That same wind blew my sunshades around some. His awnings were deployed to the west, and in my opinion, that the absolute worst direction to have awnings pointed out there. I was on the opposite side of the street with everything on the east side of the coach, wasn't too bad.

A year ago, a new Prevost was parked in Osage Beach, Missouri Ozarks, that had four Girard awnings, all of them fully extended and quite impressive. He wasn't at the coach all day and didn't see him until we were pulling out the next day. I would sure hate to be around when he learns his lesson.

If you're not setting under the awning with the remote in your hand, don't have them out. Even having the remote in your hand may not be quick enough.

RVFunlovers · 02-07-2023, 05:45 PM

Thanks for sharing. That does not sound like fun. Good luck with the repair.

I have not used the awning much on my two Entegra’s. We live in the north and generally want any sun we can get.

And we certainly don’t trust leaving the awning out in any wind or when we are not at the coach.

But I need to try and use my awning more this year while it is under warranty ��.

jeffholste · 02-08-2023, 05:23 AM

>> did you know there is a wrench attached to the awning?
NO I DID NOT. I am going to look for this 1st thing after I get the repair done!

153stars · 02-09-2023, 06:58 PM

Just thought I would mention . No need for hex socket bit to your diy cut off 7mm Allen , If you are using a drill with a real chuck. It will grab an Allen wrench shaft great on three of 6 sides. Driver drill with quick release then no, well besides a 1/4".
When I swapped the motor on Onetouch the Allen was really stripped. I had to keep jamming foil in between and turing by hand until I could get screws out of cover. Then grab outer portion of screw with chuck. Although I didn't think of that idea for a couple hundred turns LOL but at least I could see the screw with cover off.