# RV awning tensioning



## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi all
I want to retention our awning on Rocky. It is slow to retract and sometimes requires a little shove, so I am guessing that the springs want a bit of a tweak???
Is anyone going to Binton (who has experience of doing this) willing to help me out?
It is a Carefree awning and I can bring a small ladder...

Thanks in advance guys

Keith


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## zaskar (Jun 6, 2005)

kands said:


> Hi all
> It is a Carefree awning and I can bring a small ladder...
> Thanks in advance guys
> Keith


Dont!......Bring a big ladder, you'll need it!  
At the risk of teaching granny how to suck eggs, when you get the awning pulled out, but before you put it up into the upright position, have a look on the top of the uprights where the pivot casting bolts in. It should be stamped on top which is the correct direction of rotation.
Just done the same with mine and it MUCH better now. Only add 1 or 2 turns at a time, it doesn't take much.


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Keith...Have you got the destructions on how to do this? If not let me know as we have them from A&E...will be the same for Carefree tho'.

Oh, and some good quality mole grips would be useful too :wink: 

Cheers
Linda


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

And if there are any spare straw bales for Keith to land on that would be helpfull ,
"He flew though the air with the greatest of ease" :lol: 
Geo


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Looks like I'm stuffed here then, can't pack a big ladder and don't have any bales :lol: :lol: :lol: 
If I can get a look at those instructionals Linda, that would be great thanks :lol: 
I wish you were going to Binton Paul, as you appear to be the expert mate...... Must make a note to bring selection of mole grips :wink: 

Keith


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

I shall dig 'em out and fire them across by Email Keith.

We had to tension the Dutchmen awning from nowt, haven't tried tensioning one that is already under tension, this we did with the awning in the extended position so no ladder needed for that particular job .... the language was a bit choice though :lol: :lol: 

I reckon Dunc will know more about this than me given his experience in these matters :wink:


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Keith, Geo helped me tension mine so he is the expert on this, I think maybe hes a bit shy :wink: we didn't need a ladder just did it with it fully extended and some mole grips.

Olley


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

There you go Keith....let the A team (Olley & Geo) do the job for you....you put your feet up :lol: :lol:


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Great idea Linda
Thanks in advance Geo and Olley, I will go and do snelly's camera installation (and all the other bits he wants fitted :lol: :lol: ) whilst you tension the awning :lol: :lol: 

Keith


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi keith I would love to.....................unfortunately I am not going to binton.   But I am sure Geo can show you how its done.

On my A&E the rachet side is easy as the rachet holds the spring as you wind on the tension, its the other side you need to be careful with. 8O 

Olley


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi guys
Just to let you all know that Sharon (my trusty assistant) and I have just come in from tensioning the awning :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Easy isn't it.... and there was I panicking that it was going to be difficult :roll: 
Goes back up to the travelling position now with ease, better than when it was new, and rolls up nice and tight too :lol: :lol: 

Thanks for the advice and encouragement all you wonderful people, another MHF success story.... THANKS

Keith


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Keith you have stolen my glory and let the world know how easy a job it is,I was going to introduce you to the mystic art of tensioning at Binton and bask all weekend in the praise and free cofee, looks like I will have to rip your gearbox out now to impress you :lol: 
Ps Harold, you have a pm
Geo


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Geo :lol: :lol: 
It's OK mate, there are other little jobs to do :wink: , like fitting a new accelerator pedal assembly and hopefully a new mirror assembly so you can still do these things and bask in a limited amount of glory :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Free coffee is always available as you well know mate, bring your water wings bud :lol: :lol: 

Keith


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Don't like the simple jobs , going to fit you a 3 piece clutch, I know its auto,I like a challenge :lol: 
I got me get you out of a hole kit in the back box, looking forward to using it matey!!!
see you all at the weekend
Geo


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Well I thought I would update this thread rather than starting a new one and clogging up the works :lol: :lol: :lol: 
The awning has been retensioned as already reported, Linda (LC1962) and James kindly presented me with a new throttle pedal and my new mirror kit at the Binton Rally. Geo wanted to fit the pedal, so I let him :lol: :lol: and I only found out on the way home that I had about 1/2 pedal travel, so we proceeded slowly :roll: . This impediment is now resolved with a spacer behind the mounting plate to allow for more travel and I will be road testing it soon.
Thanks go to Geo for fitting the pedal and to James (Lindas hubby) for plugging into my electronics and wiping out all the old error codes, and also to Shane for providing James with a suitable power supply because James left his at home :lol: :lol: and for providing medical backup to Geo just in case :wink: :wink: 
I fitted the new mirror kit and what a difference it makes, no more blind spot on the passenger side :lol: :lol: I regard this as a must have now...
I bought a new porch light from Linda because ours was starting to need a poke with a stick to encourage it to work, and that has been fitted today, so I am out of toys again :lol: :lol: :lol:
Many thanks to all that assisted

Keith


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## Bryan (Aug 9, 2006)

kands said:


> so I am out of toys again


...as soon as I research Infrared extenders I can make a start on one of my, as yet, unmentioned 'toys'...


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