DIY: How to Maintain Your Caravan Awning
Awnings are a huge part of many a travellers time away from home. Here are some tips to keep it working.
Most caravans are fitted with pull out awnings which have a number of moving parts requiring maintenance from time to time. The key to smooth operation is to keep the awning arms aligned and lightly lubricated. Silicone is the lubricant of choice as it doesn’t tend to attract dirt. Many of the moving parts have latches and other retainers to keep everything in place. Sometimes these retainers can become loose and fall off or they may break. Keeping an eye on these parts can prevent you having any dramas out on the road. Andrew Phillips from the RV Repair Centre shows us some of the things to look out for.
The awning we look at here is a Carefree one, but there are a number of other brands that are very similar in construction, such as Dometic or Traveller. The following tips could be used as a general guide for all of them and need to be performed/checked on both sides of the awning.
Step 1
Lubricate inside the outer arm so the inner arm can slide easily.
Step 2
Wipe off excess lubricant from the outer arm.
Step 3
Slide up the outer arm to expose the telescopic inner and lubricate. This requires releasing the awning pull handle.
Step 4
Wipe off excess lubricant from the telescopic inner.
Step 5
This is an example of a brace knob that has come loose and fallen off the inner arm.
Step 6
To replace the brace knob, the inner arm must be detached by removing the mounting bracket.
Step 7
Detach the inner arm mounting bracket.
Step 8
Slide the inner arm apart by sliding if off its internal section.
Step 9
Remove the inner arm.
Step 10
While you are at it lubricate the inner arm.
Step 11
Wipe off excess lubricant from the inner arm.
Step 12
Hold a replacement floating nut inside the inner arm.
Step 13
Screw in a replacement brace knob while holding the floating nut in position.
Step 14
This is the brace knob attached to the floating nut inside the inner arm.
Step 15
Slide the inner arm back onto its internal section.
Step 16
Snugly hand tighten the brace knob.
Step 17
Reattach the inner arm mounting bracket to the caravan wall.
Step 18
Detach the awning foot from the mounting point on the wall.
Step 19
Lubricate the awning foot mounting point.
Step 20
Wipe away excess lubricant from the mounting point and reattach awning foot.
Step 21
Check the travel latch for any signs of damage and that is securely fastened to the outer arm.
Step 22
Check the pull handle for signs of damage and check that it is securely fastened to the outer arm.
Step 23
Check to see if the torsion assembly screws have come loose.
Step 24
Tighten the torsion assembly screws if necessary. Do not over tighten.
Step 25
Inspect the awning fabric for signs of mould.
Prepare Ahead of Time
Prevention is always better than cure. When packing up on your travels, try to dry the awning before rolling it up. If it necessary to roll the awning up wet, then dry it out at the earliest opportunity by unrolling it again by exposing it to the sun or a light breeze.
If your awning fabric shows signs of mould, you may be able to clean it. It is important to wear a suitable mask, gloves, and protective clothing as exposure to mould or cleaning products can be harmful. There are a number of commercially available specialised awning cleaning products. Some owners have had success with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. The basic steps are dry the awning out, mix up the water vinegar solution and apply with a spray bottle over all of the awning fabric, not just the mould affected areas. Let the solution sit for an hour or so. Lightly scrub the surface with a soft cloth or brush. Rinse off. Repeat the process. Let completely dry and roll up awning.
If in doubt, consult a professional
Improper maintenance could lead to injury, death, or property damage. Maintenance work of this nature should only be undertaken by persons with suitable mechanical competence. Information provided is general in nature, not comprehensive and can only be taken as a guide. Individual discretion must be exercised and persons undertaking described tasks do so completely at their own risk. Publishers and creators of this content accept no responsibility for loss or damage.
Thanks to Andrew Phillips and the team from the RV Repair Centre for their assistance.