Zip Dee awning malfunction ( silly mistake )

Just spend a wonderful week in Maggie Valley N.C. for viewing of the fall folige and wonderful it was. BUT one night the wind got up and I heard the awning banging or so I thought and went out a rolled it up. I did not roll it up tight as the wind kept coming in with high gusts    (about 35 MPH ).
The next day the DW and myself went out to see if there was any damage and I saw, as we extended the awning,  that one side was really loose. I went ahead and extended it all the way and set the arms ( old style ) not to the top groove but against the travel retainer ( on the zip dee it has a sort of bracket  that holds arm against the side of the motor home ) so I could get a look at the roller. I found a rivet had torn through the fabric so I started checking on down the awning and had my wife lock the awning ( this was the silly mistake ) so it wouldn't try to roll up while I was rolling the tube over to look at the other rivets.
I heard a loud bang and when I tried to roll the awning back up there was no spring tension.
I went to the Zip Dee site and found out that the lock should only be used when the awning is in the up stored position for transportation.

Now my question, did the spring just lose tension or did ( oh no ) it break?
I have read the instructions on how to adjust the spring tension and now that I am back will give it a try but wanted to know what kind of damage I could have caused.

If I had read the Zip Dee instructions instead of listening to the sales rep I would have known not to lock the awning in the extended position but as always we live and learn.

Any information would be appreciated.

Here is their 800 number. [1 800 338 2378] I found them very easy to deal with when I needed replacement for my 84 Bluebird awning fabric and one rewind spring for one of my windows. just google Zip Dee awnings, and it will take you to their site. There is a very good parts diagram to work from, along with the proper part numbers for each item.
Removal of the spring will require you to remove about six rivets in the fabric, and any in the end of the tube where it connects to the spring attachment. All of it should come out as a unit. Don't hesitate to call them if you are having any difficulties. They are more than glad to talk you through the procedure

I may have found my answer on the Airstream forum.

Thanks for your reply

Got my new spring from Zip Dee and will plan to install this week-end.
I must compliment the customer service at Zip Dee, explained the problem they diagnosed ( broken spring ) had it orderd
in short order and shipped out the next day.

It took a couple weeks longer due to bad weather ( rain, winds and cold ) The repair went really easy. The hardest part was getting the old broken spring out. The springs are wound on a wooden dowel and the dowel had gotten wet and over the years rotted away. I took an extension pole and was able to reach into the tube and pull the end of the broken spring out. After cleaning the tube out away we went with getting the new one in.

The install of the new spring was quick and easy.