A&E awning procedures

[rbell]

My new trailer has an A&E awning. After using it some I'm not sure of the correct procedure to put it up and down. The little lever for the ratchet is on the RH end  and it needs just a bit of tension on the strap to flip it. It seems if the strap is in the middle it rolls up better but that means you need 2 people. One to flip and one to hold and let it up. It's so long you can't put the strap in the middle and flip the lever. They went over so many things when I got it I think I missed some part of the technique. The dealer is in Michigan and I'm in Florida right now.
So is it a 1 or 2 person procedure?

 

[Ron]

You can do it by your self by sliding the strap to the end to release the latch then while holding it from retracting as you move to the center slide the strap to the center.

 

[rbell]

Thats sorta what I tried. The stap is so tight it doesn't want to slide. I even got the service manual for it from them, but it wasn't any help with operation.  Maybe I need to try moving it a little harder. I figured I'd missed some trick when they were going over it. He was holding the arm down on the opposite end when he had me do it.

 

[Woody]

I just hold the tube tight with my left hand while flipping the lever. I then move to the cennter while holding it and take hold of the strap to let it roll up. I use the hook to flip the lever over when I unroll it.

Woody

 

[Ron]

When unlocking to roll up grab the roller with one hand and slide the strap with the other moving your hand along the roller keeping it from rolling up.  Woody's method works too.  I just like the strap in hand case I let the roller get away from me. ;D

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I always used Woody's method - it's quick and easy. 

Usually the strap slides in the groove, but I had one that was real tight, as rbell's apparently is.

 

[rbell]

I got it working OK. Gary hit it being tight. I looked at the groove and there was something in it which came loose scraping with a small screwdriver. With it loose it would slide right buy it. Looked like glue or some type gunk.