Awnings in the wind . . .

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The awning material just slides into a C channel with a pole down the middle to hold it in place. Pull the pole out of one end and the fabric should come out.

I'd roll it up by hand and use duck tape or ratchet straps to hold it in place along with the arms until you can get someone to inspect and sign off on it for insurance.
 
It looks like the material is OK and not torn. I had mine come unrolled and the fabric tear lengthwise last winter as I was driving. However, mine was a manual awning, not automatic, like yours. I ended up having to have a mobile technician come and remove the torn awning and then use zip ties and a bunch of duct tape to tape the arms back into position until I could get it fixed. (My awning had 9 years of hard use, so it was easy to accept its tearing.)

However, yours is a lot newer. You want to save the awning material if possible because it took 6 months for me to get a replacement. Also, they are expensive!! It looks like if they can fix the arms and mechanics, using the old awning would be doable.
 
It looks like the material is OK and not torn. I had mine come unrolled and the fabric tear lengthwise last winter as I was driving. However, mine was a manual awning, not automatic, like yours. I ended up having to have a mobile technician come and remove the torn awning and then use zip ties and a bunch of duct tape to tape the arms back into position until I could get it fixed. (My awning had 9 years of hard use, so it was easy to accept its tearing.)

However, yours is a lot newer. You want to save the awning material if possible because it took 6 months for me to get a replacement. Also, they are expensive!! It looks like if they can fix the arms and mechanics, using the old awning would be doable.
I am beginning to think awnings are not worth the hassle. I can live without my awning, and I probably will. I wonder how much hassle it will be to get the arms off. And what it will look like under those arms if I do get them off. It looks like there is probably more to it than just removing the arm bolts. I think there is more than that holding it to the side of the RV.

-Don- Mayo, FL
 
Do we know Rachael?
Racheal Nordstrom.. Nordstroms RV, A first rate on-site repair service in either Flint MI area (Summers) or some lake I can not remember (But Google can) in Florida in the winter.


 
Yah, Go team, Go!
It may be just a matter of time before something equally bad happens to our awning, so we're eager to hear how you resolve your issue.
Best of luck.
 
HI guys - We've been out and about. I left Don about 30-40 minutes ago, I got the pictures so I get to post about it - LOL...

Basically the "fix" was pretty easy. The Awning is suspended on two scissoring arms that mount with 4 bolts flat and flush to the RV side. The awning is attached at the front end to a fitting that has the drive motor in it and at the aft end there is just basically a following idler gear. So with the awning disconnected from the arms we just unbolted the arms and they came down.

The front was a little tricky because there was wiring in the arm to power the motor and we are pretty sure there was a position sensor tied into the RV so that one could not drive off with the awning out. But they were all attached at the RV wall with swaged fittings so at Don's request we just cut all the wires.

The awning itself was in a permanent channel at the coach roof with a "stopper screw" to stop the awning sliding forward or backward. After removing the stopper screws we just pushed the awning out of the channel going forward and rolled it up.

The big question was whether the position indicator needed a "made" circuit or "open" circuit to enable the RV. So Don pulled the slides in, raised the jacks and drove the RV forward and backwards about 12 inches - thankfully an open circuit was good to go.

My kid finished up by reinstalling the mount bolts to stop any potential water ingress and then taping off the wires to avoid any potential shorts.

Our big debate is what to do with the awning. It looks like the driven end motor is a piece that could be ordered and appears to attach with 3 bolts.

Don is decided he is done with awnings and plans to leave it off. He's not the kind of RVer that hangs out and socializes on his front porch so he has a point. He's happy for me to bring my battery sawzall tomorrow, section it up and toss it in the dumpster - I am tempted to take it but TBH I have way to many broken things to just pile this up somewhere until I can figure out if I want it.

I probably will take the awning material and figure out some use for that on my property...

As they say - Pics or it didn't happen.
 

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Wow it looks like you have a mess going on, it is the week for strange things to happen. My son was in a "hit and run" car accident in Lake, Charles, LA on Friday, he is ok, someone pulled out from a side street and T-boned his car a low speed as he was passing by at about 35 mph, dented every body panel on the passenger side of my son's car and broke the glass out of the front passenger side window. The other drivers pulled into a parking lot across the street, got out of there car and walked away before the police arrived. They left the car running, purse and cell phone on the seat. The police impounded the car and had it towed away, still waiting on the police report to get more information, no idea if they have insurance or not,.. (the other driver was in a faded red 1990's Jeep SUV (Cherokee?).
 
Please don't cut it up, those things are worth a lot of money. It would be a rather easy fix to, as you noted, get new end plastic pieces and put it back together. I'd want the awning, even if it wasn't used very often. I bought a MH with the awning removed (they said it was destroyed, not sure how) and I never did get it replaced, but wished I had one on several occasions. The guy who bought it from me is in Las Vegas and he had a new awning installed, you about have to have one out there to keep the sun off you and the RV.

Charles
 
The other drivers pulled into a parking lot across the street, got out of there car and walked away before the police arrived.
In some states, leaving the scene of an accident (on foot) is less serious than drunk driving. If the car is left at the scene, it is NOT hit and run. So, I assume they were all drunk and leaving is a way to reduce the charges. The driver cannot now be busted for drunk driving or hit and run. Only with less serious charges. At least in some states, such as in CA, not sure about the other 49 states.
Please don't cut it up, those things are worth a lot of money. It would be a rather easy fix to, as you noted, get new end plastic pieces and put it back together. I'd want the awning, even if it wasn't used very often.
I don't care what it's worth. I don't care about RV resale value or any of that stuff. As I explained before, I was using it ONLY as an easy motorcycle cover by parking my bike under it, in case of light rain. Now I know that is NOT a good idea because they can fall apart in the rain or wind and leave me stuck there. So, I prefer not to have it at all. Now I understand why rental RVs usually (always?) do not have awnings.

Good thing this happened here where I could get some help!

I think the only way it will NOT get cut up is if somebody comes to Mayo, FL to pick it up today.

I will not miss it at all--good riddance to it!

-Don- Mayo, FL
 
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HI guys - We've been out and about. I left Don about 30-40 minutes ago, I got the pictures so I get to post about it - LOL...

Basically the "fix" was pretty easy. The Awning is suspended on two scissoring arms that mount with 4 bolts flat and flush to the RV side. The awning is attached at the front end to a fitting that has the drive motor in it and at the aft end there is just basically a following idler gear. So with the awning disconnected from the arms we just unbolted the arms and they came down.

The front was a little tricky because there was wiring in the arm to power the motor and we are pretty sure there was a position sensor tied into the RV so that one could not drive off with the awning out. But they were all attached at the RV wall with swaged fittings so at Don's request we just cut all the wires.

The awning itself was in a permanent channel at the coach roof with a "stopper screw" to stop the awning sliding forward or backward. After removing the stopper screws we just pushed the awning out of the channel going forward and rolled it up.

The big question was whether the position indicator needed a "made" circuit or "open" circuit to enable the RV. So Don pulled the slides in, raised the jacks and drove the RV forward and backwards about 12 inches - thankfully an open circuit was good to go.

My kid finished up by reinstalling the mount bolts to stop any potential water ingress and then taping off the wires to avoid any potential shorts.

Our big debate is what to do with the awning. It looks like the driven end motor is a piece that could be ordered and appears to attach with 3 bolts.

Don is decided he is done with awnings and plans to leave it off. He's not the kind of RVer that hangs out and socializes on his front porch so he has a point. He's happy for me to bring my battery sawzall tomorrow, section it up and toss it in the dumpster - I am tempted to take it but TBH I have way to many broken things to just pile this up somewhere until I can figure out if I want it.

I probably will take the awning material and figure out some use for that on my property...

As they say - Pics or it didn't happen.
keep the material. It makes a great cover for firewood
 
He's not the kind of RVer that hangs out and socializes on his front porch so he has a point.
Your are definitely a good neighbor and a good example for the RV community. Don is fortunate that you were nearby. I have come to suspect that patience is not one of Don's stronger personality traits. :giggle:

Any way to tell what happened that it came apart so easily? What brand & model is it as it would seem to be a good candidate for a public review. Might the issue have been with the installers?
 
What brand & model is it as it would seem to be a good candidate for a public review.
Carefree (yeah, sure!):
model number:GZ2168DBDRBAH
S/N: 2147395513
DT:1117
(whatever that means).


Product nominal inches: 216"

Original Product Information
Serial Number:
2147395513
Part Number: GZ2168D8DRBAH
Manuf Date: 04/25/21

Canopy fabric only costs $383.20

-Don- Mayo, FL
 
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I am not sure about the laws here, but the card the responding officer gave my son with the incident number and type of case listed it as Hit and Run
 
I am not sure about the laws here, but the card the responding officer gave my son with the incident number and type of case listed it as Hit and Run
Also called Evading Responsibility. Leaving the scene is leaving the scene, regardless of conveyance.
 
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