Replacement Awning Fabric

[Cowhead]

Whats the best place online to order a replacement fabric kit from?  I have seen some at $150 and some up to $700 the ones that are $700 are acrylic and the other ones are just a Vinyl.  Anyone know of some good reasonably price places to order from? 

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Patio awning or slide topper? Are you looking for vinyl or acrylic?.  Or maybe sunscreen type, if its a window awning you want.

Vinyl is water and weatherproof and tree sap cleans off with a suitable solvent. It's also strong and resists tearing, but it's heavy in weight.  Acrylic is much lighter in weight, but its porous like canvas and needs waterproofing after a time. And being porous, it's murder to get sap and mold off. And it can be torn by a tree limb.

 

[Cowhead]

I am just looking for Vinyl

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Most of the places I checked seem to have very similar prices, about $187-$198 for 15 oz vinyl in a typical 15 ft length. This is what they usually call "universal" replacement fabric but it is available in your choice of colors and a modest assortment of patterns. Woven vinyl or woven acrylic are more expensive.
Here is one source:
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-awnings/awning-fabric-universal.htm

This place seems to be a little less, but you have to figure in shipping to know for sure:
http://www.store.rvawningsmart.com/RV-Patio-Awning-Fabric-Burgundy-Fade_c7.htm

Who wanted $700 for vinyl?

 

[Cowhead]

The $700 were Acrylic..  I dont think I need that or want that..  Now is this something I can do with another set of hands in a few hours or would I be better off paying someone?  I am really handy and can do just about everything just dont know much about how to get the proper tension on the springs and how to not rip my hands off when taking it apart.. 

 

[Rene T]

Google "Replacing RV awning fabric" and you'll find some U-Tube videos :-\ showing how to do it. It doesn't look hard.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's pretty easy, but you will probably want a friend to help cause an extra set of hands makes it easier.  Both Carefree and A&E (Dometic) have instructions available on repair/replacement procedures, so once you identify the awning brand and model you can download them online or they may even come with the fabric.

You can count the turns as you unwind the tension (torsion) spring, but the procedures will provide an approximate setting based on awning length anyway.

Here is the replacement procedure for an A&E 8500, a common model.
http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/aespring.pdf

 

[Cowhead]

I found some replacement fabric for my awning and its a Coleman Faulkner and I guess they don't make that brand anymore or make parts for it.  But I ordered the fabric anyhow shipped for 199.99.  Now I have looked at some of the videos on the internet of putting the new fabric on and I guess my question is do I really have to go thru all that work?  Can i just drill the rivets from the non cam end and slide it back enough to get the channel exposed and than slide the old off and slide the new in and than re rivet the end cap in place and not ever have to worry about spring tension or removing the entire assembly? 

 

[wackymac]

I replaced my awning fabric last fall.  It is worth it to go thru the whole process.  I pulled all the springs and rods out of the tube and cleaned and lubed them.  It made the awning work a lot smoother.  My wife and I did the whole job.  It was a 16 foot A&E.  I followed a couple of the Utube videos.

 

[Rene T]

Can i just drill the rivets from the non cam end and slide it back enough to get the channel exposed and than slide the old off and slide the new in and than re rivet the end cap in place and not ever have to worry about spring tension or removing the entire assembly?

I could be wrong, but I believe there is a torsion spring on both ends. When you drill out the rivets, the end cap will spin I think loosing all the spring tension.

 

[Koodog]

I replaced several awnings with new fabric. All the ones I've done have had torsion springs in both ends. Full disassembly was what I did. Really not that hard or time consuming. Easier with 2 people.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Don't know about your Faulkner, but on some awning models you can drill through the end cap to get access to the fabric slot without removing/loosening the end cap.

 

[Cowhead]

Damn Springs ha ha..  I like your idea Gary..  I think I will do some closer looking and see if I can just do that..

 

[Cowhead]

At what position do the springs have the most tension on them?  Un rolled or rolled up?

 

[Ned]

At what position do the springs have the most tension on them?  Un rolled or rolled up?

Unrolled, it's the spring tension that allows the awning to roll up.  Works just like a window shade.

 

[Bamaman]

You can get replacement awning fabric for as low as $98 on EbayMotors.com.

Instruction videos are on UTube.com.  It's not that hard of a job if you have a friend to help you and a large rivet gun.

 

[Cowhead]

I got the Fabric ordered it should be here tomorrow..  I had someone tell me that i can open up my awning and than put nails in it and than drill out my rivets and than i shouldnt have to worry about any tension issues

 

[RoyM]

Timely thread for me. I have been having issues with the locking mechanism on our old Prowler so shot some lube in and rolled it up. When I attempted to extend it the fabric tore away from the trailer. @(%^$*&$%  Good videos on You tube on replacing it.

 

[Cowhead]

Got my new awning fabric in the other day not exactly the color i was expecting but its good enough i guess.  Me and the wife put it on by our self's and when we took it off i had it all the way un rolled and i counted 19 turns until there was 0 tension on the spring and we got everything put back together and than i counted 18 turns to put tension on it and everything was going good until i went to roll it up it wouldn't go..  I took everything back apart and there as no tension on the cam lock side.  Nothing looks broken so I wound it up about 12 turns this time and we got it to go up and roll but it needs assistance to roll up it just wont go on its own now.  so what did I do wrong?  Should I just try to put a few more turns on it?