I changed mine by myself (with no help) a couple weeks ago. To pull it through the top track, I tied a small pulley onto the rear arm of the awning. I attached vice grips to the leading edge of the awning (with a protective cloth between the awning material and the vice grips). Then I tied a rope to the vice grips, ran the rope through the pully, and ran the rope back to the front. As I fed the awning into the track, I pulled on the end of the rope, which pulled the leading edge of the awning to the rear of the RV.
I changed my Fabric last week after watching this vid , Thankfully i didnt loose any fingers or any claret , I was a lot easier due to this vid for sure I also had a marker pen and put arrows to remind me the way to preload the springs , Oh and a Bloody big set of Vice grips .Funny thing i went to the rv repairer they quoted me near $2000 to change the fabric I purchased the new fabric for $465.00 AUD saved over fifteen hundred bucks ! I love winning Thanks again buddy Rob NSW Australia
Oh my gosh thank you soooooo much for your great video! Man it is so helpful and I love the fact that you included what NOT to do also. I have made so many mistakes along the way and the fact you included them in the video is fabulous. What a great teacher you are. I was not actually looking to replace the fabric but was trying to find out how to replace and put on the coil and housing on my brothers camper that BROKE IN HALF during a heavy rainstorm while we were camping recently. *Note to self....ALWAYS put your awning in at night especially when they are forecasting heavy rains! I really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work!
Thanks a bunch for the feedback. I certainly learned a few things the hard way on this one. Yes. Leaving the awning out is always risky. I did it the other day then the wind kicked up. I couldn't wait to get back and pull it in :) Luckly it was fine.
This Video is one of the Best I've seen on this, I wish it'd been up a couple of Months ago, LOL! My Father-In-Law has an OLD Motorhome and when we had that Big Snow Storm (For Texas, anyway, LOL!), he didn't roll his Awning in so the weight of the snow tore his awning completely in two. So he Ordered a new Replacement and My Wife and I Installed it. My FIL said next time, he's just gonna pay to have it installed even though the Company was gonna charge more for Installation than what the Fabric cost. 1 thing I can add is MAKE SURE YOUR CHANNELS ARE CLEAR!. My FIL's fabric had been in there so long, the Piping was sealed in with dirt and oxidation. I used water from a garden hose along with a wire brush and a screwdriver to try to get them clean. Next time, I'll use my pressure washer! If dirt is still in the channels, the Fabric will bind up and not slide. Also, use a silicone spray lubricant to help it slide in (I had a spray can of Food Grade on hand) and like Tito said....at least 2 people to install! There are Videos saying it's a one person job and I've seen 1 that even says you don't even need to remove any framework, both top and bottom can be done at the same time......Ours Couldn't.
Perhaps the one thing that I like best about your videos, is that even though you are obviously an experienced RV'r, you understand life, and are not afraid to admit that you don' know EVERYTHING! And that much of your knowledge is earned through misadventure and EXPERIENCE.
I replaced ours with help. It looks like you watched the same video I did before I started. My wife says I have a 3-stooges sense of humor.....but I had to laugh when the spring flew loose. Thanks man.
Thanks for showing us how you put your awning on and all your mistakes, because we all learned when we make mistakes so I think we learn more by seeing your mistakes. It's always better to have helped but one of the things you could have done is put a pulley on the back side of the RV on the roof and attach 1 line to the awning with a clamp and you pull the other line as you feed the new awning into the the track rail. Great job...
I need to do this soon. You have no idea how grateful I am for your video. This will be exceedingly helpful when I get my new fabric. Thank you for showing us how to do this.
This was the best video for installing an awning I've. Cut and dry, to the point. I have mine still in the box brand new. Just got it July 28th from Shade Pro. Once I get back to my 35 foot Dutchman Denali in another state, my neighbor and I are going to install it. Thanks for showing the wrong ways and right ways.
Thanks Brian For being transparent, it gives us a shot of reality so we can get it done right .I just replaced my power awning on my class C exactly a week ago all by myself and didn’t have to disengage any spring - lucked out .My project went slow but turned out really well .Thanks again Brian : )
Thanks for the video, it helped me out a ton today. I had a bad experience with the spring tension getting away from me as well, except I thought I would be slick and stick a long Phillips screwdriver through the hole instead of the vice grip method. It’s by the grace of God that I didn’t blind my right eye when the screwdriver came firing at my face and got hit in the cheek with the handle. This is definitely a task to be safety conscious about.
Yikes. I know what you mean. I've had the pin fly out too. It really has to be the perfect size. Glad to hear you didn't go blind. So I'll add safety glasses to go with the gloves :)
I know I should not have laughed out loud, but the "Ah crap!" look on your face at 18:49 was priceless. Thank you for sharing your mistakes, I mean, tips with us!
This video is a lifesaver. I was camping alone and had my awning out as a patio. A wind gust caused the arm to flip over. I couldn't get it back to where it was and had to release the tension by removing the end cap. It spun so quick I didn't have a clue how many revolutions it was wound up too. Just purchased a new awning and ready to change it out. Thanks again for your videos.
We just finished putting our awning on. This video was excellent, you made the mistake and showed them and it was such a huge help because when we got to those steps we stopped and rewatched and then proceeded forward. Thank you!
Ouch, I could feel what your hand was about to feel before your hand felt it. I had the vicegrips slip out of my hand and beat the ever-living-snot out of my fingers. I went into the house and ran it under cold water because I was afraid to look at it. Two person job for sure, I learned that lesson the hard way too.
Good thing my vice grips slipped off instead of spinning. I felt them start slipping and there was no way I was going to grab it with my hands. No problem at all with the bigger vice grips. Lesson learned.
Brian - Know what I love about you more than your excellent informative videos? You keep it real. A lot of guys would have cut out those painful mistakes, not you... valuable lessons! I have done the same project on my rig (my first "big" project). Definitely a multiple-person project! I also used a replacement from Tough Top Awnings. I can't begin to tell you how happy I am with the product and the customer support. One lesson I learned that I will pass along, make sure that on the right side you use short rivets. I didn't have the right size and the locking mechanism wouldn't fully engage (hitting the rivet). BTW - An excellent tip on the strap, thank you... got to try that on mine.
@@RVwithTito Anytime On the rivet tip, screwed me up... hopefully, save someone else some time! Love the Tough Top product, great customer support too. Was surprised to see how "small" they are. My next project is to do the two that pull down over the bedroom windows and the double-wide one that protects the two on my slide out for the livingroom/kitchen. Thankfully, the one that tops the slide-out is in great condition. I am a little concerned as they do not ratchet down like the main one(same as the one you did in the video). Hopefully just smaller versions... guess I will find out!
@@edd6917 The slide toppers are much easier. Just remove the tension by hand, then pin it. Once replaced, remove the pin and let the spring take up the slack.
I have same end caps. You can avoid taking both those off and messing with the springs or rivets. On one side just drill a whole where the slots are to run the fabric in. Cut that little piece of metal over the slot making it a clear shot to stick the cords in and pull fabric through. Done quick and without smashing your hand with spring which I also did as seen on here but worse. I saw the easy trick afterwards
Thanks for the video. And thanks for the honesty of mistakes made. One method we used for tensioning the loose left side…. Put the arm back on the roller with the bolt, and swung the arm around 14 times. It’s a big swing but gives good control so it don’t hurt a guy!
Sorry about your hand. That was exactly what i was worried about. I ended up replacing mine a different way and by myself although another person would have made it easier. I didnt have to unwind or disassemble the springs either. I made a video of it
Great Video.. I bought a Scaffold ladder from Amazon several years ago now it’s a one person installation for my awning and slide tops, works wonderful..
After watching several other videos on how to do this I settled on this one, Than You! Took the wife and I about 5 hours bit we got it! Probably would have gone faster but we slid it upside down so the print was facing the ground had to slide back off and reslide on the correct way. And thanks for including your mistakes, I made sure to rewind mine the rite way.
Good job. With your talent I knew you'd be able to do it. I'm sorry for laughing when the spring let loose. LOL I would love to help you. I would have held the ladder for Melissa. I'm glad you didn't seriously get hurt. Thanks for your videos they are the best.
Really great video. We also had to take the back cap off because of some piping that broke off. Luckily it didn't spin out of control. Now we have to figure out how to keep it locked after winding it back up. Our caps seem different, the hole isn't perpendicular to the roller like yours. It is parallel, so we have to find something that won't get in the way. But so glad you showed how to wind the backside. We watched several videos where this was not addressed.... And it should have been. Great job!
Watched a few videos already & you must be a teacher by trade! everything in your video is what one needs to know with on hand pros, & cons! "OUCH The Finger " !! tackling mine shortly loaded with confidence. Thank You!
Great video. I just did mine 2 days ago. I wish I had seen your video before doing mine, but I watched only ones that were motorized since mine is motorized. But, same technique applies to both types. We started with 4 people and ended up with 6. We put the tube on first and then attached vinyl to RV. That was a mistake but we managed with 6 persons. Others were doing it that way. Even though one end is motorized, you still have to deal with a tensioner on the other end that wasn't mentioned in videos that I had watched. I am still fine tuning mine. I will highly recommend your video to any one that does their own replacement. Other than a few steps to do with the motorized awnings, your video is the only one that needs to be watched. Ron
Very good lessons. A friend of mine and I helped to change one on his parents' RV. I didn't want to do it but together we were able to get it done. Really was nice that we could get it done together. Important to wind them the right way and remember because we made the same mistake. Also, very helpful to have two of you when doing it. Thanks for sharing, Pat
Good job. You did better than me with the correction of the winding direction! I made the same mistake 3x in a row! And I thought I was a quick learner! Haha
@@RVwithTito Glad this worked out! A lesson I learned from watching this is that I need a camera to record the steps I take on a project like this, just so I can go back and check the tape to see which way I actually wound the thing! That’s how much I trust my memory.
Great video, and thanks for showing the mistakes you made along the way. It's much more instructive and memorable than the videos that just say "use two people", "use a 'large vice grip' , use a ' pick to hold the spring tension', etc. The devil is always in the details, and too many people just assume you know what they are talking about for sizes, lengths, dangers, etc (we also had problems with our left spring). One suggestion I have, and it's something I've not seen elsewhere either, is to be more detailed on the process of drilling out the rivets (for example, how to size the drill bit to the job, and what you are trying to accomplish) - - - we had never done that before. My wife and I are currently replacing an awning similar (but an older model) than yours, and after a few hours of cussing and watching other videos we are now at the point of putting the fabric on, and re-setting the spring tension on both ends. Your 'mistakes' at that point are exactly what I needed to see to finish, and I wish I had found your video first! Thanks, and I've subscribed, liked, and will click on any affiliate links to help support your efforts. I look forward to watching the rest of your videos.
Ouch! I have been there. I know that pose, bent over moving your hands up and down. When I did it, it hit my thumb. I thought it broke it, but it did not. Very sore, for a while. Thanks for your video.
I just finished mine this past weekend, Unfortunately I could not find any help from wife or daughter, So I had to be extremely creative with use of tools, techniques & extra ladders to do it by myself. Took me about twice as long as it should but was able to successfully complete the project. Had some issues as you did maneuvering the initial spline into top track by myself, I positioned the folded fabric on top of my trailer- and let it slide as I pulled slowly from the opportunity side into the track, had to go back & forth frequently to keep it half way in line as not to snag or rip anything. Biggest challenge I’d say was retensioning the spring by myself, I only took off the left- no lock side, So had to spin it…. Then will holding the tension, Kick the ladder away and maneuver the arm up to me & reattach it. I only put 12 turns on mine, Probably could tension another turn or so, but myself it was hard to do. It opens & closes sufficiently, even with only 12 turns so I think it’s good for now. All in All it is doable for one person but much more difficult, Potential for mistakes is greatly increased.
Well Tito, we did ours on Christmas Day. Ours is a motorized one, 16' long, and with the aluminum guard it is so heavy the wife can't hold one end up. So even with help, it's still very difficult. Other than that, it went on and is absolutely beautiful. Funny, our old one was exactly the same color as yours. We got new fabric from Shade-Pro - very good price and very nicely made. Our old one made it 17 years.
Tito I almost fast forwarded past the spring loaded episode cause I knew the tension release was coming but I watched anyways, ouch! Nice job and explanation anyhow. I hate awnings and got rid of mine a decade ago and built a gazebo instead. I don't like getting trapped inside the RV during snow loads. Neighbor kid actually came over and opened my door during a snow load and ripped the awning about 2 feet. Now I am going to attempt a DIY Topper Awning on all 3 slides except I won't be using traditional Hardware. I refuse to spend 2K. Instead I am going to use PVC 1" pipe maybe inside a 3 pipe with drilled out end caps to accept the 1" pipe. I don't care about the spring loaded stuff. Don't need it. I figure I will have $300 max invested and that includes the fabric.
Most people I noticed on YT use the wrench’s in the wrong direction. If you go back and observe your vice grips when you were winding your spring, the tool always goes with the jaws in the direction you are turning. You were doing it opposite of the jaw and that may/will give it an opportunity for it to slip and snap free or not grab as well. Most people use vice grips and adjustable wrenches (cresent wrench) against the jaw opening, which should always be in the direction you are turning. I hope I made myself clear of what I’m trying to explain. Job well done otherwise, the first time we ever do anything, it is always a learning curve👍.
Great video, you really made it fun to watch this project unfold. You highlighted important steps well. Thank You and best wishes to your fingers and friends.
Awesome vid! Thanks Tito! Serious injury can happened if that spring releases. I was replacing the side arm slide brace. An RV buddy showed me how to do the right side where the lock trigger is, but failed to tell me the left side needed to be pinned down with a awl tool, etc. When I took off the end cap and that spring let go spinning the end cap against my hand numerous times before my brain could tell my hand to let go! I seriously damaged my hand for weeks! Big nauseous Ouch! Wished I'd seen this first!
A true do-it-yourself type of video. The type where you figure it out as you go! I love it cuz its so real, and highlights some of the problems everyone else can run into the first time around. Nice work! And hide the blood…perfect recommendation for all RU-vid videos!😎
I just did my first awning. I learned it's a 1 man job not 3 if you feed from the back to front while on the roof. But 2 is helpful. The springs are not bad or scary. I like 15 turns. It takes about 2 hours by yourself taking your time.
