Shady Lady!

Monday morning Christie headed back home so the boys got to work fixing the awning. It was extended using a rope after the wireties, tape and wire were removed and was not dented or ripped and was still centered. It rolled up as expected but getting it to pull back into the side of the coach was tricky since the fabric (when connected) keeps it square. We tied it on both corners and Jim was pulling both ends over the roof, but the rope was hooked on roof vents, and screws. Lyn was called in for extra manpower and once it was back within a few inches of the side I was able to pull the new "Soft Connect" through the channels with copious amounts of silicone.

Hard to see below, but the new part is 4.5 inches wide with the fabric folded over round plastic that when pulled through the track, keeps it inside. The fabric is coated but the way the "unigard" metal cover for the awning is wound up, leaves the fabric to act like a hinge. Eventually it wore thin and the wind which came up fast must have been enough to tear the fabric for the whole 20 feet. It tears along the edge where the double thickness ends.

Planned obsolescence? Can't really complain about a $155 part after 11 years, but our failure was rather tame, if it had torn while driving or if the breeze had been from an angle rather than the other side of the coach, the awning assembly could pop right out with no restraint on the gas springs. Eventually the mangled assembly would fall back on the side of the coach.

Although the day remained cloudy on Monday, once the sun comes out, it will be nice to have shade from the awning on that side of the coach.