A&E awnings have a black "travel knob" that you tighten to secure the upper awning support when it is erected and when you travel. The earlier ones have a steel threaded shank that can rust and seize up. They need a little lubriplate or motorcycle chain lube every so often. Replacement is 930008, and is stainless steel.

It is a pain to replace a seized up knob and nut.

Thanks for the info bill, I'll get a couple ss ones soon. I also use zip ties on front and rear as high as I can reach when hitting the highway. Strong cheap insurance!

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Dan & Suzy Z
'81 Euro 28

On a recent trip a SOB was parked along the road with this older guy looking at his motor home. I stopped to find out if I could help him. It turned out that the awning was going to depart the side of the coach. I got up on the roof and fasten the awning to the top brackets. He was very thankful. I remembered some of the posts about awnings flying off our Barths and I didn't want that to happen to this couple. He was very thankful for the help. Barhtmobile.com comes through again.

quote:

Originally posted by Danny Zeeff:
Thanks for the info bill, I'll get a couple ss ones soon. I also use zip ties on front and rear as high as I can reach when hitting the highway. Strong cheap insurance!

Danny, securing the arms is good, but does not prevent the awning from unrolling in a high wind situation. You can check that yourself by turning the roller while the arms are up. The lever is supposed to prevent unrolling, but is not reliable.

Here's how I made a holder-downer for my A&E:

Drill a 1/4" hole at 3 o'clock on the outside of the aft end drum. Bend a 3/16" rod with a hook at one end to go in the hole and an eye at the other end. The rod should be long enough for you to reach the hole from the ground. #9 wire works, too. Attach a metal spring (or even a strong bungee) between the eye in the rod and the hole in the base of the arm, using a small chain or cable and an S hook. In use, the hooked end of the rod goes in the hole, the other end of the rod is permanently attached to the spring or bungee, and the spring or bungee is attached to the hole in the base of the arm by means of the cable and “S” hook.

Additionally, an O ring can be slipped over the factory raise/lower lever to provide additional friction to keep it in the "raise" position when traveling.

Pictures on request.

There are several commercial products that work, too.

My Barth came with a Zip-Dee patio awning. Coming down the switchbacks out of the Siskiyous the year we bought the rig, I heard a big bang and a thumpety-thump.

Certain I had blown a tire, I pulled over. The tires were fine, but the front awning arm had separated from the roller, and fallen down. The bang was the arm hitting the pavement, the thumpety-thump , as it dragged along the roadway.

I tied it up with a bungee cord, drove into Ashland, found a hardware store, bought a two-bit nut & bolt , & bolted it back up. Later I replaced the hardware store bolt with a hardened bolt from Zip- Dee, with a nylon-insert lock nut.

The awning didn't unroll, and I have since augmented the original latch with a pivoting Zip-Dee hook that bolts to the awning case, and hooks into a bracket riveted to the side of the rig.

My shiny chrome top bracket has a scratched-up flat section from dragging on the roadway, but I'm now belt & suspenders, as far as the awning unrolling.

The Zip-Dee hook would be an effective addition for any aluminum-cased awning, but not for fabric.

My Barth came with a Zip-Dee patio awning. Coming down the switchbacks out of the Siskiyous the year we bought the rig, I heard a big bang and a thumpety-thump.

Certain I had blown a tire, I pulled over. The tires were fine, but the front awning arm had separated from the roller, and fallen down. The bang was the arm hitting the pavement, the thumpety-thump , as it dragged along the roadway.

I tied it up with a bungee cord, drove into Ashland, found a hardware store, bought a two-bit nut & bolt , & bolted it back up. Later I replaced the hardware store bolt with a hardened bolt from Zip- Dee, with a nylon-insert lock nut.

The awning didn't unroll, and I have since augmented the original latch with a pivoting Zip-Dee hook that bolts to the awning case, and hooks into a bracket riveted to the side of the rig.

My shiny chrome top bracket has a scratched-up flat section from dragging on the roadway, but I'm now belt & suspenders, as far as the awning unrolling.

The Zip-Dee hook would be an effective addition for any aluminum-cased awning, but not for fabric.

Don't know how the above post managed to go in twice, don't know how to delete the extra.

I believe it is an ECHO, don't worry about it.

Dale

That happens to me, too.

That happens to me, too.

I NEED to get my ears checked.

I NEED to get my ears checked.

YES I WILL.

YES I WILL.

Dale

Dale

Jeez, you guys are just eaten up with sympathy.