Awning leg locking clips issue

[Minty]

I have a brand new 6.1 Ocean and before taking it back to VW I wondered if others had experienced similar?

When attempting to lock the awning legs with the pull-up clip around half way down each leg, the clips won’t lock in position. This means the legs can’t support any weight. I and a friend who has a California himself can’t fathom it and believe the metal spring clip inside is either upside down or somehow positioned incorrectly‍

Any enlightenment welcome!

 

[AlisonF]

Hi, there have been some posts recently where people weren’t pushing the clip far enough. It can be quite stiff when new.
Someone suggested warm water to soften it slightly.
But if your friend has a cali and can’t fathom it either than maybe a trip back to dealer.
You’ve just reminded me I need to check mine as well!

 

[steve_b]

If you have a friend with one then compare photos but certainly on my t5 era they need significantly more force than you think they do. To the point where I expect them to break every time

 

[Minty]

Hi, there have been some posts recently where people weren’t pushing the clip far enough. It can be quite stiff when new.
Someone suggested warm water to soften it slightly.
But if your friend has a cali and can’t fathom it either than maybe a trip back to dealer.
You’ve just reminded me I need to check mine as well!

Hi Alison, thanks and very interesting. We pushed the clips as hard as we dared, and at the base to avoid snapping. I’m inclined to book it in and watch VW snap it!
That said I like solving problems so I’ll try warm soapy water at some point.

 

[Perfectos]

Hi Minty,

give it a good squirt of Silicone spray, the lever is a cam that presses on the metal flat spring, initially they are unbelievably stiff, let the silicone sit for a while before re trying

if you post a picture of the cam lever and sprung plate whilst attached to the leg I’m sure we’ll be able to tell you if it’s correct or not.

 

[Minty]

Many thanks Perfectos, I’ll have a go on Monday and feed back the result.

 

[Perfectos]

Another thing that helps when the awning is new is use the two or more fingers under the lever whilst forcing ( it feels like that) the lever upwards, using several fingers supports the lever along its entire length.

I remember the first time I tried mine I thought it was faulty and couldn’t possibly be that stiff, it felt like the lever would break, just at the point where I thought the lever would snap it popped into the locking position.

try doing it with the awning wound out no more that 300mm, or just enough to get the legs out ( don’t wind the awning out more than 300mm as you can break the brackets that hold the awning to the van) take one leg out at at time, hold the leg under your arm, against your body to support the leg and push the lever away from you using your thumb along the underside length of the lever

 

[Eber123]

Good afternoon,

The first time I put up the awning I had the same problem. I wasn't able to move the white plastic clip upwards to lock the awning support /leg.

As far as I can remember I raised a similar question in the forum and tried all the tricks - but it did not move.

At the end I decided to leave it and went to my VW dealer. We tried it there, but the service person was not able to move it either. We went to another brand new T6 and it was working fine there.

I thought they will replace the lock or at most the leg, but the VW dealer ordered a complete new awning ... . It arrived within a week and they swapped the awning. After that I had no problems at all.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[AlisonF]

I also have a new T6.1 and have just followed the advice above (at around freezing and without using hot water) and winding out 30cms I could lock both legs. As I was not using the awning I pushed along the legs and they were solid.
Hope you get yours fixed.

 

[Minty]

Well, after a generous spray of silicone, I took my time and ended up using three fingers from each hand on the clip to try and lock it in position. I pushed until my thumbs began to sprain! There is clearly an issue and I think Eberhard’s experience above is the most similar. Thanks for your advice Eberhard; I will let the dealer know what happened with your awning.

 

[AlisonF]

Well, after a generous spray of silicone, I took my time and ended up using three fingers from each hand on the clip to try and lock it in position. I pushed until my thumbs began to sprain! There is clearly an issue and I think Eberhard’s experience above is the most similar. Thanks for your advice Eberhard; I will let the dealer know what happened with your awning.

Sorry you did not get it to work. I was surprised mine worked in such cold temps hence my post above.
I hope you have a good result with your dealer, although a whole new awning seems a faff.
Please let us know how you get on as useful for others.

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry you did not get it to work. I was surprised mine worked in such cold temps hence my post above.
I hope you have a good result with your dealer, although a whole new awning seems a faff.
Please let us know how you get on as useful for others.

It's not really a faff.
VW buy the awnings in from Thule/Omnistor. They will not repair them under a warranty claim, just replace it, on behalf of Thule/Omnistor, and return the old Awning to the manufacturer. VW are probably not allowed to repair them under the terms of their contract with Thule/Omnistor.

 

[Minty]

Thanks all, and yes, the unbelievably stiff issue was the one. The rep couldn’t move it on mine nor on a demonstrator he had in the showroom, but the mechanic saved the day!

I would think the average 7 year old would have no difficulty clipping it in to position now...

 

[steve_b]

Out of interest was is saved by needing significant quantities of brute force and ignorance to clip the first time, or did he do something to it?

 

[Minty]

I wasn’t a witness but the rep who was suggested so! Once done, all good...

 

[SimonB Somerset]

I have a brand new 6.1 Ocean and before taking it back to VW I wondered if others had experienced similar?

When attempting to lock the awning legs with the pull-up clip around half way down each leg, the clips won’t lock in position. This means the legs can’t support any weight. I and a friend who has a California himself can’t fathom it and believe the metal spring clip inside is either upside down or somehow positioned incorrectly‍

Any enlightenment welcome!

 

[SimonB Somerset]

I had the same issue and worried about forcing the clip. Being a keen cyclist who maintains fiddly mechanisms, I managed to solve the issue. I used a small amount of spray lubricant directed at metal spring (could probably also use small blob of silicone grease on 2 relevant surfaces) and then a thin tyre lever to push in spring as I pulled up lock handle (I will keep a spare tyre lever in my van kit until the locking mechanism beds in). Hope this helps