Broken awning - fabric on awning unstuck at seam

[Melinda Rickett]

Help our awning fabric has come unstuck in the seam and we have removed the fabric from the frame but now can’t wind the awning frame back in- we need to move on tomorrow - any suggestions so we can move in and sort when we get home?

 

[sj__hoare__77]

Help our awning fabric has come unstuck in the seam and we have removed the fabric from the frame but now can’t wind the awning frame back in- we need to move on tomorrow - any suggestions so we can move in and sort when we get home?

Oh no! Happened to us in France, only a week ago. A known problem with the original fabric it appears. Unfortunately it's the fabric, as you rewind it, which folds the arms in. Best option is to use some rope to hold the arms, in against the tension of the arms, but another is to do the same but to remove the whole awning so it's safe to travel. It's two Torx T30 bolts next to each arm, above the sliding door, which allows you to then lift the whole cassette off. Bit wieldy to then travel with. Obviously, the best option is to affect a temporary repair to the fabric, reinstall it, so at least you can get the cassette to close. Sadly, it's an expensive bit of fabric to replace ~£300, but ours is currently being repaired by a sailmaker for about £60. It should be stronger than the original wield, so if it is a clean split/tear then do consider that.

Hope this helps

Steve

 

[sj__hoare__77]

Oh no! Happened to us in France, only a week ago. A known problem with the original fabric it appears. Unfortunately it's the fabric, as you rewind it, which folds the arms in. Best option is to use some rope to hold the arms, in against the tension of the arms, but another is to do the same but to remove the whole awning so it's safe to travel. It's two Torx T30 bolts next to each arm, above the sliding door, which allows you to then lift the whole cassette off. Bit wieldy to then travel with. Obviously, the best option is to affect a temporary repair to the fabric, reinstall it, so at least you can get the cassette to close. Sadly, it's an expensive bit of fabric to replace ~£300, but ours is currently being repaired by a sailmaker for about £60. It should be stronger than the original wield, so if it is a clean split/tear then do consider that.

Hope this helps

Steve

 

[Melinda Rickett]

Oh no! Happened to us in France, only a week ago. A known problem with the original fabric it appears. Unfortunately it's the fabric, as you rewind it, which folds the arms in. Best option is to use some rope to hold the arms, in against the tension of the arms, but another is to do the same but to remove the whole awning so it's safe to travel. It's two Torx T30 bolts next to each arm, above the sliding door, which allows you to then lift the whole cassette off. Bit wieldy to then travel with. Obviously, the best option is to affect a temporary repair to the fabric, reinstall it, so at least you can get the cassette to close. Sadly, it's an expensive bit of fabric to replace ~£300, but ours is currently being repaired by a sailmaker for about £60. It should be stronger than the original wield, so if it is a clean split/tear then do consider that.

Hope this helps

Steve

Thanks Steve that’s really helpful advice. We’re booked into Dartmoor for the weekend so don’t want to take it apart - we’ll try to repair I think

 

[sj__hoare__77]

Thanks Steve that’s really helpful advice. We’re booked into Dartmoor for the weekend so don’t want to take it apart - we’ll try to repair I think

No worries. If you live down South then the sail maker I'm using is in Portsmouth.

 

[Melinda Rickett]

No worries. If you live down South then the sail maker I'm using is in Portsmouth.

Good to know - we’re Cornwall. Be good to know a bit more about your sail maker solution though

 

[NessL]

Good to know - we’re Cornwall. Be good to know a bit more about your sail maker solution though

Make the most of it and replace with something more interesting than dull grey https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/wind-out-awning-fabric-we-replaced-it-with-stripes.41801/

 

[SamSara]

Oh no! Happened to us in France, only a week ago. A known problem with the original fabric it appears. Unfortunately it's the fabric, as you rewind it, which folds the arms in. Best option is to use some rope to hold the arms, in against the tension of the arms, but another is to do the same but to remove the whole awning so it's safe to travel. It's two Torx T30 bolts next to each arm, above the sliding door, which allows you to then lift the whole cassette off. Bit wieldy to then travel with. Obviously, the best option is to affect a temporary repair to the fabric, reinstall it, so at least you can get the cassette to close. Sadly, it's an expensive bit of fabric to replace ~£300, but ours is currently being repaired by a sailmaker for about £60. It should be stronger than the original wield, so if it is a clean split/tear then do consider that.

Hope this helps

Steve

Hi Steve, which sailmakers are you using?

 

[sj__hoare__77]

Hi Steve, which sailmakers are you using?

We're using Cover Care in Emsworth, near Portsmouth. Really likeable people and though I haven't got the repair back yet, I'm pretty confident in everything they've said to date. Happy to update this thread when the repair is done. Definitely worth a try, as well, when you consider the cost of a new fabric roll, versus the expected lifetime of a decent repair. It's about 5 times more expensive for a new roll! Can't help but feel Thule like to upsell a bit ;-(

Steve.