Zip Dee Awning Question

[Keith Strehle]

After freeing up one of the awning arms, I have gotten around to the
spring replacement part of the job. I deployed the awning for the
second time last night. First time I had to roll it up by hand.
Actually it kinda fell down. But it's in the deployed position. Is
there a trick to lowering/raising these awnings into position? It was
more work than I expected just to get it up. I had to use a step
ladder to reach the arm locking pins and pushing the awning up into
place was not easy.

Any advice from the group would be appreciated.

Keith
84FC35

[davidkerryedwards]

Can you elaborate some more? Have you installed a new spring? The power of the
spring
should retract the awning back up to the coach. When you put the spring in the
tube, you
have to wind it up using the arm as a lever, then re-attach the arm to the
bottom section.
You can control the amount of 'oomph' the spring has in retracting the awning by
winding
it tighter or unwinding it a few turns. You need to be careful in carrying out
this
operation, so you don't lose control of the spring. I did it while standing on
a stepladder.

Kerry
82 FC 35
Denver

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
wrote:
>
> After freeing up one of the awning arms, I have gotten around to the
> spring replacement part of the job. I deployed the awning for the
> second time last night. First time I had to roll it up by hand.
> Actually it kinda fell down. But it's in the deployed position. Is
> there a trick to lowering/raising these awnings into position? It was
> more work than I expected just to get it up. I had to use a step
> ladder to reach the arm locking pins and pushing the awning up into
> place was not easy.
>
> Any advice from the group would be appreciated.
>
> Keith
> 84FC35
>

[Keith Strehle]

No I haven't installed the spring. But I have done it before on one
of the window awnings. My question is more about how to push the
awning up into place once it is rolled down. It seemed like it was
harder than it should be? Maybe that's just the nature of the beast
or I'm missing out on some of the finer points? But I have owned
newer but less quality awnings that were much easier to deploy.

A fellow Bluebird owner will be here on Friday. Maybe I'll help him
set up and see how he does it? I should have the spring installed
and wound up nice and tight by then...

Keith
84FC35


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> Can you elaborate some more? Have you installed a new spring? The
power of the spring
> should retract the awning back up to the coach. When you put the
spring in the tube, you
> have to wind it up using the arm as a lever, then re-attach the arm
to the bottom section.
> You can control the amount of 'oomph' the spring has in retracting
the awning by winding
> it tighter or unwinding it a few turns. You need to be careful in
carrying out this
> operation, so you don't lose control of the spring. I did it while
standing on a stepladder.
>
> Kerry
> 82 FC 35
> Denver
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
wrote:
> >
> > After freeing up one of the awning arms, I have gotten around to
the
> > spring replacement part of the job. I deployed the awning for
the
> > second time last night. First time I had to roll it up by hand.
> > Actually it kinda fell down. But it's in the deployed position.
Is
> > there a trick to lowering/raising these awnings into position?
It was
> > more work than I expected just to get it up. I had to use a step
> > ladder to reach the arm locking pins and pushing the awning up
into
> > place was not easy.
> >
> > Any advice from the group would be appreciated.
> >
> > Keith
> > 84FC35
> >
>

[davidkerryedwards]

Without the spring, it will be hard to retract the awning because it will not
wind up on its
own.

Kerry
82 FC 35
Denver

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
wrote:
>
> No I haven't installed the spring. But I have done it before on one
> of the window awnings. My question is more about how to push the
> awning up into place once it is rolled down. It seemed like it was
> harder than it should be? Maybe that's just the nature of the beast
> or I'm missing out on some of the finer points? But I have owned
> newer but less quality awnings that were much easier to deploy.
>
> A fellow Bluebird owner will be here on Friday. Maybe I'll help him
> set up and see how he does it? I should have the spring installed
> and wound up nice and tight by then...
>
> Keith
> 84FC35
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
> wrote:
> >
> > Can you elaborate some more? Have you installed a new spring? The
> power of the spring
> > should retract the awning back up to the coach. When you put the
> spring in the tube, you
> > have to wind it up using the arm as a lever, then re-attach the arm
> to the bottom section.
> > You can control the amount of 'oomph' the spring has in retracting
> the awning by winding
> > it tighter or unwinding it a few turns. You need to be careful in
> carrying out this
> > operation, so you don't lose control of the spring. I did it while
> standing on a stepladder.
> >
> > Kerry
> > 82 FC 35
> > Denver
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
> wrote:
> > >
> > > After freeing up one of the awning arms, I have gotten around to
> the
> > > spring replacement part of the job. I deployed the awning for
> the
> > > second time last night. First time I had to roll it up by hand.
> > > Actually it kinda fell down. But it's in the deployed position.
> Is
> > > there a trick to lowering/raising these awnings into position?
> It was
> > > more work than I expected just to get it up. I had to use a step
> > > ladder to reach the arm locking pins and pushing the awning up
> into
> > > place was not easy.
> > >
> > > Any advice from the group would be appreciated.
> > >
> > > Keith
> > > 84FC35
> > >
> >
>

[Don Bradner]

I think, although it is unclear, that he is talking about the arms and not the
awning itself. Deploying, not rolling back up.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

On 6/11/2007 at 10:47 PM davidkerryedwards wrote:

>Without the spring, it will be hard to retract the awning because it will
>not wind up on its
>own.
>
>Kerry
>82 FC 35
>Denver
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
> wrote:
>>
>> No I haven't installed the spring. But I have done it before on one
>> of the window awnings. My question is more about how to push the
>> awning up into place once it is rolled down. It seemed like it was
>> harder than it should be? Maybe that's just the nature of the beast
>> or I'm missing out on some of the finer points? But I have owned
>> newer but less quality awnings that were much easier to deploy.
>>
>> A fellow Bluebird owner will be here on Friday. Maybe I'll help him
>> set up and see how he does it? I should have the spring installed
>> and wound up nice and tight by then...
>>
>> Keith
>> 84FC35
>>
>>
>> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Can you elaborate some more? Have you installed a new spring? The
>> power of the spring
>> > should retract the awning back up to the coach. When you put the
>> spring in the tube, you
>> > have to wind it up using the arm as a lever, then re-attach the arm
>> to the bottom section.
>> > You can control the amount of 'oomph' the spring has in retracting
>> the awning by winding
>> > it tighter or unwinding it a few turns. You need to be careful in
>> carrying out this
>> > operation, so you don't lose control of the spring. I did it while
>> standing on a stepladder.
>> >
>> > Kerry
>> > 82 FC 35
>> > Denver
>> >
>> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
>> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > After freeing up one of the awning arms, I have gotten around to
>> the
>> > > spring replacement part of the job. I deployed the awning for
>> the
>> > > second time last night. First time I had to roll it up by hand.
>> > > Actually it kinda fell down. But it's in the deployed position.
>> Is
>> > > there a trick to lowering/raising these awnings into position?
>> It was
>> > > more work than I expected just to get it up. I had to use a step
>> > > ladder to reach the arm locking pins and pushing the awning up
>> into
>> > > place was not easy.
>> > >
>> > > Any advice from the group would be appreciated.
>> > >
>> > > Keith
>> > > 84FC35
>> > >
>> >
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

[pattypape]

Keith,

Zip Dee has an explaination on their web site.

http://www.zipdeeinc.com/diagram_adjustt...spring.htm


Bill 88 FC Michigan


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
wrote:
>
> After freeing up one of the awning arms, I have gotten around to
the
> spring replacement part of the job. I deployed the awning for the
> second time last night. First time I had to roll it up by hand.
> Actually it kinda fell down. But it's in the deployed position.
Is
> there a trick to lowering/raising these awnings into position? It
was
> more work than I expected just to get it up. I had to use a step
> ladder to reach the arm locking pins and pushing the awning up into
> place was not easy.
>
> Any advice from the group would be appreciated.
>
> Keith
> 84FC35
>

[Steve Pfiffner]

I replaced the spring on a 20ft last summer, I found one extra turn more
than Zip-Dee's recommendation was perfect on a circa 1989 awning.

Steve
'89 Airstream Excella
BB Wannabe

[Pete Masterson]

I'm puzzled ... I release the catches using the pole with a hook on
the end, then pull down the awning with the strap provided. Window
awnings are held 'down' by slipping the strap over the hook on the
side of the coach. The main awning is held in place by the latch on
the end of the roller.

Roll up is simply releasing the strap or unlatching the latch on the
large awning. On my coach, the large awning usually takes a nudge or
two with the awning pole before it begins to roll itself up -- but
there's very little effort, overall.

The spring is what makes it all work...

Pete Masterson
aeonix1@...
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
El Sobrante, CA




On Jun 11, 2007, at 4:47 PM, davidkerryedwards wrote:

> Without the spring, it will be hard to retract the awning because
> it will not wind up on its
> own.
>
> Kerry
> 82 FC 35
> Denver
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
> wrote:
>>
>> No I haven't installed the spring. But I have done it before on one
>> of the window awnings. My question is more about how to push the
>> awning up into place once it is rolled down. It seemed like it was
>> harder than it should be? Maybe that's just the nature of the beast
>> or I'm missing out on some of the finer points? But I have owned
>> newer but less quality awnings that were much easier to deploy.
>>
>> A fellow Bluebird owner will be here on Friday. Maybe I'll help him
>> set up and see how he does it? I should have the spring installed
>> and wound up nice and tight by then...

[Steve Pfiffner]

Pete,

The latch on the end of the roller is only closed when the awning is up
for travel. Zip-Dee warns that it should be left open when the awning is
deployed or it can be damaged.

Steve


----- Original Message -----
From: "Pete Masterson"
To:
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 8:22 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Zip Dee Awning Question


> I'm puzzled ... I release the catches using the pole with a hook on
> the end, then pull down the awning with the strap provided. Window
> awnings are held 'down' by slipping the strap over the hook on the
> side of the coach. The main awning is held in place by the latch on
> the end of the roller.
>
> Roll up is simply releasing the strap or unlatching the latch on the
> large awning. On my coach, the large awning usually takes a nudge or
> two with the awning pole before it begins to roll itself up -- but
> there's very little effort, overall.
>
> The spring is what makes it all work...
>
> Pete Masterson
> aeonix1@...
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
> El Sobrante, CA
>
>
>
>
> On Jun 11, 2007, at 4:47 PM, davidkerryedwards wrote:
>
>> Without the spring, it will be hard to retract the awning because
>> it will not wind up on its
>> own.
>>
>> Kerry
>> 82 FC 35
>> Denver
>>
>> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Strehle"
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> No I haven't installed the spring. But I have done it before on one
>>> of the window awnings. My question is more about how to push the
>>> awning up into place once it is rolled down. It seemed like it was
>>> harder than it should be? Maybe that's just the nature of the beast
>>> or I'm missing out on some of the finer points? But I have owned
>>> newer but less quality awnings that were much easier to deploy.
>>>
>>> A fellow Bluebird owner will be here on Friday. Maybe I'll help him
>>> set up and see how he does it? I should have the spring installed
>>> and wound up nice and tight by then...
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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