Awning won't retract without a lot of help

[James86004]

Our Sprinter came with a Carefree of Colorado awning that extends and retracts with a hand crank. The PO hardly ever used it. There is some sort of clutch or loose coupling inside, because when we try and retract it, you can feel slippage in the mechanism. It takes 3 people to retract it. One to run the crank, and two to lift up on the awning and push in to relieve any resistance. The manufacturer is no help, they tell you to take it to one of their authorized distributors to pay to get it fixed.

I am trying to figure out how to disassemble it, but I can't even see how to pull the cover off. Anyone here have any ideas? Our next step is to remove it from the van to see if we can find anything.

 

[WOODY2]

I would suggest a call or email to them?

 

[James86004]

I did. They helpfully gave me the names of some local dealers and told me to take it to them. I'd rather fix it myself.

 

[68camaro]

While packing up after Overland Expo East 2018 my canopy would not retract. I took the end cap off by the front of rig and it was easy access to get to gears to try to get unstuck. Mine gears were seized so I ultimately took off, order parts and rebuilt when I got home, it is a Fiamma.

On the Fiamma if you take the end cap of you can use a socket wrench (without sockets) and stick onto gear house and turn to open or close awning. You only need to take end cap off.

 

[James86004]

I did not think of taking the cap off the opposite end (front) from the crank. I will try that.

 

[James86004]

Update. I got the left endcap off, and there is a place for a 1/2" socket there. Even that does not move smoothly. I ended up taking the right angle gearbox off and it is a piece of junk. Pot metal bevel gears, and several gear teeth were broken off. This on an awning that had barely been used. We are going to try buying a new gearbox in the hopes that the tolerance stackup on the new one is a bit better. Otherwise, I will put my engineer hat on and design a new one.

 

[tanuki.himself]

Update. I got the left endcap off, and there is a place for a 1/2" socket there. Even that does not move smoothly. I ended up taking the right angle gearbox off and it is a piece of junk. Pot metal bevel gears, and several gear teeth were broken off. This on an awning that had barely been used. We are going to try buying a new gearbox in the hopes that the tolerance stackup on the new one is a bit better. Otherwise, I will put my engineer hat on and design a new one.

might be time to motorise - i've found that robotics motors and linear actuators are good sources for gearsets

 

[javajoe79]

might be time to motorise - i've found that robotics motors and linear actuators are good sources for gearsets

Yeah I agree. Maybe source a 12v gear motor to adapt and ditch the gearbox that's on it.

 

[James86004]

Good suggestion, I will look.