Awning Fabric alignment or stretch?

[Andy Smith]

Hi Folks,

If this is in the wrong category, feel free to move!

I've got an issue with my short awning over my dinette slide. It's not rolling up and seating exactly right within the rails. I thought it was an alignment issue and have been wiggling it in half-inch increments along the rail for an hour or so now, and while the arms line up great now, the arm toward the rear of the trailer seems to have enough slack that it's not rolling up tight to the rail/track. We have had it out in some windy weather before we knew better. I'm wondering if somehow part of it has stretched out, and if so, is there a way to tension or fix it short of replacing the fabric? Or do I just need to keep trying to align the rail cord better. If someone helps roll it up by pushing and aligning it seems to go up fine, or I can likely zip tie it in place for moving days. As always, thanks in advance!

[Mikendebbie]

I am thinking your fabric is out of position in the rail. Here are pics of mine...

[Andy Smith]

Hey Mike, thanks for looking! I can't quite see your fabric on the rail with the awning rolled up, but would it seem like I need to move it more fore or aft? Before my adjustments today I had replaced the nylon cord in the rail because the original had broke so it's possible and likely I've not got it quite lined up right, but the arms fold up perfectly in the track, where before the aft one was too far to the rear and binding on the track.

[Carl n Susan]

By "rail" are you referring to the attachment metal on the side of the RV or the roller tube?
Based on the 2nd pic, the fabric is bunched up and incorrectly rolled on the left side of the roller tube. You need to slide the fabric to the right on the roller tube, so that the fabric is approximately the same distance from the ends. Then roll it up and ensure it rolls evenly and not off to one side or another. If it does roll unevenly, move the fabric on the roller to one side or the other, in small amounts, until it rolls up squarely. Mark that spot with a sharpie line on the roller for when it slips again.

This has been discussed before and a Search should uncover directions that better specify which way to move the fabric based on the overlap. I don't remember the exact direction.

[Andy Smith]

By rail I mean the part on the side of the trailer. The bunched part on the tube is the attachment for the screen that hangs down from the roller tube, so I didn't expect it to play a part in the tension of the awning fabric itself. Since it may, I'll work on straightness for it. I had searched for threads about this issue but my concern was possible stretching of the fabric more so than the placement on the rail on the camper.