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Topic: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas? (Read 247 times) previous topic - next topic
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Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Hi folks,

Finally after all this time on the road, we are just now getting to use the awning.  Once again, I'm amazed the thing did not come out in shreds.  It looks great (well, pretty good), and everything works as it should ... except one thing.

One of the arms that attaches to the front rail will not hold in place using the red knob.  The red knob screws in fully, but isn't holding the arm to the desired length.  For now, I've MacGyver'd it with duct tape, but that's not how I want to do it ;-)

While we were setting this up, my DW found something on the ground that may (or may not) go with the awning.  I've attached a picture.  It looks like it could be a friction piece, but I'm not sure how to install it if it is.  Or it may be a red herring and there is another way to fix this.

I've gone to fiamma.com and downloaded what I think is the right manual, but it probably isn't quite old enough (ours is a 2000), since it looks in the manual as they have changed how the arms mount to the LD.  However, they don't seem to have this level of detail in their parts diagram.  I've also attached a photo showing the exact model of awning we have.

Anyways -- has anyone had this problem and overcome it?  I'm open (as usual) to your tips, suggestions, and feedback.

Thanks in advance,

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #1 –
I might suggest you contact the following person who will be able to help you.

Bob Snyder, Operations Manager
Fiamma, Inc.
Fiamma Inc. - Home

Bob's email address is:

fiamma1@fiamma.com

If you simply cut & paste your post above along with pictures, he should get back to you quickly.  I have found him to be very responsive.  Hope this helps.
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #3 –
Steve

"While we were setting this up, my DW found something on the ground that may (or may not) go with the awning.  I've attached a picture.  It looks like it could be a friction piece..."

Is the color of your coach 'Red'?

The upper item in your photo looks strangely like a fender skirt knob, do you have all of yours??   ;)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #4 –
Quote from: Lazy Bones  - 
Steve

Is the color of your coach 'Red'?

The upper item in your photo looks strangely like a fender skirt knob, do you have all of yours??   ;)

Hi Steve S.,

The color of our coach is Blue, and that red knob is off the awning arm. 

But quite a coincidence that you mention that, because the last folks to work on our tires left one fender skirt knob loose, and we are in the market for a *blue* one! 

Thanks for the suggestion.

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #5 –
The red knob screws into the arm to keep it in place look at the other side that works you will see where it screws in.
2009 Kodiak 32 foot Island Bed
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #6 –
Quote from: camper2831  - 
The red knob screws into the arm to keep it in place look at the other side that works you will see where it screws in.

Thanks Camper -- we see where it screws in, but when screwed in all the way, it is not holding the arm like the other one.  In short, it is not doing its job and we are trying to figure out why.

If you have any thoughts, we are all ears as the duct tape was a pain to remove this evening as the wind picked up ;-)

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #7 –
Quote from: camper2831  - 
The red knob screws into the arm to keep it in place look at the other side that works you will see where it screws in.

Thanks Camper -- we see where it goes, but it is not holding.  That's why we though this extra part might be the reason.

The other side is holding fine.  This side is not.  I cannot see any difference between  the two sides, so I am interested if anyone has faced this issue with a Fiamma awning before.

Thanks much,

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #8 –
Quote from: Traxless  - 
I might suggest you contact the following person who will be able to help you.

Bob Snyder, Operations Manager
Fiamma, Inc.
Fiamma Inc. - Home

Bob's email address is:

fiamma1@fiamma.com

If you simply cut & paste your post above along with pictures, he should get back to you quickly.  I have found him to be very responsive.  Hope this helps.

Thanks Traxless -- I will try contacting him, as I have not heard any easy fixes from the LDO group yet.  Appreciate the pointer.

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #9 –
   Hi Steve and Carol. The picture with the red knob and washer is identical to my 1999 awning. That other part must just be miscellaneous debris.
    In normal operation, the red knob with threaded post, screws down tight on the washer, which squeezes against the outside edges of the support arm, and pulls the inside extending arm up against the inside of the outside (fixed) arm to prevent slipping. Put the washer on the threaded post and screw it down tight into the hole on the inner sliding arm.
   The knob should get tight, holding the washer tight. If the knob keeps turning, and doesn't  get tight, then the nutsert, the threaded nut part on the sliding rod could be loose and spinning. That can be fixed easily but doesn't appear to be your problem. I'll be able to post a picture tomorrow. RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #10 –
Steve and Carol,
RonB is on target.
On my '88 MB  the knobs were rusted into the nutsert and were spinning in the aluminum tube.  I  cut the knob off and drilled the stud an nutsert out. I replaced them with a modern A&E rafter thumb screw and square nut.  I removed the end plugs and slipped the nut inside, captured with the thumb screw, and secured with an elastic lock nut. Luckily my aluminum was metric square tube and thing fit well with a little grinding.
Rodney
1988 Mid Bath
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #11 –
Thanks to all that replied.

RonB's confirmation that my "extra piece" was just detritus, led me to think perhaps just the last thread of the red knob had stripped.  So I added a second washer and it worked!  Easy for now.

Rodney, thanks for your detailed instructions if my receiving nut was the culprit.  I thought that was likely too, but happily I'm OK for now.  Your solution looks like a good permanent one.

And Traxless, thanks for the e-mail address for Bob at Fiamma.  I sent him an e-mail yesterday, and will perhaps just end up ordering a new thumb knob from him.  Appreciate that pointer.  Will see if he adds any info when he gets into the office on Monday.

Appreciate this group very much!

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...
 
Re: Awning arm supports -- one is not holding tight -- ideas?
Reply #12 –
To fully close the loop, I did e-mail Bob at Fiamma, and he as able to inform me they no longer make the red knobs for the awning arms, but now have a grey "thumb-strew" style tightener that I purchased.  I was also able to order a right end cap to replace one that was damaged by a pesky dangling steel cable ;-)

He informed me that on my 2000 Mid-Bath I have a F45 Plus L model awning.  The label on my awning did not indicate the "L", so that was helpful.  And he provided specific part numbers so I was sure to be ordering the correct parts.

So thank to Traxless for the contact info for Bob.  He's very easy to work with.

S-
Steven & Carol Crisp -- 2000 26.5' Blue Mid-Bath named Thistle Dew Too
Our RV Motto:  "No place to be ... and all day to get there"
2024 Adventure: The Great Eclipse Escapade!  HI(Air),NV,AZ,NM,Mason,TX(Totality!) ...