Awning Helper

[adamdegraff]

At our show/feast/mini-rally in Liningston, TX, in between eating like a pig, I was introduced to the ZipDee awning helper. Jdub showed me how to use this amazing tool. Mine arrives tomorrow and I was hoping to get a set of instructions as the awning manual/instructions that came with my bus are terrible.

So, what order does everything happen?

1. Unlatch awning and take off velcro retaining straps. (yea, like these would hold the awning shut if it decided to spring open on its own!)

2. Unlock those little pull levers.

3. Pull out awning.

Then, what? Do I extend those claw end ratchet arms up into the little receiving brackets? This is where I get foggy. Jdub made it all look so easy. And fast.

Thanks,

Adam

[Jon Wehrenberg]

So far, so good. With the awning all the way down (extended) set the brakes by flipping the lever at each end.

Once the awning is all the way down, use the tool under the knurled knob on the brace to pull the knob out so the brace arm can be raised and the end inserted into the oval slot at the end of the aluminum slat. Make sure the brace arms are in place at both ends. The arms slide easier if they are periodically lubricated with WD40 or equivalent.

Once the brace arms are in place you can raise the main arms up into position, then release the brake levers.

[rodburtonmusic]

Re there pics of the last step...what to do with those 2 side bars? I've got the locks, and the slide down for the arms...but then the claw arms on each side...not sure what those do either.

[adamdegraff]

So far, so good. With the awning all the way down (extended) set the brakes by flipping the lever at each end.

Once the awning is all the way down, use the tool under the knurled knob on the brace to pull the knob out so the brace arm can be raised and the end inserted into the oval slot at the end of the aluminum slat. Make sure the brace arms are in place at both ends. The arms slide easier if they are periodically lubricated with WD40 or equivalent.

Once the brace arms are in place you can raise the main arms up into position, then release the brake levers.

Thanks Jon. Just to be sure we are talking about the same parts....

The lever at each end that "sets the brakes"... is that the one with the little hole in it? I'm not sure I understood what those did. They allow the roll of fabric to move? (Yup, I need a better word than "roll of fabric.")

The brace arms are the ones with the claw ends?

And the main arms are the ones attached to the side of the bus and can move up and down?

Just want to be sure I got this right.

Thanks,

Adam

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Yes to all three questions. You have it right.

All the little tool does is enable you to "pull" the knob out when extending or retracting the brace arm. If you want to practice setting up and retracting your awning you just need a step ladder so you can extend and drop the "claw" of the brace rod into the oval slot. Unless you are tall like JDUB then you just reach up and do it without the tool or a step ladder.