Exterior Carefree Awning & AFK Questions

[Willy]

Hi all,

We bought our van second hand with an Australia Wide Annexe, including Aussie Traveller AFK's and 2 x curved rafters. We've never had a problem until recently.

The guy we bought the van from told us once we had the AFK's in place, we should flick the awning to the closed position, thus applying tension to the awning. As I said, no problem until "BANG" in the middle of the night when last used - the spring in the awning went.

Got it fixed recently and all good, but the guy who fixed the spring said we should leave the awning in the open position once setup with AFK's and rafters.

I'm not sure what is the correct setting now.

My second issue, the rear AFK has for a little while sat up almost out of the bracket at the van end, with the whole arm now twisting or pulling down along the inside edge. I have read previously where other owners have had issues with shrinking awnings and/or misalignment with the hole drilled at the barrel end. The edge of the awning on this AFK (barrel end) now wants to come out of the clamp as well. The installation was originally performed by AWA, but for the previous owner and approx 2.5 years ago.

Any assistance appreciated.

 

[crustt]

Probably better to listen to the guy who works on the awnings as he would know more about it.

 

[Willy]

Thanks Crustt. I had my awning fixed by a friend of a friend. He is not an awning guy.

Sounds crazy, but I thought I'd ask a few people with vans how they set their's up, and I was surprised to get very mixed responses.

I would be interested as to whether forum members leave their awning switched to open when they have AFK's and rafters setup with the awning out, or whether they switch it to closes to allow the awning to pull back and remain under tension?

 

[Crusty181]

When extended, the awning should be set to "close" for the same reason it should be set to "close" when travelling, so the wind cant rip it open. AFK use instructions has awning on "closed" when AFK is used. Hope that helps.

 

[Bushman]

I've always left mine in the ""ÖPEN"" position when ''SET UP'' never been told otherwise, been shown to tension the awning by pulling down on the main arm then tighten the spreader slide arm, then fit the AFK and tension it before closing the clamps.
If you place it in the close position you're placing undue tension on the mechanism.

 

[relgate]

I've always left mine in the ""ÖPEN"" position when ''SET UP'' never been told otherwise, been shown to tension the awning by pulling down on the main arm then tighten the spreader slide arm, then fit the AFK and tension it before closing the clamps.
If you place it in the close position you're placing undue tension on the mechanism.

*Try posting a bit more so your post isn't boring*

 

[jacbaz]

*Try posting a bit more so your post isn't boring*

 

[dagree]

*Try posting a bit more so your post isn't boring*

 

[crustt]

I always switch it to close.

 

[Crusty181]

Just to confuse the issue, and myself in general, I looked at the current online manuals for both the AFK and Carefree. The AFK has no mention, and although the Carefree doc is not clear, there is no mention of flicking the lever to "close" at the end of the open sequence. (Im sticking with my fading memory, that some manual for something, I have somewhere says "closed")

My own awning has been ripped open in a wind gust, and Im not sure once the internal spring is loaded there would be any advantage either way in the roller being locked or unlocked, so Im happy to stay with the closed position.

 

[coled1970]

Sorry folks but here are 3 videos on setup but none say to put the drum to close. the last one is from Jayco and on an expanda.

,

,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1C2_ngV62HA#t=39

 

[Crusty181]

Whoops. Your not helping Colin. Ha. The Aussie Traveller video show the dude setting the roller onto "close" and rolling the awning back onto the locked off support arm. Then he goes about installing the AFK. Maybe Ill email Aussie Traveller and Carefree, and get the definitive answer.

 

[coled1970]

Missed that one, but yes it does look like he leaves it in the close position