How To Repair Rv Awning Bracket

Topic: Lower awning mounting bracket pulled out - how to repair?

Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 ten:48am This happened at the terminate of last flavor and so I more or less put it on the back burner until spring...only it'southward around the corner.

Late last season I started to notice that the front end lower canopy back up bracket was loose. I tightened information technology a few times simply it connected to work it's style to the point where the bolts eventually pulled through and it came completely off.

I spent some time crawling effectually trying to effigy out exactly HOW to effect a repair here. From what I can see the bolts were simply lagged into (what appears to be) an aluminum runway backside the lower trim panel. Seemingly I need to go far behind this panel to somehow mount a bolt or a new mounting method of some sort as the original hole has got so big that at that place'southward zippo that volition hold the bracket on anymore.

The trouble is..it seems that there's no way to access this area. Below the trailer the area is blocked past the floor of the trailer. Above, the storage compartment.

Surely this has happened to someone before...then what's the best way to set up it? I can't tow all summer along with a bungee string holding the arm from flapping in the wind like I did for the final tow domicile final year. [emoticon]

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Posted By: Alpenliter on 02/25/12 eleven:01am Marker, if at that place is no access behind the damaged area, I would affix a metal plate to the bottom of the arm that extends a couple of inches across the base plate. I would so run lag screw through the predrilled holes in the new plate and secure it to the side of the trailer. You should exist able to pigment this metal plate to match your trailers color. When you drill the pilot holes in the side of the trailer, encounter if y'all can make up one's mind what you are drilling into. Lag screws may not exist the best fashion to secure it. Skilful luck on your project

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Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 11:03am I had idea about the secondary plate as mayhap my merely option...short of removing the whole lower trim console and having some bolts welded to the aluminum.

Only thought I'd encounter if in that location was some magic solution anyone might have came upwards with as an culling first. [emoticon]

The fact that information technology's just screwing into an aluminum bracket seems like information technology's only a recipe for it to happen again though - actually poor mounting engineering at the manufactory on that one...

Posted By: 2ndhom on 02/25/12 11:03am How about a next size larger? If you feel information technology's laged into metal go with a st stl commodities which is higher in force. Y'all may need to open upwards the bracket pigsty to accept a larger bolt. You may want to consider changing the other bolt to match if you have ii per bracket.

Posted By: Grillmeister on 02/25/12 xi:04am

Alpenliter wrote:

Marking, if in that location is no access behind the damaged area, I would braze a metal plate to the bottom of the arm that extends a couple of inches beyond the base plate. I would and then run lag screw through the predrilled holes in the new plate and secure information technology to the side of the trailer. You should be able to paint this metal plate to lucifer your trailers color. When you drill the pilot holes in the side of the trailer, meet if you can determine what you are drilling into. Lag screws may not exist the best way to secure it. Good luck on your project

This was my offset idea also.

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Posted Past: agesilaus on 02/25/12 11:05am Yous can't drill the holes out to the adjacent size upwards and tap the hole for larger bolts?

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Posted Past: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 eleven:05am

2ndhom wrote:

How about a next size larger? If you lot feel information technology'southward laged into metallic become with a st stl bolt which is college in forcefulness. You may demand to open up upward the bracket hole to accept a larger commodities. You may want to consider changing the other commodities to match if you have ii per subclass.

I already did that (Should have mentioned) in the latter half of the season when the original bolts started to spin in their mounts. The holes are just and then worn now that pretty much cipher I've tried seems to accept enough "bite" to hold for any elapsing. The last repair seemed OK until a calorie-free breeze started to move the awning, and then information technology quickly came loose once more.

Again, the stupid aluminum mounting bracket is...well...stupid!

Posted Past: pbitschura on 02/25/12 11:09am If there is a void behind this metal rib, might an expansion ballast piece of work. I don't call back a toggle would considering the size hole required needs to be large plenty to accept a bolt with enough sheer force to support the awning.

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Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 11:12am

pbitschura wrote:

If at that place is a void behind this metallic rib, might an expansion anchor work.

This crossed my heed. There is what appears to be a large void in backside the trim panel and then infinite isn't a concern...which is why I'm irked I can't go far there. [emoticon]

I take used these sorts of expansion anchors with drywall before with skillful results, but my feel is that they need something soft to "bite" into behind the wall in order to achieve a good solid mount - otherwise the rear bracket just spins free and you can't tighten it.

I wonder if there's i designed with this sort of awarding in mind.

Posted By: vladen on 02/25/12 11:14am Yes once once again I'm non impressed with the style the manufacture has done this.
There is simply not anything in the walls to properly bolt that much paraphenalia too. I did try a larger lag screw and it redily blew out likewise.

Push come shove I'll drill all the way through and run a bolt and large flat washer and lock nut hang a dodad on it like information technology was meant that way.

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Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 11:18am Hmm...like a long slice of threaded rod, or just a REALLY long bolt? Problem is, on my unit of measurement at least (equally I call back it) information technology's undetermined what is backside this void - it could exist some other metal wall (equally the floor below it seems to be) for all I know. I'll accept to get under there and eyeball it some more.

Posted By: haddy1 on 02/25/12 xi:33am Toggler makes an ballast chosen a Snaptoggle. It'due south sort of a combination of a toggle commodities and plastic insert (it stays in identify when the commodities is removed).

This might be what you are looking for. I've seen them at Lowes and Home Depot.
They are available online as well.

Some other possibility is the anchors that are supplied by A&East for apply when in that location is no backing other than the fiberglass skin. They come with their window awnings, but I don't if they have ones for patio awnings also..

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Posted By: vladen on 02/25/12 11:36am

PrivatePilot wrote:

Hmm...similar a long slice of threaded rod, or just a REALLY long bolt? Trouble is, on my unit at least (as I remember information technology) information technology's undetermined what is behind this void - it could be some other metal wall (equally the floor below it seems to be) for all I know. I'll accept to get under there and eyeball information technology some more than.

I call up a carriage head bolt 1/4 or 3/8ths about 2 1/2 to iii inches long possibly more than depending on your wall thickness and yes drilling thru in that area would be a little catchy. And thinking harder probably some backing plates 4x6ish wouldnt hurt either.

Posted Past: agesilaus on 02/25/12 11:44am Well this is something that we occasionally utilize at work: Titanium Putty:

Titanium Putty

You can fill a hole and then drill information technology and tap it. Information technology cures better with a little heat similar from a rut lamp or even incandescent lamp. I run across they have a modest tube of it, the pound size is a chip pricey.

Posted By: racer4 on 02/25/12 12:37pm How about calling Tech Support at the canopy manufacturer and ask them?

They must have run across this earlier and figured out a solution.

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Posted By: Don & Linda on 02/25/12 12:53pm [image]

They come in 1/4", three/8" and in stainless.

Sorry if this post seems long, I lacked the time to go far shorter.
almost quote from S.L. Clemens

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Posted By: Francesca Knowles on 02/25/12 02:01pm I don't know if they come in a size you tin apply, but might wellnuts work? blind wellnuts

" Not every heed that wanders is lost. " With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien

Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 02:15pm

Francesca Knowles wrote:

I don't know if they come in a size you tin can use, but might wellnuts piece of work? blind wellnuts

Hmmm! Thanks, I've never seen those before. I found this page that covers how those are used, as well as a few other methods. Information technology's related to Kayaks, but hey, securement is securement.

The simply thing that makes me wonder is the following statement:

Quote:

However, it is basically the rubber flange that is responsible for nearly all the holding power. These can and will pull out if too much stress is applied, just for such things equally cleats and eyestraps they generally should do OK.

That said, I recall I'd be willing to give these a shot.

I did actually contemplate the butterfly option posted above as well but the problem with those is that yous need to make a fairly large hole to become them through to begin with, and so I wasn't certain that the steel butterfly turning on a flat aluminum plate would ever grab well enough to even tighten them done. They too have a really, actually small commodities which seemed like information technology would probably break with non a lot of stress.

Posted By: Francesca Knowles on 02/25/12 02:33pm I've used blindnuts before though non for an awning.
The rubber might even be "tighter" than the screws in that soft aluminum. Seems like they may have come loose simply considering of road vibration working the steel lag screws against it.

The blind basics may come in some kind of "industrial strength" version, though fifty-fifty these smaller ones have brass nuts. You might endeavor searching for "bullheaded fasteners" or "blind nuts" for other options there.

I wonder how one might calculate the actual load on that subclass. In transit, I recall the load'south distributed over three points of attachment:
cloth-to-runway and upper/lower brackets. And when the canopy's deployed, the forces at the lower brackets push button confronting the RV....

Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 02:37pm I don't think that in that location's much (if whatsoever) load in transit - like I said, when it completely pulled out on our concluding trip of the flavour I only held it in place with a bungee string and it got us habitation no trouble. Information technology'southward been like that all winter, actually.

The times it seems to be nether the most stress is when the awning is beingness pulled out (a lot of downward force) and while it'southward setup and the current of air is up, kick the awning around.

Our awning is getting really hard to pull out (probably a different issue, it seems similar it'southward somehow become out of alignment a little bit) then this is probably exacerbating the force on the lesser brackets when I'm setting it upwards.

Posted By: Francesca Knowles on 02/25/12 02:43pm If you're having problem opening the awning y'all may be correct nigh misalignment, which could sure cause stress on those brackets.
The cloth can shift either on the tube or on the track or both- if it also rolls up "funny" when you're closing it I'll bet you've put your finger on the problem!

You might bank check to see if the screws through the textile in both locations are still there- they're supposed to hold the fabric in the right "plane", but they do fall out...

Posted Past: Dusty R on 02/25/12 04:56pm

agesilaus wrote:

Well this is something that nosotros occasionally use at work: Titanium Putty:

Titanium Putty

You can fill a hole then drill it and tap information technology. It cures meliorate with a little heat like from a estrus lamp or fifty-fifty incandescent lamp. I encounter they have a small tube of information technology, the pound size is a bit pricey.

That putty sounds good.
I was installing an awing and drilled a hole through the skin for the peak bracket where I idea there was a backing frame, wrong in that location was nothing but foam insulation. I put an Allen Wrench in my drill motor and chewed a void in that foam, and then filled the void with epoxy. When information technology was cured I drilled a pigsty in it and put the anchor screw in it.
That was 9 years ago. Still holding.

This method came from West Marine.

Dusty

Posted By: Pirate on 02/25/12 05:10pm I don't think whatever blazon of anchor would work. I would find some form of epoxy or putty and fill up the existing holes and so redrill. I used some 2 part synthetic woods when my mirrors came loose. Used a large injector from the meat department and injected that stuff into the holes. Information technology was but like wood when done. If that didn't work, I would go all the way through with nuts/bolts but that is a way for water to come up in.

Posted By: mapguy on 02/25/12 07:25pm A Wellnut or rubber expansion nut is non strong enough for the stresses an awning sees in the air current.

Consider a rivit nut or the titanium putty or injecting epoxy to form a cake.

I had to do this exact thing on my trailer -I inserted a rivit nut then injected epoxy. Ran a bottoming tap into the insert afterwards epoxy to clean the threads.

Rivit Nut @ Reid Supply

You tin can set up a Rivit Nut with a bolt, couple of washers and a nut -if a tool is non available -but use a ribbed style for this and brand sure the hole is very snug to the rivit nut

Posted By: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 07:46pm Ah ha! Thanks Mapguy, I think those Rivit Nut'due south might be the magic solution I was looking for - similar an expansion plug, but super heavy duty.

Now...I but have to encounter if I can actually find those things up here in Canada - I don't call up I've ever seen them before around here. Does anyone have easy access to them and willing to ship me 3 or iv if I encompass the costs? I might besides get 4, I suspect the rear mounts may do the same somewhen equally they seem mounted equally poorly.

Thanks!

Posted By: Francesca Knowles on 02/25/12 08:41pm I live just across the water from The Land of Canada, and have completely forgotten that "54-twoscore or fight" unpleasantness between Our Ii Nations.
I'd be happy to smuggle anything you want across the Edge. [image]

The rowboat leaves Discovery Bay every other Tuesday at midnight, precipitous.

Merely let me know what you'd like to accept aboard!

Francesca

P.S.

Hoping y'all understand up forepart that the Recipient pays off the Edge Guards...

Posted Past: PrivatePilot on 02/25/12 08:55pm Hahah.. Thanks, I'll PM ya. No need to send them from Canada really, just tossing them in bubble envelope and mailing them USPS would exist just fine unless you're going to be on this side of the parallel anyways for something else.

I'd order them directly from the aforementioned website, but equally expected they don't ship to Canada, and despite searching I couldn't discover them bachelor online from anywhere either located hither, or will transport to hither...and I don't call back I've ever recalled seeing them at the retail level here.

Thank you!

Posted By: wtmtnhiker on 02/26/12 04:07am Take you lot looked at toggle bolts as mentioned above?

bgbassman(bluegrass bass man)

Posted By: johntichy on 02/26/12 09:27am From your address I assume you lot are a airplane pilot and should know something about airplanes. Here is the correct way to gear up it. Use a "rivetnut". Y'all just drill it out to the size of the rivetnut and compress information technology in identify. Y'all will be proficient to go. That's how it's done on airplanes. You tin can buy a rivnut kit at Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, probally at Lowes and Home Depot every bit well.

Posted By: johntichy on 02/26/12 09:53am

johntichy wrote:

From your address I presume you are a pilot and should know something about airplanes. Here is the right way to prepare it. Use a "rivetnut". You lot just drill information technology out to the size of the rivetnut and compress it in identify. You volition be good to go. That's how it'southward done on airplanes. You tin buy a rivnut kit at Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, probally at Lowes and Domicile Depot as well.

Simply shaw mapguy's post. He is 100% correct. I think I got my rivnut kit from Harbor Freight. 20 bucks or so. Have to recollect plane when dealing with Aluminum.

Posted Past: garyindaupeh on 02/26/12 01:56pm Rivet nut/threaded inserts from Northern Tool. Here's a link to the tool:
http://www.northerntool.com/store/tools/product_200308963_200308963 it installs threaded inserts for bolts up to ane quarter inch which should work for your awarding. Good Luck!

Gary S.
PS: Northern Tool comment: We offer a 12 slice set of 1/4 - 20 threaded inserts, they are our item # 55872. They currently are not shown on our website. Delight phone call us at i-800-221-0516 to order.

* This post was edited 02/26/12 02:04pm past garyindaupeh *

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Posted Past: mapguy on 02/26/12 01:58pm

PrivatePilot wrote:

Hahah.. Thanks, I'll PM ya. No demand to ship them from Canada really, simply tossing them in bubble envelope and mailing them USPS would be just fine unless you're going to be on this side of the parallel anyways for something else.

I'd order them directly from the aforementioned website, merely as expected they don't ship to Canada, and despite searching I couldn't find them available online from anywhere either located here, or volition ship to here...and I don't call back I've e'er recalled seeing them at the retail level here.

Thanks!

Fastenal Stores. Princess Car may have a Kit.

Posted By: Trailblazer on 02/26/12 03:29pm

PrivatePilot wrote:

Ah ha! Thanks Mapguy, I think those Rivit Nut's might exist the magic solution I was looking for - like an expansion plug, merely super heavy duty.

At present...I but have to see if I can actually find those things up here in Canada - I don't think I've ever seen them earlier effectually here. Does anyone have easy access to them and willing to ship me three or 4 if I cover the costs? I might as well go 4, I suspect the rear mounts may practice the same somewhen every bit they seem mounted equally poorly.

Thanks!

Mark, I can confirm that Princess Auto sells a kit including the tool to install these. I bought a kit from them several years ago.

Bill
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Posted By: Chris Bryant on 02/26/12 04:39pm Proceed in listen a rivnut is going to work merely if there is a reasonably heavy frame to go in to at the surface- a lot have the frame an inch or more under the skin.
For a one off, a tool is easy to make to set rivnuts- RV places used to stok kits for under $ten with a couple of rivnuts and a simple installation tool.

-- Chris Bryant

Posted Past: Don & Linda on 02/26/12 09:42pm

Chris Bryant wrote:

Go on in mind a rivnut is going to work but if there is a reasonably heavy frame to go in to at the surface- a lot have the frame an inch or more nether the peel.
For a one off, a tool is easy to brand to set rivnuts- RV places used to stok kits for under $10 with a couple of rivnuts and a simple installation tool.

In our shop, we a like organisation/tool. Information technology's/they're called "Nutserts" As Chris pointed out the insert, when fully compressed only grabs the sparse outer beat out. Not a very potent zipper. IMHO I'd use a toggle or like fastener and try to catch the inner panel besides equally the outer skin for a stronger mountain. Proficient luck with whichever you choose. Don

Posted Past: PrivatePilot on 02/26/12 10:07pm The aluminum rail that the original mounting bolts were mounted in is immediately behind the trim pare on the side of the trailer, so at that place is plenty of "beefiness" (well, as much beef as aluminum can provide) available for the rivnut to take hold of.

Thanks Trailblazer for the heads up for Princess Motorcar - I'one thousand a PA junkie (In that location at least once a week) and don't ever recall seeing these, only I'll look harder at present. [emoticon]

Posted By: mapguy on 02/26/12 10:12pm

Don & Linda wrote:

Chris Bryant wrote:

Keep in heed a rivnut is going to work only if there is a reasonably heavy frame to become in to at the surface- a lot have the frame an inch or more than under the peel.
For a one off, a tool is easy to make to set rivnuts- RV places used to stok kits for nether $x with a couple of rivnuts and a simple installation tool.

In our shop, we a like system/tool. It'due south/they're chosen "Nutserts" As Chris pointed out the insert, when fully compressed only grabs the sparse outer beat out. Not a very strong attachment. IMHO I'd use a toggle or like fastener and try to grab the inner panel also every bit the outer pare for a stronger mount. Good luck with whichever you choose. Don

These two are right and why I injected epoxy later setting the rivit nut into the sidewall. I drilled a very small hole for the epoxy needle and congenital a block up to back up the rivit nut over multiple days. Make sure the epoxy you lot use -if going this way, is suitable for foam insulation.

Posted By: PrivatePilot on 03/17/12 07:46pm I oasis't been able to locate these locally, even at the earlier mentioned Princess Motorcar.

Is there anyone that would exist willing to purchase a few of these on my behalf, toss the in a padden envelope, and snail-mail them to me? I'd pay via PayPal, of class. [emoticon]

I don't need the tool, I tin surely rig something up here with little effort to pull the rivet portion into place.

Posted By: NickT on 02/25/12 10:51pm You could endeavour Princess Auto or Acklands

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