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02-20-2014, 06:47 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Yes, that is the awning pictured on my Trilium and the longer spring in the earlier post is similar to the one in my Shadow awning.
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02-20-2014, 07:13 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Name: Francesca Knowles
Trailer: '78 Trillium 4500
Jefferson County, Washington State, U.S.A.
Posts: 4,669
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Similar to this one?
That spring goes inside of a pulldown awning fabric roller tube and is tensioned when the awning rolls/unrolls. As you can see in the picture that spring is completely "untensioned"- that's why the coils rest against each other. As it winds, the coils spread apart and must be held in that tensioned position by means of a locking mechanism until released. Then the awning winds up...
I don't see how such a spring could work on your awning setup, which has no roller. Don't the springs go inside the arms/legs, and if so, how do you "wind" them...and once wound, how do they provide tension in the right direction?
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02-20-2014, 07:15 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Trailer: U-Haul VT16
Posts: 982
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That long spring is the same one used by Scamp.
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02-20-2014, 08:38 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Francesca: yes, that is how my awning works. As you pull the awning out of the housing (mounted on the roof) the awning unrolls from the roller tube and the spring(s) inside the roller tube becomes more and more tensioned (tighter). It is necessary to hold it against that tension untill the legs are attached and the guy line attached. Not the easiest thing to do one handed, but possible. When it's time to go just take the guy lines off and hang on while the spring tension winds the awning into the housing around a roller tube which is inside the housing. It's low-tech simplicity is one of the things that made it last nearly 40 years.
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02-20-2014, 10:31 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Name: Francesca Knowles
Trailer: '78 Trillium 4500
Jefferson County, Washington State, U.S.A.
Posts: 4,669
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Okay, then! I'm on board. Sounds like it works alot like a regular pulldown awning except for the rassling match that must have to go on while one holds it against the tension.
I'd love to see a video of how that works...
Meanwhile, here's something to consider:
If you ever have a mind to convert to a regular pulldown awning , the fabric you have can be used/mounted to that hardware. That's what I did- just bought the arms/rafters/roller tube and mounted an old awning to it.
Saved me over half the cost of a "new" awning, and I got to keep the old stripey look to boot.
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02-21-2014, 06:24 AM
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#26
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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It may come to getting a "new and improved" awning, now or the future. For the present though I'd like to keep the old awning. It is a bit of a hassle to put up and down, but I've kind of gotten used to it over the years and, as I've mentioned, low-tech simplicity does have it's advantages. The awning broke while on the road, but just by taking 3 screws out of the end cap I can roll/unroll the awning around the tube by hand. Slow and cumbersome for sure, but I still have an awning. Not sure that a newer one would be so accommodating. I am actually considering modifying one end cap such that I can manually crank the roller tube if needed. If I were home I'd be in the garage right now doing just that.
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02-21-2014, 03:41 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Name: Francesca Knowles
Trailer: '78 Trillium 4500
Jefferson County, Washington State, U.S.A.
Posts: 4,669
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Good news/bad news!
The awning below has the torsion spring inside the pullout tube, which looks like the same dimension as your fixed tube; and a replacement torsion spring is available for fifty bucks plus shipping.
But here's the bad news: It's in Australia...
Link to parts page
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02-21-2014, 07:07 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Thanks. I marked the site. Leave it to the Aussies to be different. I'm concerned about the whole Southern Hemisphere/Coriolis thing though. Which way do you turn a spring "down under"?
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02-26-2014, 01:57 AM
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#29
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Problem ( temporarly) solved. Frabricated a new end cap that lets me roll up the awning without needing the springs. Have pictures, but don't have a clue how to attach them.
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03-01-2014, 04:32 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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A few pics of the temp awning fix.
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03-01-2014, 04:34 AM
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#31
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Another
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03-01-2014, 04:34 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Last
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03-01-2014, 05:56 AM
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#33
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Moderator
Trailer: U-Haul 1985
Posts: 3,436
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Maybe you can hook a drill up to that and speed up the rolling.
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03-01-2014, 02:00 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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I considered that, but the way my luck has been running lately I forsee an unexpected disaster. I already had the awning shortened to 5ft so it's not very much to take in. I also use a ratchet wrench which speeds things along. I feel very retro hand cranking my awning. At this point I'm better off taking things v e r y s l o w l y.
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03-05-2014, 11:18 AM
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#35
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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I've found a couple of spring manufactures down here in Florida. Good news is they will make me a couple of springs to whatever specs I desire. Bad news is that it would be about $500! I guess that's only $250/spring
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03-05-2014, 12:06 PM
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#36
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Senior Member
Name: Ron
Trailer: Trillium 13 ft (green grape)
Ontario
Posts: 442
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Domestic Corp. 46 Zatonski, Brantford Ontario (519 720-9588) make bagged awnings. Got mine thru Great Escape RV, 24265 Richmond Street London N5X 4B2.
Was around $300.00.Already had the slide in 8 foot bracket on trailer.(75 Trilliunm
13 ft./
Ron
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03-05-2014, 12:13 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Name: Francesca Knowles
Trailer: '78 Trillium 4500
Jefferson County, Washington State, U.S.A.
Posts: 4,669
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clyle
I've found a couple of spring manufactures down here in Florida. Good news is they will make me a couple of springs to whatever specs I desire. Bad news is that it would be about $500! I guess that's only $250/spring
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I converted my awning to a regular just-like-the-big-boys' pulldown for about that. Bought arms, roller, hardware, used my striped awning fabric, and mounted it all myself. Takes thirty seconds to open/close.
On of the best mods I ever made!
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04-27-2014, 07:16 AM
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#38
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Junior Member
Name: Sandy
Trailer: trillium
New Jersey
Posts: 6
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Help a newbie put up her Trillium 4500 awning?!
Hi everyone! So glad I found this particular thread....We bought a 1978 Trillium this past Fall and have been fixing it up all winter, first camping trip booked May 15th so it's crunch time
We have only opened the awning in our driveway (the SAME exact yellow/white tension one as your photos Francesca!) to examine/clean it and since we live in somewhat of a metro area there was never space to open it up with poles etc, see a "before" photo below the day we bought it of how close is is to our house, lol. We were able to move it about 3 feet over but that was all the space we could get.
Well yesterday my husband and I drove it to a large parking lot to finally open up the canopy fully with poles etc, and we are totally lost. We have NO idea which poles go where, into what holes, how to set it up (one person or 2), and in the process broke/snapped off a tiny pointed part of one of the poles (Having our toddler with us running around like a monkey didn't help either).
Would be EVER so grateful if you would post close up pics of your assembled awning poles? ie, at the joints and underneath so we can see which ones to use where? Better even, a video assembly would make me swoon!
We are soooo excited to take our first outing but this whole awing deal is an integral part or our enjoyment! Thanks so much! Here's a photo from the parking lot adventure yesterday, pre awning incident
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04-27-2014, 08:56 AM
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#39
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1972 Boler American and 1979 Trillium 4500
Posts: 5,137
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Welcome to FGRV Sandy.
Here is a suggestion, with a trailer dolly you can turn the trailer around in your driveway and have the door facing out. It would make it easier for some things.
Heavy Duty Trailer Dolly
Just noticed you have a window that opens in the door, nice.
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04-27-2014, 10:09 AM
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#40
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Senior Member
Name: lyle
Trailer: Trillium
Michigan
Posts: 147
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Sandy. I'd be happy to post a few pics of an assembled awning as it looks like yours and mine are identical.
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