[whited44]

Hi Everyone.  I picked my coach up in October.  It has 1 driver side slide.  On the trip back from picking it up the slide out awning went in and out with the slide as it's supposed to.  The last stop before home I ran the slide out like I have before and it broke the aluminum castings that hold the roller tube.  I took the slide awning off so that I could get home.  Well I finally got the parts from Zip Dee.  Put everything back together per their instructions and watching the YouTube video that AZ rv expert did on replacing one (see below video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO8Iuj7ReKA

So long story short.  I went to put the slide out and watch the slide awning go out like it was supposed to and it got almost all the way out and 1 of the castings broke again.  Zip Dee is closed for the holiday but just wondered it anyone else had any problems like this??  The spring is original but seem like it wound nicely.
           

[Richard]

Yes,

Look at the two standoffs for the arms. Add a 1/8 shim to the standoffs. The awning fabric is catching on the upper edge of the slide out and jamming the roller.

Easy fix.

[whited44]

Yes,

Look at the two standoffs for the arms. Add a 1/8 shim to the standoffs. The awning fabric is catching on the upper edge of the slide out and jamming the roller.

Easy fix.

So you're saying the fabric is rubbing on the top of the slide while it comes out??  Causing it to catch hence ripping the casting heads off???

[Richard]

It has happened a number of times to me. The fabric presses up against the vertical wall of the slide out at the top of the slide. It is not rubbing on the ceiling of the slide.

I am assuming you released the hook catch of course.

The other thing that can happen is if the tension is not high enough the lip on the stainless zip dee cover will droop and catch going out or coming in.

[whited44]

It has happened a number of times to me. The fabric presses up against the vertical wall of the slide out at the top of the slide. It is not rubbing on the ceiling of the slide.

I am assuming you released the hook catch of course.

The other thing that can happen is if the tension is not high enough the lip on the stainless zip dee cover will droop and catch going out or coming in.

I can definitely see that happening.. and I’m leaning toward this is my problem. 

The lock is gone, it was ripped off prior to me.

I don’t think the layer is the problem because i put 18 turns on it like the zip dee manual says and I wouldn’t think this would only be problematic at first coming out not almost all the way out

[Richard]

Well it gets tighter the further out it is.


And oh yeah, to the best of my corrupted memory chip, I have 25 turns in it. I think the spring may have weakened with time, just like me.

[whited44]

Well it gets tighter the further out it is.


And oh yeah, to the best of my corrupted memory chip, I have 25 turns in it. I think the spring may have weakened with time, just like me.

I’m gonna try to put some paint sticks or something behind the arms after I put it together again.  See if that helps keep it away from the side of the slide

[arcticdude]

Airstreams use the same awning parts. I found much less expensive ZipDee parts at an Airstream dealer in North Carolina, iirc. I had to replace both heads on my bedroom slide topper when one broke. The other got heavily stressed from the twisting the awning tube did when the first head broke.
You might try your local Airstream dealer, if you have one. They should have this part, though the local one to me when mine broke did not have it.

[whited44]

Update on this..

Bought new head castings from zip dee.  Put a stick on spacer in the slide out awning arm to keep the roller from rubbing the slide out as it went out. Seems to be working well soo far..  first time this awning has ever been out

[Richard]

Oh yeah, one more thing. Replace the HOOK. I was not in the practice of hooking mine until I caught a side wind out of a canyon that unfurled the sail over the top of the coach. It moved the coach half a lane instantly.