awning brackets

[JerryJ]

We went camping this past weekend. Having a drought? Send us camping, you'll have rain for sure. (couldn't resist)

While I had the awning opened up I noticed the two support brackets on the bottom were not as tight or secure as they should be. I could have tightened them but my guess is the screws/bolts used go into the wooden frame and being a 1985 it's anyone's guess that the wood my be partially rotted, stripped or whatever. There could be metal or an existing nut and bolt set up already. don't know at this point
I didn't want to chance tightening at the campsite for fear of making things worse. I'm now wondering about making steel or aluminum "L" shaped brackets so that the awning bracket could be re-bolted through the wall and an extra secure anchor further under the trailer.

I briefly looked to where the bolts go through and they seem to go between the under floor of the trailer and the floor that we walk on, so there must be a gap between surfaces. Would I just open it open the floor below and place new bolts and some decent size washers and tighten everything together???

Any past experiences or fixes? I really don't know if this is a factory awning or aftermarket

[jim44646]

Brackets are lag bolted to the wood frame through the aluminum sideing . Take an ice pick or awl and probe the wood behind the brackets. chances are you have rot in there. I'd be checking roof for anything that might look like a leak. You cant just put a band aid on it and forget it. as far as aftermarket awning. a TT is made up of all after market items.

[JerryJ]

Thanks Jim. I never would have suspected a lag set up. As far as rot is concerned. I tore apart the inside front last year and replaced the inside wall because of a leak and this year I resealed and repainted the roof, mostly to clean it up and check things. No holes were visible and no signs on the interior anywhere on the inside of any leak.

However, that doesn't say anything for what might have migrated from underneath and what might be hidden. For a 1985 I guess we should expect the unexpected

[jim44646]

One way to tell is to pull one of the lags to see if it is rusty.

[JohnB]

I do not know for sure on a 1985 Sunline, however on a 2004 unit they still lag bolted the awing on.

I had to take my top one off to the awning. When installing, squirt the hole and the lags well with Dicor to help seal it back up.













On my top bracket, the lags go into the top wall header, if you can call it a header.

Good luck

John

[JerryJ]

I disconnected one lower bracket at a time from the awning and not knowing what to expect I was hoping you were right...and you were. When I pulled the first lag out it had the typical rust on it and yes it was screwed into the small wood frame.

The bottom line was to remove the lag screws and insert new stainless bolts washers and nuts on the other side. Most of you know there is a bit of a tin type floor underneath, so the floor we walk on and the floor covering underneath. I took my grinder and cut a partial hole to open a trap door as a flap. Drill through to the other side and insert the bolt flat washers two large and two smaller flats and self locking nuts. I did both lower brackets and now things are tight. During reassembly I used butyl tape to seal the bracket at the wall. I found the wood to be as in good shape as it was when new.

I bent the two flap-type openings and used some metal strapping to re-fasten back to the floor. Then I took some roofing tar and gave a good dose of tar to seal it.

I'm not touching the upper brackets because I don't want to disturb the roof and ceiling (no leaks and nothing is loose).

Next project is to remove the front main stone guard (awning) to repaint and perk things up

[JohnB]

Jerry, good news you where able to get it fixed up and not have to deal with rotted wood...

Thanks for posting back

John