[VAL] Zip Dee Spring replacemnt

["Jim Clark" <jec1938@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would like to report a fix that went rather well ...

The street side awning gave out a strange noise the last time it was pulled 
down and it was obvious that there was no spring action to rewind the 
awning.. Diagnosis a busted spring, but not very convenient to fix it away 
from home ...

A local mechanic reinvented something I remembered later from the list and 
I would like to recommend the preparation of a couple of bent wires to hold 
the awning upright while traveling home... I added a couple of strips of 
rather large electrical tape to help out, but I am fairly sure it was not 
needed... The wires were actually a welding rod that the mechanic bent a 3" 
right angle on one end and a kink in the longer leg to match the curve of 
the Zip Dee arm... The wires were mounted to the arm with hose clamps and 
were positioned to hook into the rain gutter above the awning assembly... I 
later remembered reading someone on the list that had done the same and had 
a successful trip home... Remember the 3" bend on the end goes in different 
directions depending on which end of the awning you are locating it... 
There is no way to bend it wrong, but the kink in the long leg actually 
determines which end of the awning the thing will mount on... just follow 
the awning arm... I would recommend the adding to the travel kit of two 
such wires and some hose clamps to be ready for the break that hopefully 
will never happen...

Once home I went over to Zip Dee and purchased the spring kit which is 
actually a little assembly of a spring and two cast aluminum end pieces and 
the shaft that runs inside the spring ..  Three rivets and a cotter key 
complete the package for a total of about $70.00   Good Instructions come 
with the package and it's a project that anyone that can put in pop rivets 
and handle a drill to get the old rivets out can do.. Because of the way my 
assembly broke the end of the old spring assembly would not come out and 
finally was pushed further back into the tube and the new spring assemble 
riveted in place... Wind up the spring and remount the arm and the job is 
done... Apparently there are only a couple of spring assemblies available 
for that size tube and any awning over 5' long gets the same spring...

Anyway.. tell Jim the parts man at Zip Dee what you have and he tells you 
what you need and will ship just about anywhere...

Zip Dee is here in Elk Grove IL... at 1-847-437-0980....

The wires I have are fine for me, but if I were making them I would 
probably go for a piece of 3/16" drill rod...

A good addition to the travel kit, but hopefully something never needed...

Jim ....