Omnistor Awning Damage

Hi
Wound out the Omnistor Awning on our 2014 Kingham last weekend and noticed a small tear (about 1cm) has appeared to the fabric where it joins the outer bar at both ends.
They are too close to the bar to repair properly with the thule repair tape.
I am wondering if anyone has successfully managed to remove their fabric from the outer bar and shorten and refitted the fabric? Is it fairly easy to do or should we take it in to a dealer to charge us the earth?
Its 4 years old so not a warranty repair unfortunately
Hoping for some wise words from someone who has been here too?
Cheers
S

I've had a couple of grey duct tape patches over holes in mine for about 5 years, I do have to replace every 2-3 years.


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A close up photo would be worth a thousand words - as they say! 

Thanks to whoever cleaned up my previous messed up attempts to post this.. so embarassed!
Thanks Peter the tears are a bit close to the outer edge for taping but will definitely try speaking to Rose Awning and see what they suggest.
Dave - will take some photos and post, if I can figure out how to load them to this thread.
Cheers
Sarah

I would try good quality duck tape cover both sides with one length part on the blade part on fabric.

I would certainly 'tape' it for now to prevent it getting worse while you decide what to do.

Just had a chat with a very helpful guy at Rose awnings who tells me you cant shorten the awning as it is factory welded to the kador. To shorten it you have to reattach a new Kador which would tear off if it wasn't welded to the fabric.
A replacement fabric is £300 plus circa £100 fitting charge! Even the Rose Awning guy suggested duck tape at least for now!
Thanks for your help guys - hope the duck tape lasts.

Hmmmmmm. A tricky one.

I would be more inclined to sew it using a very strong button thread. It looks as if it should just be possible.

Then work into the fabric (over and around the darning, and on both sides) some impact adhesive. Not in this weather though as it will go off too quickly in the heat.

Leave it exposed for at least 24 hours by which time it should be dry and barely tacky - if at all. A dusting with talcum powder will get rid of any slight tackiness.

The combination of the sewing and the impact adhesive, which dries to a very tough rubbery finish, should do the job.

I don't think duck tape or similar will stick firmly to the very narrow part of the material next to the frame, but if the sewing doesn't work you could still try it, and it should bond even better to the dried impact adhesive than to the fabric alone.

All this is just my opinion of course. 

The trouble is taking the fabric off the casing to get it anywhere near a sewing machine is also quite complicated and it is apparently very easy to do even more damage to the fabric when doing this.
I think we will try duck tape across the fabric onto the metal blades of the casing on both sides and keep a close eye for now.

I was thinking of hand sewing.

I could do it, and I'm merely a useless male!!   

snow863 wrote:Just had a chat with a very helpful guy at Rose awnings who tells me you cant shorten the awning as it is factory welded to the kador. To shorten it you have to reattach a new Kador which would tear off if it wasn't welded to the fabric.
A replacement fabric is £300 plus circa £100 fitting charge! Even the Rose Awning guy suggested duck tape at least for now!
Thanks for your help guys - hope the duck tape lasts.

I assume that the 'kador' is the folded canopy edge and its bead, which is inside the circular carrier in the awning rail?

Is it possible to slide the rail off the end of the canopy and either work on the tears when they're better accessible, maybe find some thin but strong PVC strips which can be glued/bonded around the rolled end of the canopy at the ends, then slid back into the rail?

Or, even cut off the original 'kador' and have a new one sewn in on an industrial machine?

Perhaps I've misunderstood the nomenclature and how the structure all fits together.

I had the same problem, but at the top end. Taped it, making sure it was not too thick to get back into its housing. This was done as a temporary measure, but it gradually got worse.  (Damage was caused by the wind)

Eventually decided to make a claim from my insurance company, explaining  originally I  tried to avoid making a claim, but to make a repair instead.

They refused to meet that claim because of the time lapse. My argument being the cause and effect was the same, irrespective of the time difference. They would have none of it, therefore lost a customer.

I also lost another awning and made a claim. I would never do this again as my insurance doubled and is still costing me.

Think very carefully which way you decide to go, as the wrong decision will cost you more.

Leighton.

Wont go for insurance as excess would eat most of the claim for a new fabric. Not worth the increase in premiums.
We have decided to tape it and keep an eye on it for now. 
Its not an easy fabric to sew as its basically PVC. Stitching it is impossible without causing more tearing.

Hi 
Different company different time 
Mine was a Fiamma Awning the tear was at the other end of the awning.
Anyway got nowhere with Fiamma dealer so wrote direct to customer service at Fiamma.
After a few e-mails they finally agreed that it should not rip and agreed to sell me a replacement at cost (which was about 30% less than retail.
Fitting was infact easy. We took the awning off of the van (boy it is heavy) and it was a simple job to feed in both ends, took less than 2 hours and we didn't know what we were doing. But it was simple as a two person job. 
Fiamma did say it was not repairable as it needed welding due to the flexing
David

Hmm think I will contact Thule. It certainly shouldnt have ripped.

You have not used with a storm strap going over the top rather than over the bars.

We dont put it up when its windy so dont use storm straps
We have used guy ropes but attach them to the top of the legs as per instructions.

I think an awning has to have a little give in it when using tie down straps. This may be the reason we get damage if too tight.

The last awning I had damaged was tied down, but one of the arm supports snapped.

Having lost two awnings over the years, I no longer leave it extended if we are not in attendance and certainly not over night.

Leighton.

Bad Penny wrote:I think an awning has to have a little give in it when using tie down straps.

I bet you just hit on the cause of the damage Leighton. I hadn't thought of that.

Lots of people use those excellent Fiamma tie down straps and place them over and across the canvas of the awning. That exerts pressure exactly where Sarah has the tears.

At risk of sounding a smarty pants I've always thought it better to put the strap over the metal arms. There's a strong spring in the strap to allow for some flexing if it's gusty, and so far it has worked for us.

We have never used tie down straps for this reason.. we wind it in at night and dont use it at all if its windy. The guy ropes we use occasionally run from the top of the legs to the ground and dont go over the awning like Fiamma storm strap you are on about Dave - we dont use them!
No idea what has caused the tears but I do know not to use a storm strap on this type of awning and that they shouldn't be put up when its windy or left unattended or out at night... read and followed the manual on that!

Ah well - it was a thought.

We're just the same as you. We do have a Fiamma strap but rarely use it. I've made some ratchet straps like the ones you describe with dog tethering "corkscrews" to hold them down - but we rarely use those either. Winding the awning in and out is so quick and easy that we rarely bother with tie downs.

Having seen some disasters when wind has launched them, or heavy rain has collected and wrecked them (when someone didn't know about lowering one corner), we don't take any chances.

A little known and used tape is sail repair tape, you get it at any boat shop. That would be, far and away, my first stop and apply it to both sides of the cut.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Sorry cr8p pics but this is on mylar sheet sail material to reinforce holes for attachments, been there for years and possibly quite stressed in a gust etc when sailing.

For your particular case I'd definitely go for this stuff first

Gromit wrote:Hmmmmmm. A tricky one.

I would be more inclined to sew it using a very strong button thread. It looks as if it should just be possible.

Then work into the fabric (over and around the darning, and on both sides) some impact adhesive. Not in this weather though as it will go off too quickly in the heat.

Leave it exposed for at least 24 hours by which time it should be dry and barely tacky - if at all. A dusting with talcum powder will get rid of any slight tackiness.

The combination of the sewing and the impact adhesive, which dries to a very tough rubbery finish, should do the job.

I don't think duck tape or similar will stick firmly to the very narrow part of the material next to the frame, but if the sewing doesn't work you could still try it, and it should bond even better to the dried impact adhesive than to the fabric alone.

All this is just my opinion of course. 

Just a thought on the sewing aspect - you can get kevlar thread to sew it with.

Wendy

Sail repair tape is an excellent idea Ian. Thanks
I cant sew it because you cant punch a needle through the PVC fabric without it tearing it has to be a weld repair. Needle stitching just inreases the weakness. Its PVC. Any hole even a needle hole will just create another tear.