Thule awning strut repair

B

billintomahawk

Guest
This is a ...nightmare in aluminum. Check this.


I bought it, now to fix it? If I can. Looks harmless but there is a big spring inside the strut arm.
It wants to knock your teeth out.
Well I got it apart with luck and a bench vice, punches, screwdrivers and a big f-en hammer.

Snap! and it shot out the bottom of the tube when I released the cable on the other end.









This whole deal gets a maybe. Gonna need a welder that knows.

bill in tomahawk
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
I would look at using one of the aluminium 'soldering' kits such as Lumi-Weld...


I have had very good success with many repairs using this product in the past.

Keith.
 

marklg

Well-known member
Are those broken parts under spring loading? Are they not available as spare parts? Maybe someone is junking a similar awning where they aren't broken? If they are structural, I think only a good aluminum weld and maybe proper heat treating is going to work. Anything else is not going to be as strong in tension and will just rip again. I don't know much about aluminum welding except that there are folks out there that know how to fix parts like that. Maybe check somewhere that repairs aluminum blocks or aircraft? It's certainly an interesting puzzle.

Regards,

Mark
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
Thanks everyone. Yes they will be under sprig tension and then stress in the extended position.

I thought about not using the spring, If I understand how it works, retracting the awning loads the arms to help with extension. It's a crank out crank in type of mechanism.

Here are some better pictures. Never tried Lumi-weld but YouTube makes it look possible.

Is it actually a heat activated epoxy? I'll try to find a spec sheet.

Feel free to jump in with suggestions.











Couldn't resist a pic of tonight's adventutre.



bill in tomahawk...(Northern Wisconsin)
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
Never tried Lumi-weld but YouTube makes it look possible.

Is it actually a heat activated epoxy? I'll try to find a spec sheet.
No.

It is an alloy of metals with a lower melting point than most extrusions, castings, etc. It can even be used on 'pot' metal (Mazak or Zamak) which is the old fashioned junk casting material.

I liken it far more to soldering than welding as you create a puddle over the joint then scratch the oxide layer to the surface with a stainless steel tool. For your repair I would suggest filing the edges of the crack to create a 'V' weld which you could then fill with the Lumi-Weld. I used to use it with an oxy-acetylene torch but also saw it demo'd at a car restoration show with a MAP gas torch.

I also suggest practising on some scar ali first to get the feel for it, maybe break an old casting and try welding it back together.

Keith.
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
KEVLAR



It is hell to cut....









The bottom portion gets inserted in the arm tube.

bill
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
So remember this?







So to stretch the spring it took 3 grown men, two bench vices 6 feet apart and a come along.

You can use your imagination and I am happy to report no one was injured.

This was not the easiest project but lately life has been a little strained in general.

When I get a tough job I usually turn to the Drive by Truckers and play it loud.
I'll leave you with a hymn off their latest release for now.

Take heart friends, shake a man's hand, it won't kill you.


bill
 
Last edited by a moderator:
B

billintomahawk

Guest
Plumbers plastic pipe glue and awning repair tape.












So I patched and glued and taped. My backscratcher became a tape presser..

I rolled the awning up and shoved it in the frame. It will only go in one way.



The final repair on the knuckle.



So I have a problem. Any of you Thule Hideaway, if you could look at your awning and identify where these pieces fit it would greatly help me. I did not disassemble the awning and I am at a loss for the moment.



Many thanks to all who followed along.


bill
 

Top Bottom