Awning Mount-to-Body Pulling Away (Bolts Stripped)

[Thirty.Deuce]

So on my 2019 Thor ACE 30.2 we have the Carefree "Longitude" power awning. We've literally only had the awning out twice - never on a windy day.

Before leaving on our most recent trip, I noticed a gap between the right awning arm & the coach body. Moving the awning out for a better look, I see that the top two self-drilling lag bolts (14x1) used have pulled out of the coach body and the awning is near falling away from the body altogether (bottom two bolts still holding). The top bolt appears to be in an aluminum channel, the second from top appears to be in just wood or nothing at all other than the exterior fiberglass.

As a temporary fix, I managed to get a larger bolt (automotive body bolt 5/16-18 x 13/16) to bite in the top aluminum channel - same size bolt in the second from top would not bite. I used butyl tape to seal the holes - which didn't flatten out as much as I have liked - the factory used something that felt like Dicor .

I contacted Thor to get guidance on a more permanent fix & got "use bigger bolts" - they mentioned a backer, but I see nothing of the sort present. Contacted Carefree for the same and got no response at all.

There's got to be a more appropriate fix for this situation. Seems my best bet is where I can bite into the wall of the aluminum channel in the top hole & try to get some wood in the second enough to get "some" bite. Then, go back with a caulk-based seal vs. the butyl tape to close the gap between the rail & the coach body.

Anyone else with experience on this problem or have "fix" advice?

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Thirty.Deuce

So on my 2019 Thor ACE 30.2 we have the Carefree "Longitude" power awning. We've literally only had the awning out twice - never on a windy day.

Before leaving on our most recent trip, I noticed a gap between the right awning arm & the coach body. Moving the awning out for a better look, I see that the top two self-drilling lag bolts (14x1) used have pulled out of the coach body and the awning is near falling away from the body altogether (bottom two bolts still holding). The top bolt appears to be in an aluminum channel, the second from top appears to be in just wood or nothing at all other than the exterior fiberglass.

As a temporary fix, I managed to get a larger bolt (automotive body bolt 5/16-18 x 13/16) to bite in the top aluminum channel - same size bolt in the second from top would not bite. I used butyl tape to seal the holes - which didn't flatten out as much as I have liked - the factory used something that felt like Dicor .

I contacted Thor to get guidance on a more permanent fix & got "use bigger bolts" - they mentioned a backer, but I see nothing of the sort present. Contacted Carefree for the same and got no response at all.

There's got to be a more appropriate fix for this situation. Seems my best bet is where I can bite into the wall of the aluminum channel in the top hole & try to get some wood in the second enough to get "some" bite. Then, go back with a caulk-based seal vs. the butyl tape to close the gap between the rail & the coach body.

Anyone else with experience on this problem or have "fix" advice?

Thor MC plant 750 uses a steel, sheet metal backer (inside and out) where objects are hung on the walls. It possible for the backer plates to shift during lamination or the object to be lagged directly into the tubular aluminum wall frame. The problem is the factory's auto screw guns are set a little too high for setting torque in sum cases. This can cause stripping of the lag's backer plate. The only real solution is a larger lag (non-self taping). The bracket can be moved slightly up or down so that new lag holes can be pilot drilled and lagged. This mismatch can cause the roll to bunch-up the fabric id the other bracket is not adjusted for roll height. I have not had that problem with the patio awning, but have had a similar problem with the large slide topper bracket.

[MP_RVer]

Having the same issue with our 2021 Vegas in the forward bracket. The rear seems okay.

I appreciate the comments above as to how one might go about securing the awning bracket to the side wall.

Two of the #14, 1 1/2", self-tapping, hex screws just came out. They don't appear to be stripped but I suspect the channel they were screwed into, is.

I'm going to try the same length 5/16" lag screw in the same locations to see if they'll bite. What is not known, is what is in behind the wall section to secure the lag bolts to. Is it wood or aluminum tube? Guess I'll find out.

Noteable that of the 8 original (4 along the top; 4 along the bottom, of the bracket) the two, top, rear were loose. The other six seem secure.

[ducksface]

Bolts all the way through with spacers and backing plates and locking nuts where you can.
Where you can't, bigger screws or rivnuts.
Rivnuts will cause a small offset so you might to fashion a faceplate to counter this or counter sink the awning piece.

[DavidEM]

For the hole with the aluminum channel underneath a larger lag screw with course wood threads that will grab the aluminum is probably the best solution. Self tapping machine screws have much finer thread so not as much to grab.

For the other one with wood or something behind I would use a well nut which is a rubber nut which expands and grabs on as it is tightened. Similar to rivnuts.

David