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Old 06-27-2019, 12:02 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 26b
State: Illinois
Posts: 12
THOR #10012
Four Winds Awning won't retraci

My electric awning extended no problem but moves a few inches then stops trying to retract. Four Winds 2 yr old Class C! Help

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Old 06-27-2019, 01:05 AM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,157
THOR #6411
Usually low voltage. Try it with the generator running.
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Old 06-27-2019, 01:31 AM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 31W
State: Illinois
Posts: 95
THOR #7230
What brand is it?
On my 2017 Four Winds it is a Lci brand. If iti is call their tech support. Very nice people. Last year I had a simular issue with mine. The sent me a new motor no charge, and it was out of warranty. Then to find out the motor wiring is spliced just below the motor inside the awning arm. Its not water proof. So every time it rains water would get into the splice and cause the motor to shut down.
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Old 06-27-2019, 09:14 AM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2016 Freedom Elite 28H
State: Florida
Posts: 203
THOR #1929
I have the solera motorized awning. I have the same issue. All my research has pointed to a new motor. Getting a new one. $140 from Amazon. Trying to get it covered on my extended warranty.
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Old 06-29-2019, 04:15 PM   #5
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Outlaw 29H
State: Ohio
Posts: 45
THOR #10566
Just had the same experience with my 2018 class c outlaw. I was not in the position to wait for dealer inspection and warranty approval deal so I went ahead and bought a new motor online after inspecting/verifying wire connections weren't corroded from rain because of poor weatherproofing. Got the motor but because is was built after 2015 if wasn't $140 it was $240. LCI PN 373566. replacing the motor did the trick! I believe I bought it off of etrailer. good luck!
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Old 07-11-2019, 03:53 PM   #6
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 22FE
State: Alabama
Posts: 2
THOR #15955
First post, signed up because this problem seems to be everywhere. I just bought a new motor, online, for my 22FE with a solera awning. It worked just slightly better than the one I took off. It would re-roll the awning, but only with a pull on the arms. While looking for additional info, I came across a post about using a power window motor from a mid 90's Chevrolet... I went to the local Advance auto and bought a Dorman part number 742-141... $33 out the door. I had to change the plug from the old motor... I soldered it, but a butt splice would work. It takes about 15 mins. to replace once the electrical plug is changed. It works! It is still slow, but it needs no assistance. I kept the new motor I paid $140 for to use as a spare if I needed it while on the road. I absolutely could not believe they used an old window motor for the awning... but they did! The new, 2015 and newer, motor is over $200. Mine is the newer, The replacement I bought was the old motor, I just added the 2 pin connector. It was much cheaper that way....... So, any of the three motors will work, $30 to +$200. The $30 worked better than the others.
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Old 07-11-2019, 04:48 PM   #7
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Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
State: Florida
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THOR #12751
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCrane2299 View Post
First post, signed up because this problem seems to be everywhere. I just bought a new motor, online, for my 22FE with a solera awning. It worked just slightly better than the one I took off. It would re-roll the awning, but only with a pull on the arms. While looking for additional info, I came across a post about using a power window motor from a mid 90's Chevrolet... I went to the local Advance auto and bought a Dorman part number 742-141... $33 out the door. I had to change the plug from the old motor... I soldered it, but a butt splice would work. It takes about 15 mins. to replace once the electrical plug is changed. It works! It is still slow, but it needs no assistance. I kept the new motor I paid $140 for to use as a spare if I needed it while on the road. I absolutely could not believe they used an old window motor for the awning... but they did! The new, 2015 and newer, motor is over $200. Mine is the newer, The replacement I bought was the old motor, I just added the 2 pin connector. It was much cheaper that way....... So, any of the three motors will work, $30 to +$200. The $30 worked better than the others.
Excellent info... thanks!

Might be too late but any chance you could post any pictures if you took them during the process?
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Old 07-11-2019, 07:51 PM   #8
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 22FE
State: Alabama
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THOR #15955
Thanks! I did not take any pictures. I will caution everyone, I am a fair mechanic and I still broke one of the three mounting bolts when re-installing motor number two. I had the drill and tap sizes to fix it. The bolt holes on mine were not threaded, but the screws were self tapping. When I took them out, they had aluminum stuck in the threads. I didn't catch it and they bound up when I was reassembling. I went ahead and tapped all the holes (1/4-20) and used new bolts. This shouldn't be an issue if you check the bolt threads before re-assembly. The $30 motor gearcase is plastic and slightly thicker, so longer bolts might be a good idea anyway.

I think the root cause is the gas struts. They are strong. When my awning is fully extended, the struts bend the arms at the mounting points. I wonder if those struts are affected by hot weather. It was HOT yesterday when I was working, the gas were in full afternoon sun. That may cause the pressure in them to increase?
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Old 07-11-2019, 09:22 PM   #9
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
State: Florida
Posts: 4,147
THOR #12751
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCrane2299 View Post
Thanks! I did not take any pictures. I will caution everyone, I am a fair mechanic and I still broke one of the three mounting bolts when re-installing motor number two. I had the drill and tap sizes to fix it. The bolt holes on mine were not threaded, but the screws were self tapping. When I took them out, they had aluminum stuck in the threads. I didn't catch it and they bound up when I was reassembling. I went ahead and tapped all the holes (1/4-20) and used new bolts. This shouldn't be an issue if you check the bolt threads before re-assembly. The $30 motor gearcase is plastic and slightly thicker, so longer bolts might be a good idea anyway.

I think the root cause is the gas struts. They are strong. When my awning is fully extended, the struts bend the arms at the mounting points. I wonder if those struts are affected by hot weather. It was HOT yesterday when I was working, the gas were in full afternoon sun. That may cause the pressure in them to increase?


I also notice the arms look a little bent when fully extended from the struts. This also explains why the awning takes longer to retract than it does to extend.
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Old 07-12-2019, 11:40 AM   #10
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds
State: Ontario
Posts: 265
THOR #9081
I also have a 2018 with the solera. It too is also slow to go back in and sometimes will stop. I agree with Crane and Judge that the gas struts are the problem. So to retract it I just help it go in by applying my own pressure. Thus it is now a manual/automatic instead of fully automatic.
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