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06-06-2019, 03:29 AM
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#1
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Utah
Posts: 37
THOR #12702
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Lippert/Solera awning repair
Just a tip for anyone that has or will in the future experience a breakdown of their solera awning. One of the support arms (cheap POS) on my awning split in half due to cheap material and also having holes drilled near the end by a connecting pin. Trying to find a replacement was impossible through my searches and Lippert/Solera was no help either except offering a complete arm and support system for close to $500 to replace a less then $10 piece of mild or cheap steel tubing. Not having a welder and knowing I would have to wait a day to purchase a piece of sq tubing from a local steel supplier, I chose instead to use a piece of JB Weld SteelStick from the toolbox for emergencies. After removing the connecting pins and the split support arm I molded a piece of the steelstick and inserted it into the sq tube and then hammered the split piece together, the steelstick stays soft for a few minutes and allowed me to insert a screw into the drilled holes and the steelstick before it hardened so that the hole was clear but had steelstick to completely surround the hole front and back of the screw/pin connector when it was time to assemble.
After the steelstick hardened I then put the arm back together and everything is as it should be. In my searches for the part I read others who had the same part break or split so I think it will be a future happening to any Solera Awning because of the cheapness of the part. The split is on the end right in the middle of the piece but because I hammered the two pieces together it is hard to see.
The bottom picture shows the tube and its thickness or lack thereof.
After I get back from a planned trip I will disassemble and repaint.
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06-06-2019, 11:49 AM
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#2
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: South Carolina
Posts: 76
THOR #13982
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Nice work on your emergency repair, came out pretty decent.
I haven't experienced the defect myself, but now I'm going to take a closer look.
Thanks for the heads up.
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06-06-2019, 12:17 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,925
THOR #11130
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In the 3rd picture, the indentations in the metal looks as though there were some pretty serious pressure/stress on that elbow, possible from flapping round in the wind or tight "tie down" with ground straps. Is it possible this joint/elbow was damaged or weakened as a result of this, contributing to the failure? Very creative repair, I might add!! Seems every time we log on, yet another item for the toolbox pops up.
__________________
Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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06-07-2019, 01:24 AM
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#4
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Utah
Posts: 37
THOR #12702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton
In the 3rd picture, the indentations in the metal looks as though there were some pretty serious pressure/stress on that elbow, possible from flapping round in the wind or tight "tie down" with ground straps. Is it possible this joint/elbow was damaged or weakened as a result of this, contributing to the failure? Very creative repair, I might add!! Seems every time we log on, yet another item for the toolbox pops up.
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The part is actually bent that way from the factory and even looks to be ground down as well because its a little thinner, I think the bend is so that the arm will rotate a little easier because the drilled hole is actually a little oblong for that rotation. I do not use tie downs and do not deploy when its windy. The part in my opinion is a design flaw and should have been made from solid stock, I am hopeful that by surrounding the pin hole with the solid steelstick that I will not have the problem again and will do the same type of repair on (as far as steelstick) the other arm as well
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06-07-2019, 11:07 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,925
THOR #11130
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This is the area I was referring to:
__________________
Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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06-07-2019, 11:18 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
State: Arkansas
Posts: 14
THOR #11577
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cramar
Just a tip for anyone that has or will in the future experience a breakdown of their solera awning. One of the support arms (cheap POS) on my awning split in half due to cheap material and also having holes drilled near the end by a connecting pin. Trying to find a replacement was impossible through my searches and Lippert/Solera was no help either except offering a complete arm and support system for close to $500 to replace a less then $10 piece of mild or cheap steel tubing. Not having a welder and knowing I would have to wait a day to purchase a piece of sq tubing from a local steel supplier, I chose instead to use a piece of JB Weld SteelStick from the toolbox for emergencies. After removing the connecting pins and the split support arm I molded a piece of the steelstick and inserted it into the sq tube and then hammered the split piece together, the steelstick stays soft for a few minutes and allowed me to insert a screw into the drilled holes and the steelstick before it hardened so that the hole was clear but had steelstick to completely surround the hole front and back of the screw/pin connector when it was time to assemble.
After the steelstick hardened I then put the arm back together and everything is as it should be. In my searches for the part I read others who had the same part break or split so I think it will be a future happening to any Solera Awning because of the cheapness of the part. The split is on the end right in the middle of the piece but because I hammered the two pieces together it is hard to see.
The bottom picture shows the tube and its thickness or lack thereof.
After I get back from a planned trip I will disassemble and repaint.
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I’ve probably got the part your needing. Wind caught mine and tore up on side pretty bad. I was forced to buy a COMPLETELY new awning.
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06-08-2019, 06:13 PM
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#7
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Quantum pd31
State: Florida
Posts: 46
THOR #12223
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Same exact problem
Hi
We are on our first extended trip and had the exact same failure. I have had no luck finding the arm either. In our case, I took it apart at the park, and was able to bend the arm back together around the through bolt. I then rotated it 180 degrees so the failed side is not holding the load. Not using the awning much until we get back and I can figure out better fix. Also, they beveled that end of the tube to allow it to fit inside the fork of the corresponding part. In so doing, they weakened that end of the tube, thus our failures. Very poor design. Unit is still under warranty so will try to get them to replace it, otherwise, will try to figure out workable alternative. Kindly post what you come up and I will do the same.
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