Damaged awning rails

[jo3]

I damaged the rail on the van into which the awning is fed, by bumping the back end of the van into a lamppost when towing it away from the house.
It has flattened about 18inches of the rail running vertically upwards and also the horizontal one which houses the separate skirt at wheel level.
This happened some months ago and fortunately it doesn't seemed to have caused a leak. Does anyone have any idea how much this type of repair should cost. My heart sinks at the thought of taking it into a caravan repair centre as I find them worse than mechanics to deal with. Everything seems to be a huge drama which has never been seen before, or will cost a fortune to sort.
Any advice will be very welcome.
jo

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Jo
Depending on how flat the rail is, you can use a tool that you insert into the rail and it will open the channel out for you,I am sure there will be some one on the forum that will be able to post a picture. The tool can be bought quite reasonably and you just insert it into the channel and gently tap it with a hammer to open up the channel.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

do you mean one of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W4-awning-rail-spreader-tool-repair-dents-blockages-damage-caravan-motorhome-/321024763080?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item4abe9124c8

 

[woodsieboy]

That's the one

 

[GrahamDerby]

I bought one of these but it is that tight when i try and thread it in the awning im not happy at how hard i have to hit it with the hammer to make it move. /I dont want to move the rail off the van.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

I bought one of these but it is that tight when i try and thread it in the awning im not happy at how hard i have to hit it with the hammer to make it move. /I dont want to move the rail off the van.

do you lubricate the rail Graham,

 

[Raywood]

I did manage to open the gap up on ours with a large screwdriver, I did ask the dealer about repairing it and they told me to try that and I had no trouble.

 

[emmitdb]

Greetings,

Whilst a screwdriver could do the job I think a flat bladed paint scraper with a width of about 1 and 1/2" would do the job better. There would be less chance of the awning rail flaring and showing where the pressure had been put on it.

 

[Sproket]

You could try one of these

awning-rail-opening-tool
Or a pair of THESE