How do you lubricate yours ?

[Mike_5041040]

What do you all use to lubricate your awning rails ?

All suggestions welcome !

 

[Vicky_5078445]

Mike,

Well having just put our second-hand caravanstore onto the van last weekend, I can tell you that we used awning rail grease from our local dealer @ a cost of

 

[crispy1]

Would have thought vaseline works well.

 

[CliveV]

Hi Mike

Towsure offer an excellent little kit of special lubricant, briliantly shaped brush and a little metal gizmo that you can use to reshape a "squashed" rail.

I use the brush and lubricant once a year at the start of each season and what a difference!

The little metal gizmo is a metal bar with a "bullet" shape at each end, one bigger than the other. By running this "bullet" arround inside the awning rail and with gentle levering any tight spots can easily be eliminated.

The kit is not expensive and must be one of the most useful things I have bought. After lubricating the rail the awning can be slid through with just one hand as long as a second person ensures that it "feeds" into the rail ok.

 

[CliveV]

Would have thought vaseline works well.

Yes but the smell! - every one knows what you have been doing!

 

[AnthonyVJ]

Have used a silicon lubricant for curtain rails in the house do you think this would do for the awning too?

Helen

 

[CRAIG_5077026]

Have used a silicon lubricant for curtain rails in the house do you think this would do for the awning too?

Helen

Hi, WD40 does the trick perfectly. I always have a tin in our caravan as it deals with so many other niggles such as stiff hinges, clears water from car electrics etc etc etc. Spray along the awning rail and it slides in like a dream, hope this helps. Craig.

 

[RogerL]

Silicon spray lubricant - available cheaply from any car accessory outlet.

 

[Mikey1]

Spray furniture polish in the rail works wonders.

 

[cris_408518]

Despite there being loads of products on the market you should not NOT lubricate the Awning Rail!

Lubricant will hold dust, dirt and grit and damage the anodized aluminium rail and that causes the beading on the awning to stick in the rail.

If dirt damages the anodized surface the oxidation on the rail in the form of a white dusty powdery deposit causes the problems of sticking.

Keep the rail cleaned out with water and pull a knot on the end of some nylon cord through the channel to clean out any dust or vegetation. If the surface is damaged clean the padery deposit away with a rolled piece of light wet and dry or production paper and spray a light clear laquer on to the damaged area to prevent it oxidizing again!

Dont WASTE money an rail lubricants thay may CAUSE more problems! Keep the beading on your awnings clean and smooothe down any furry bits of the fabric that wraps the core carefully with a hot knife.

If you use a one of the brusheds that is available for cleaning the awning channel if the pieace that sticks out of the Awning rail as ahandle is metal thnrow it away as the metal will damage the anodizing.

A few knots on a bit of nylon cord such as used for guy ropes pulled through wil do no damage and keep thre rail running smoothly.

If the awning rail gap is not damaged and closed up and somebody feeds the beading into the rail as another pulls it through you shoul never feel the need to lubricate the rail any way!

This advice came to me from a manufacturer and supplier of Awning rails who supplied many UK caravan builders for very many years and was a caravanner himself!!!!!!!!!!

ps Dust often sits in the lower half of the groove along the flat roof run out of sight, regular wash out will preven any problems ;-)

 

[mark_5110593]

Furniture polish 10/10

 

[mike_5041102]

Dry cleaning with a knotted rope will eventually scratch and wear away the painted surface of the channel. Best is once every couple of years to give the channel a good clean using a suitable brush and soapy liquid. Let dry and then spray with silicone. Silicone is not sticky so will not pick up dirt.

 

[cris_408518]

Silicon sprays can lead to a powdery deposit !!!!!

You wash out the rail and use nylon braides cord knotted not Rope !

The beading that feeds into the Awning rail is called Keder and the fabric outer is designed to slide in the channel without lubrication. The Awning rails have other applications apart from the caravan trade. I've used over FIFTY MILES the Aluminium exstusions and very many more miles of keder in my working life and nevcer once have we used a lubricant! The same systems are used by the marquee and exhibition trades who also never lubricate the Anodized Aluminium Channels.

If the rail joints are in line and the openings undamaged your Awnings will slide in with no need for lubriacant if fed in correctly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If they do not slide in with relative ease, look for a problem area.