What To Use For Awning Rail???????????

[Ian_374329537]

Hi All,

Come someone tell me what I could use so that the awning goes throught the rail as easy as possible, somebody mentioned to me candle wax would this be any good and do you have experiance of using this method or any other idea's.

Many Thanks,

Ian.

 

[Angus1]

Candle wax would probably work, but I dont know how you`d get coverage given the profile of the awning rail.

we use a silicone spray, others use furniture polish, WD40 etc.

You really just need a thin lubricant that leaves no residue and wont damage the rail, the paintwork or the canvas.

 

[RogerL]

Silicone spray, available from any car accessory shop.

 

[rob_jax]

Ian,

I'll agree and disagree with the other threads.

1. I'd make sure the awning rail channel is as clean as possible.

2. If you know what a pull-through is, I'd make one from some cotton rag and string - and drag this through the awning channel

3. I'd either use a really good car-wax or silicone spray on the pull-through.

Hopefully you'd have a clean awning channel with a nice even coating of (dry) lubricant - which is why I like car-wax best of all

I'd suggest that you don't use WD-40, that's just paraffin oil in a spray can - and it's neither cheap nor an effective lubricant.

Robert

 

[Ian_374329537]

Hi,

Great advice on this subject will let you know how I get on.

Ian.

 

[Angus1]

I don`t advocate using WD40 either, merely repeating what has been previously quoted on this and other forums.

You do WD40 a bit of an injustice though as it was developed for NASA and the moon landings as a water dispersant/lubricant and just happened to to be the fortieth Water Dispersant formula they tried - hence its name.

However, I do agree with Robert about its abilities, and for water dispersal/lubrication would always recommend `Tri-Flow` which is far better (and expensive) but evaporates to leave a Teflon coating which is far more effective and durable.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Angus,

No I don't think I do WD40 a dis-service. It really is a very simple cocktail of compounds from the refinery - and I'm surprised it took them 40 attempts...

WD40 is 50% or more naphtha (that's a material similar to petrol), 15% or more light oil (odourless kerosene or mineral oil), and 25% LPG as propellant.

Robert

 

[Ian341]

Hi Ian

My parents used something that would help pull the awning through it might well have been WD40 and after about a month the awning had rotted, the spray had reacted with the material used on the awning rail area and had destroyed it.

They had to pay for this area of the awning to be replaced !

They now just make sure that the awning rail is clean and use one of those tools to help bring it through.

I have often thought about using an awning rail lubricant as it can be really hard to pull through especially with a full awning but as the awning is still under warranty I don't want to void it.

I have seen an awning rail lubricant for sale in the caravan dealer I think it was made by Fenwicks but not sure.

Hope this helps

Ian