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How to Install RV Awning Rail? – The Detailed Guide

Written by Philip Lopez / Fact checked by Paul Lemaire

how to install rv awning rail

On of the most important things that we couldn’t overlook in our campings is RV awning. They consist of many benefits, including keeping campers cool on sunny days, preventing ultraviolet rays from shining directly into the RV, protecting campers from the rain while operating outdoor activities, and etc. Those are giving enough reasons to users to install the awning to their RV to enjoy journeys.

With extensive experience in assembling items for camping, I’m very pleased to guide you on how to install RV awning rail.

Table of Contents

Tools For Installing

How-do-you-install-an-awning-rail

Before starting to install the RV awning rail, you should prepare these tools and put them in a permanent position to save your time in finding each item:

  • The awning rail
  • Electric drill
  • Drill bits
  • Ladder
  • Sockets or wrenches 7/16 and 3/8 inches
  • Ratchet or speed handle
  • Screwdrivers

The first step before assembling the awning is checking the positions used to install the item. Once you are fully prepared with the tools, then move on to the next steps.

Installation Preparation

How-do-you-attach-an-awning-to-an-RV

How to Install the Top Bracket

Step 1: Before installing the awning, we should put it in the awning rail at a suitable position for installation.

Step 2: Put the top bracket on the RV and drill 1/8 inches pilot holes into the structure of the roofline.

Step 3: Use the 14 x 2 ½ inches screws with hex head and put them into the holes. Then, install another top bracket on the opposite side, just like the first one.

How to Install the Bottom Bracket

Step 1: Drop a straight line from the center of a top bracket and mark the position where this line crosses the floor line.

Step 2: Determine the height of the bottom and top surfaces of the floor. Across the previous straight line, you can find and mark a midpoint elevation.

Step 3: Put the bottom bracket on this position. Use a 1/8 inches drill bit to drill two holes for mounting screws between the bracket and the RV roofline.

Step 4: Use 14 x 2 ½ inches hex head screws to mount the bottom bracket.

Step 5: Then, install opposite bottom bracket in a manner that similar to the first one. Make sure that the top and the bottom brackets have the same distance.

How to Install the Awning Rail

Step 1: Measure a rail to find out the center point of it. Use the marker to mark this point.

Step 2: To prevent water absorption into the awning rail, you ought to seal the back of this item with putty tape or silicone rubber.

Step 3: Keep the center point and align the rail until it is fit between the brackets.

Step 4: Use the screws to attach the pin tab item with the rail.

Attaching Arms to Springs

Step 1: When you have taken the awning arms from a box. You have to determine the front and back arm assemblies. Enforcing handles ought to be on the outside of the arms.

Step 2: Insert end plugs into upper arm assemblies and mount it with 12 x ¾ inches end plug screws.

Step 3: When you have finished installing both arms to the roller tube end plugs, you should remove the cotter pin. The cotter pin helps you prevent winding of your spring on one side if you are assembling the arm on the other side.

Awning Installation

When you have installed prior items, you are ready to assemble the awning into your RV. These are steps of how to install the RV awning that you can refer to:

Step 1: Move to the end of the RV from the position that you have assembled top brackets. Use a flat-head screwdriver to open up the awning rail slightly. Then, you should clean the and of the awning rail to remove dust.

Step 2: For easily and quickly installing the awning, you can find a helper. A helper will raise the awning so that arms are vertical and the roller tube is the same elevation as the awning rail.

Step 3: Extend the lower part of the arm so that awning is the same height as awning rail.

Step 4: Another person will slide the awning into the awning rail. The helper can move between arms as needed.

Those are steps that introduce how to install the slide-out awning rail.

Before starting to install your product, you should read some notices as below carefully to prevent damages:

  • Remember choosing the position of awning arms will not interfere with vents, lights, mirrors, etc.
  • You should cover the sharp projections by paper, rag, padding or masking tape to prevent scratches when threading the awning into the rail.
  • The awning rail after installing must be smooth and straighten.
  • You shouldn’t use your bare hand to apply sprint tension. You can use a vise grip clamped onto the top plug.
  • You must mount the bottom brackets carefully because they carry the entire weight of the awning.

Conclusion

With detail instructions above, I hope you can achieve the expected result like me after reading this article. Installing an awning rail is might be difficult for newbies because it consists of many tools and steps. So I have compacted knotty steps from the manufacturer’s manual to basic instructions above that you can understand easily.

Did you find these instructions on how to install RV awning rail good for you?

Let us know in this comment below!

Please share them with other campers once you are successful.

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