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Zip Dee ?

 I found some sales paperwork for my 1988 GV showing lifetime  warrentee on parts for Zip Dee.    How often do these need the coils springs?    My  16 ft  awning with 48in coil needs to be renewed .  Is there a FAQ  on these?  Thanks,MM

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #1 –
Internal spring is a square shape wrapped on what looks like a broom handle, inside the aluminum tube.
Number of winds is usually a certain amount plus one for each foot or two of awning length. I unwound ours by taking the lower support arm off the coach while supporting the awning itself on a stepladder--strapped in place with the DW making sure the whole thing didn't move towards the coach while I was unwinding. Using the lower awning arm lets you control the spring force by having such a long "lever". I needed the DW to keep the awning away so the lower arm didn't scrape the side of the coach.
What I found after taking the spring tension totally off and then removing the end was that my spring had distorted and was overlapping itself and binding up on a couple aluminum pop rivets that some dumbass (no names here please) had used to put snaps on the roller to fasten a Sunshade. Rivets eventually self-cleared.
Replacement spring/broom stick assembly was around $118, if I remember. I will dig & try to find the information tomorrow.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #2 –
Quote
Is there a FAQ  on these?

The ZipDee site has lots of information and video. Here's the owner's manual which describes how to adjust the spring. I did it on one a few years ago. Not difficult and not dangerous if you follow their instruction. I especially like the method for removing a bow from the big awning. One guy on each end with the awning on a shoulder and a third guy in the middle hanging from the awning. I tried that too and it worked. Used step ladders instead of guys though.
jor

ZipDee
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #3 –
Zip Dee are nice folks to deal with, had to get parts from them when I had the Barth.
Working on the awning isn't difficult, just take it slow and follow the instructions.
Cheers Ric
Previously:'66 VW Bus"Turtle 1";'65 VW Riviera Camper "Turtle 2";
';'91 VW Syncro Camper"Syn";'92 Barth 30' -"The Big Easy"
Currently: 2000 FT U270 40', #5634 -
"Le Bons Temps"; 2003 CRV
Ric & Leslie
"Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #4 –
OK, here is the information I got on July 18, 2013 when I inquired about a replacement spring assembly from Zip Dee for our 1989 GV Zip Dee awning:

To order call customer service at 1-800-338-2378
Part #201100 Non-locking Spring Assembly $130.00 plus UPS shipping charges.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #5 –
Mike, I had lots of trouble with the Zip-Dee awning over my living room slide. Water kept running into the unit and rusting out the innards (springand associated hardware). No fault of the awning but needed their expertise and parts. I never heard anything about a life time warranty.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #6 –
Like I said, those guys at the AS outlet made it look easy, and gave me good advice. It was not that expensive. Now that I know how to do it, I STILL would have them do it! ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #7 –
My Zip Dee did not work when I bought the coach. It was missing a lower arm and it was seized from non use and lack of maintenance. 130.00 for the arm and some oil, the awning works like new. The people at Zip Dee were great.
'The strength of the effort is the measure of the result'
1995 U320SE
40'
#4740
#17648

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #8 –
 My help and I rolled out the 16 ft.  It has a serial number.  Broken spring. Took it apart and welded the spring.  Who knew that you can weld a spring?
 Ordered a new  one from Zip Dee.  It takes two guys and 15-18 wraps  on the spring.  There does seem to be a potential for destruction...
 New one came today.   

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Protech Racing link=msg=269697 date=149333283  It takes two guys and 15-18 wraps  on the spring.  There does seem to be a potential for destruction... [/quote

Our thoughts are with you all. Keep the beer cold, but be sober as a judge beforehand!
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Protech Racing –
My help and I rolled out the 16 ft.  It has a serial number.  Broken spring. Took it apart and welded the spring.  Who knew that you can weld a spring?
 Ordered a new  one from Zip Dee.  It takes two guys and 15-18 wraps  on the spring.  There does seem to be a potential for destruction...
 New one came today.
You can weld a spring, but it is no longer a good spring.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #11 –
I was watching two guys (pros) winding up a zip dee and that got away from them. The wrench went flying. No one was hurt. This is a job the I personally would leave to the experts.
1993 U300 40ft GV SE
Build # 4344

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #12 –
I replaced the slide out topper awning. I removed the unit off the slides bedroom I installed the fabric on the roller, removed the bracket on the motorhome the awning slides into (flat piece that has the half round tube on it). Slid everything together and wound it in one piece (  had 2 helpers) and then installed the flat piece back on the coach with the half round.. caulked and called it done. Have not done the large living room yet but that is how I was planning on tackling it also.. (also looking into winding the spring after the fact)

we will see if the first version works the same on the big one.. and go from there.

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #13 –
Winding with the long arm is intriguing .  Maybe I wil consider that method  next.

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #14 –
Before I used the long arm I learned my lesson: DO NOT USE A WRENCH OR VICE GRIPS OR THE PEWTER CASTING ON THE BACK END OF THE AWNING TO WIND THE SPRING!!
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK ME HOW MUCH MY RIGHT THUMB ACHES FROM WHEN THE PEWTER CASTING GOT AWAY AND "SLAPPED"  THE BASE OF MY THUMB.
It is an almost constant aching pain that never stops. I wouldn't recommend anyone trying to wind the spring unless they use the long arm to maintain control.
I am a staunch advocate of doing things myself, but If I can't, then knowing what must be done by someone else helps me to understand what is involved--and the probable cost.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #15 –
For sure use the long arm. I have wound many awning springs and that is the safe way to do it.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins
 

Re: Zip Dee ?

Reply #16 –
 The OE rod has two holes to help load the wound spring.
 Wind with vise grips and put in a holding pin, install on cap , install drive screw.
  The replacement has only one hole and may require the long arm method.