Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

Where it me I would store the awning then soak the slide tubes for a couple of days, you may want to remove the pull out lock knobs as well they just unscrew.

The ends are NOT aluminum, at least ours aren't, instead they are pewter. Pewter cannot be repaired. Unfortunately I learned the hard way, after the rear rafter end pewter casting broke in a rainstorm by New Waverly, TX.
I would take the arms off. Anchor one end to a tree or some solid object, then pull on the other end using a come-a-long or 2 ton cable hoist.

How much are the new parts from Zip Dee? Way cheaper than a new awnings would imagine. Let alone a bunch of new holes in the coach.

I'd try a few taps with a rubber mallet on the sides of the arms or with a plastic dead blow if you have one. The fabric can be changed much cheaper that the new A&E awning. Also the new A&E's are not as good as the old ones that you probably had on the fifth wheel. Most top of the line coaches had Zip Dee's or Carefree there must be a reason that they didn't use less expensive equipment.

Again, I digress as to the Patty -O -Rooms, which are NOT an option with any Zip Dee product that I know of?  If they had that option, I'd stick with them...I just know I enjoyed that more than any awning I have had in 40 years of owning R.V.'s!  That sort of spoiled me, for sure!  When the weather isn't cooperating, or the sun gets brutal,  they sure do come in handy, that I can attest to!

But again, this one has to work for a while....I'm not impressed, so far....I guess?

What about the Zip Dee "Tropic Room"?
Tropic Room
Besides, I believe that I could adapt another manufacture's awning room if the size was close enough. I would suspend judgement (not on the color, I'm with you on that one!) on the Zip Dee until you see how well it works. My limited experience with a Dometic awning would keep me from even considering it. Our Zip Dee has withstood some incredibly harsh conditions and still works well. I do plan on replacing the fabric on all of the awnings to match the painted graphics on the coach, but we use it all the time.
Don

On my 96 coach, I had the same problem.  Finally took 2 people, on adding heat to tube and one tapping on it.  Once it started to move we were able to extend and clean the tubes. 

Take a propane torch and heat the tube up Once you can get it a little loose it should slide. Mine is 26 years old on my 91 and works perfect. I wouldn't want anything else these are simple.
 

Heat treating is usually in the range of 325-400F.  It takes nowhere near that much heat to free the slide.  You need to warm the entire piece which means moving heat source back and forth fairly quickly.