Recent Posts

81

Technical Support / Re: OTD Canopy Identification Needed

« Last post by Neal E Weinmann on December 20, 2024, 10:40:43 PM »

Thanks for the ongoing replies.

Found my answer in yet another Carefree publication in the "Discontinued" section titled "Freedom Motor Replacement".

As seen in the attached picture, the end cap that HAS a "front" hole in it is to access a mounting screw that was, if an original cover was still installed, only accessible by drilling a hole in the cover. The lower screw in the picture was discovered deep under and in behind the bottom of the cover, and the upper screw was not apparent, ostensibly because when the original end cap was replaced with the current cap, the top area was slathered with sealant that completely covered that screw.

Armed with this clarifying info, I'm ready to tackle this issue. Will report back in hopes it helps others.

82

Technical Support / Re: OTD Canopy Identification Needed

« Last post by Joel Ashley on December 20, 2024, 01:29:48 AM »

Somewhere in the last 5 years of the Forum are previous discussions of this.  I had a similar issue after my stepson power washed the coach.  I think he got water inside the awning motor.  At any rate, I took everything I could apart related to it, including the control over the door inside, and determined the motor must be bad, as it was getting power.  Of course the thing was stuck closed so as David notes you can’t get at the mounting equipment then.  Yeah, heck of a design, huh? 

Ultimately I coaxed it enough to get at much of the end cap innards, but the motor is cylindrical on ours. If you can’t get the entire unit off because the mounts are not exposed, you’re relegated to pulling the motor out the end.  Oh, but guess what;  the big awning’s frontmost arm hangs in the way.  No way can one slide the motor out without removing the big awning. It’s conceivable that the arm could be detached in such a way as to swing it up out of the way perhaps, but having spent hours defining methodologies that failed up to that point, I gave up on messing with the darned thing anymore.  BCS likely has been there, dun that, and can either replace the motor or the awning far easier than I.

You are presumably lucky, at least in the sense your motor is pre-cylindrical era, and can be accessed without fooling with perfectly good and unrelated adjacent awning equipment.

Joel

83

Technical Support / Re: OTD Canopy Identification Needed

« Last post by Gene Obie on December 19, 2024, 05:42:26 PM »

Does this match your awning.
https://www.e-carefree.com/ecarefree30/ExplodedPartsViewController?productId=30

Florida automated shades may be able to find you are placement motor.
https://www.floridaautomatedshade.com/

84

Technical Support / Re: OTD Canopy Identification Needed

« Last post by Neal E Weinmann on December 19, 2024, 04:22:04 AM »

Thanks, David - I am reliving your trials while trying to outsmart yet another mechanical challenge.  I chatted with Carefree, they sent me documentation that I thought might apply, but it wasn't anything more than the inapplicable pages I already downloaded and printed. In return, I've sent the tech rep two pictures of my unit that has the differences that seem to never have been  documented in their supporting literature.  I'm hoping there's still someone around at Carefree who might have the black magic secrets to taking it apart or off with some amount of rationality and decorum.
 
P.S. - I called BCS Parts Department for some context, and did find out that they have two motors in stock!....for a mere $529.00. Each...

I plan to call BCS Service tomorrow to see if one of their "senior" staff of techs or managers has unlocked any black magic when dealing with this seemingly absurd design.

85

Technical Support / Re: OTD Canopy Identification Needed

« Last post by David T. Richelderfer on December 19, 2024, 12:07:04 AM »

Your OTD awning in the picture looks very similar to ours and works the same too, I might add... NOT!  Our OTD awning stopped working several years back and a month or two ago I removed it from the coach for repair.

I was told ours is a Carefree Marquee OTD Awning.  I was told by the repair firm here in Yuma that Carefree does not support it any longer... and worse, Carefree has no replacement motors.  The repair shop where I took ours has had it for over a month and is looking for a replacement motor or one very close in design that will work.  I had removed the motor from the awning and it will not turn with 12V power applied to it.  The motor had to be removed to release the awning to push out its leading edge to its extended position.  The trick is to figure out how to get the awning to open enough to remove a third screw that holds the clamshell-like cover over and around the awning motor.

There was one screw on top of the clamshell nearest the coach sidewall pointing straight down that is easy to remove.  There is another screw on the aft end of the clamshell pointing forward that goes through both halves of the clamshell and screws into the motor.  That third screw was a PITA to get out.  Just above your porch light and on the leading edge of the awning you will see a rectangular piece on that leading edge... maybe 2 inches wide and 4 inches high. That 2 x 4 inch rectangular piece is held on by a horizontal screw pointing straight forward.  You have to forcibly wedge that rectangular piece out just enough to see and remove that screw.  With that screw removed, the rectangular piece is easily removed.  Now you will see another horizontal screw pointing at the coach that was hidden under the rectangular piece.  With that screw removed, the clamshell can be removed from around the motor.

If I remember accurately, there are three screws and three bolts holding the motor in place.  Before pulling the motor away from the awning roll, be sure to put a cord/rope around the fore end of the awning.  If you don't, then when the motor is pulled off the end of the awning roll, the awning will snap out and knock you off your ladder.

Removing the whole OTD awning unit from the coach is now pretty easy but may not be necessary if you find a replacement motor or are able to repair your motor.  You could put the new motor or repaired motor in by leaving the awning up over the door.

86

Technical Support / OTD Canopy Identification Needed

« Last post by Neal E Weinmann on December 18, 2024, 06:50:41 PM »

Can anyone identify the OTD Canopy pictured? It's on our 05 Beaver Monterey Bayview IV, and doesn't seem to be the Carefree 4654 noted on the Data Card. It's stuck closed and I'm looking for a manual or procedure to manually or jumper it open in order to the access the motor. When the key at the switch is turned to on and the adjacent canopy open/close switch is toggled, there IS power being applied, but no activity at the unit. Thanks.

87

Technical Support / Re: Round shower door top rail

« Last post by George Frudakis on December 18, 2024, 01:44:59 AM »

Just order the heat gun.
Thanks all for the help.

88

Technical Support / Re: Round shower door top rail

« Last post by Joel Ashley on December 18, 2024, 01:27:30 AM »

I got one of these last year, George, put it in a drawer, and nearly forgot I had it.  Wow, I shoulda bought one decades ago.  It's so much better than my old mini-torch method of making plastic malleable, etc.  I've since used it for several various projects this year and was really impressed with it, mostly because I can control the heat precisely and never over-do it or blacken stuff.  I even used the included clip once for encircling and evenly softening a piece of plastic.  Automotive connectors' plastic insulators and spliced wire insulators come out professional-looking, clean and neat and tight.  And it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Order one... you'll like it.

-Joel
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B65FSRBT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

89

Technical Support / Re: Round shower door top rail

« Last post by Frank Bergamo on December 17, 2024, 11:22:08 PM »

On my Marquis, after removing the old one, I used a small rubber mallet and tapped it down into the channel as I worked around the circumference of the frame. You have to do it in small increments as you work it around, as it is fairly stiff. Hope this helps, good luck.

90

Technical Support / Re: Round shower door top rail

« Last post by Fred Brooks on December 17, 2024, 10:46:52 PM »

   George,
  Another method worth considering is to put the plastic insert in a pot of almost boiling water for 5 minutes to soften it entirely. You may try to use a bar clamp to press fit or a mallet to tap it in. Once installed you may need to readjust the eccentric off-set inside the rollers to get the magnetic strip inside the door edge to align with the opening when closed. If you can stow the door in the OPEN position when in transit, everything will stay adjusted. Fred