In most cases you replace the fabric alone and reuse the arms, the roller tube and the motor. You order the new fabric to the awning size, measured between the centers of the two arms with the awning closed, and the job needs a helper and hand tools.
Replacing RV Awning Fabric: Measuring, Ordering and Fitting It
At a glance
- What gets replaced: the canopy only; Carefree, Dometic and Lippert all reuse the arms and roller tube.
- How you measure: center of arm to center of arm, closed; the fabric itself arrives about 10 inches shorter than the size you order.
- Where it gets dangerous: the wound roller spring on many awnings, which the makers say must be released in a controlled way before the fabric comes off.
On this page (8)
Can you replace just the fabric?
Yes: on Carefree, Dometic and Lippert awnings the canopy slides out of the awning rail and the roller tube, and the arms and roller tube are reused.
Replacement fabric is sold by awning size in one foot steps: Lippert lists 10 ft through 21 ft, and Carefree builds the Pioneer Lite from 8 ft through 21 ft. Carefree orders are custom and non-returnable, so get the measurement right before you order.
How to measure for new fabric
Measure the hardware, not the old fabric. Carefree and Lippert's QR-113 measuring sheet use the same method:
- Close the awning fully.
- Find the horizontal center of each support arm and mark it.
- Measure between the two marks, with one person at each end of the tape.
- Order that number. Lippert says the distance between the arm centers must coincide exactly with the size ordered.
Dometic gives no measuring method. Lay the new fabric on the old one to confirm size and color, and use the model and MFG number on the data tag to identify the awning.
Tip: Awning size and fabric size are two different numbers. Lippert says a 10 ft order arrives measuring 9 ft 2 in, and Carefree makes the canopy 10 inches shorter than the awning size and the roller tube 7 inches shorter. Order the length of the old fabric and you get a canopy one size too small.
Choosing the fabric
Match what you have unless you have a reason to switch. Vinyl keeps water out; woven acrylic breathes but is only water repellent, and there is more on the difference between vinyl and acrylic on the awning page. Carefree says acrylic requires an Alumaguard, Uniguard or FLXguard wrap.
Within Carefree's vinyl line, Premium Vinyl is a 15 oz, double hemmed fabric with a 10 year warranty on parts and freight; its 13.5 oz vinyls carry a one year warranty.
Tip: If your awning has an LED light strip, order LED fabric. Dometic warns not to remove the LED rail from LED fabric, because the fabric can then separate from the awning rail and the awning can extend quickly and detach, bend or collapse.
The swap, step by step
The order of work is the same across makers, as in Dometic's fabric roller tube instructions, but fasteners and tools differ, so keep your own model's document open.
- Extend the awning partway and secure it. Dometic extends the roller two revolutions from the rail; Carefree's Compass gets 5 to 6 in. stop blocks on both arms.
- On a power awning, disconnect the 12 V battery lead and unplug the motor, wind sensor and LED wiring.
- Mark the slots the fabric ropes sit in, on both the roller tube and the rail.
- Release the spring tension the way your maker specifies (see the next section).
- Remove the fabric retaining screws at both ends of the rail and roller tube and save them.
- Unroll the old fabric, slide the roller tube out, and leave the old fabric down as a mat.
- Lay the new fabric on top, bottom side up, and check size and color.
- Feed it into the rail and roller tube and center it. Dometic says never to do this without an end cap fabric guide.
- Rewind the spring. Carefree says the turns must equal the number you removed; Lippert's Classic chart calls for 12 turns at 6 to 10 ft, 13 at 11 to 14 ft, 14 at 15 to 18 ft and 16 at 19 ft and up.
- Cycle the awning a few times so the fabric sits square, screw through the rail, fabric and polycord within about 1 in. of each edge, and remove the pins, ties or stop blocks.
Plan on a helper. Carefree says two people feed the canopy into the rail, with a third on long awnings; Dometic says one person with brief help can do it.
The roller spring: where to stop
Whether your awning has a wound roller spring decides how risky the job is.
| Awning | At the roller | What the swap needs |
|---|---|---|
| Carefree Fiesta, Fiesta HD, Fiesta Lite, Spirit FX, Simplicity | Wound spring inside the roller tube | Unwind with padded vice grips, counting turns |
| Lippert Solera Classic | Tension at the drive head | Release before the fabric comes off, rewind by chart |
| Dometic 9100 power, 8500 and 9000 geared | Torsion spring at the roller | On the 9100, pin the left torsion first, then unwind with the crank tool; on the 8500 and 9000, follow that model's Dometic manual |
| Carefree Pioneer, Compass | No roller spring; Compass arms use a gas shock | No spring to unwind; Compass takes stop blocks on both arms |
Sources: the Carefree manual awning service manual, plus the Carefree Compass, Dometic and Lippert documents.
Carefree warns that the spring is under extreme tension and will unwind quickly: keep hands and clothing clear, hold the vice grips firmly and never hold the end plug by hand. Dometic says not to remove the cotter pin until the top casting is securely held. If you are not set up to control that energy, hand the awning to a dealer technician.
The arms hold energy too. Dometic says to wrap ties around each arm assembly before detaching the awning, because the gas strut can extend the arms quickly. Carefree puts the Compass gas shock at roughly 105 lbs of pressure closed.
Fabric, or a whole new awning?
New fabric fixes fabric problems only: fading, tears, holes, frayed edges, or water pooling and sagging. If the awning is also hard to extend or retract, that is hardware; start with the checks for an awning that will not extend or retract before you order anything.
Dometic says not to use the awning if repairs are necessary, so fix bent arms or a failing motor too.
How long fabric lasts, and what shortens it
No maker gives a service life in years, but they name what cuts it short:
- Closing it wet. Lippert says drying before retracting adds greatly to the life of the awning.
- The entry door corner touching the fabric, which Dometic says causes premature wear or tearing.
- Dirt and debris left on it. Carefree says most environments need a thorough cleaning every two to three years.
- Insecticides and other sprays used near the fabric.
Small damage can be fixed: Dometic patches pinholes in vinyl with vinyl liquid patch (never roll it up while wet), and Carefree treats seeping hems with seam sealer. A tear means new fabric.
Common questions
Is it hard to replace RV awning fabric?
The canopy itself slides out of two slots; the hard part is the hardware around it. On a spring free model such as the Carefree Pioneer or Compass it is a screwdriver, a ladder and a careful afternoon. With a wound roller spring, Dometic calls for a purpose made torsion crank assembly.
How do I measure my RV awning for new fabric?
Measure between the arm centers with the awning closed and order that figure. Never order the length of the old fabric, which is shorter than the awning size.
How long does RV awning fabric last?
Carefree, Dometic and Lippert publish no figure in years, so any number you see is an estimate. Carefree's 10 year Premium Vinyl warranty is a warranty term, not a life expectancy.
Can I keep the old arms and roller tube?
Yes, in every maker's procedure. Replace hardware only if it is bent, loose or failing.