Replacing the Awning Strap on Starter RV

Sometimes the most useful RV fixes are the easiest. Take for example, a replacement RV awning strap.

On manual awnings like Starter RV, you deploy the awning by pulling on a strap connected to the roller wheel.

Like the rest of the awning, these straps spend most of their time rolled up inside the awning and subjected to the same elements as the awning itself. You know, the rain, snow, mildew and sun. Which means that the awning strap is likely to breakdown over time.

So you go to pull out the awning and poof! the strap breaks.

How to Replace a Broken RV Awning Strap on a manual RV awning

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for various products below. You get the same low prices and we earn a small commission to help us buy more RV tailgating gadgets. Or game tickets if you go on a shopping spree.

The Starter RV awning strap broke at the loop on the end, where you connect the awning pull rod.

It is (was) a 1990 RV after all, so we weren’t surprised when something exposed to the elements turned to dust.

We (being me and my engineering RV tailgating dad) rigged up a temporary solution by adding some rope to the end so that we could pull the awning out.

But if I knew then how easy it was to actually replace the entire awning strap, there would have been no temporary solution.

See Also: Upgrading Your RV Shower Head, another easy RV upgrade

Really Easy to Replace the Awning Strap

Amazon has RV awning pull straps available.

Once you have the replacement in hand, it is not hard to install.

Pull your awning out, but do not raise it (or only raise the awning so that the roller bar is at eye level).

Slide out, slide in - easy fix for a broken awning strapThen determine which side the awning slide is open.

On Starter RV, when I was standing under the awning and facing away from the RV, it was to the right.

Then slide the old strap down and off the rail. Depending on how long the rubber piece is, you may have to use some force to bend it a little (hint: only do this on the easily replaced and cheap strap and not the awning support. If you are going to break something, make sure it is the $5.00 strap and not the expensive awning support.)

Then slide the new awning pull strap in.

If you want, you can even slide in a few awning hooks for flying flags, lights, or other objects from the awning.

Now, I’ve got a fully functioning RV awning strap that is long enough that it won’t roll up into the awning, providing a hassle when trying to deploy the awning.

Sometimes it is the small things that improve RV life. Don’t put off fixing the small annoying things when there is an easy fix.

What easy RV fixes have you put off and wish that you didn’t?

Easy to fix a broken RV awning strapWe’ve all been there – putting off fixing something in the RV because we figured that it was going to be difficult.

But then we finally got around to fixing whatever it was and it was like “Why didn’t I do this earlier?”

What easy RV fix did you put off and regret not doing it earlier? Comment below with your stories!

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Products from this RV Mod:
RV Awning Pull Strap

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