Halle-freaking-lujah!!!

Yeehaaa!  The awning is fixed and works like a champ.  

So, amazingly the bracket was delivered to our mail forwarder in Sarasota, how with the corrupted address on it, but it didn't matter, the important thing was I got the bracket.  Also, we lucked out and we were able to get the stripped out screws out of the new motor, and mounted the new bracket.  Ready to go!  

So day one, with the help of Harold and Harvey, we tackle pulling the awning up again to insert and mount the new motor.

Harold and I getting the new motor in,
yeah, I'm hot

A bit like a puzzle to get it inserted in all the right places

Getting there

It's in and almost done

So after getting the awning back in its mounts and securing it, wiring in the new motor, and going to get the fabric from our storage unit, we were ready for day two.

So again with the help of many, we got 4 ladders together, and lots of help, Harold, Scott, Harvey, Debbie, Steve, and of course Jan.  The first thing to do was to carefully extend the awning supports.  It was a two part process, Jan and I had to make rope loops to hold the front rail while we cut the wire ties that have been holding it together all this time.  Then we had to tie on two long ropes so we could ease the leading rail out.  The way this awning works is spring tension is working to hold the awning open and the motor rolls the fabric around the roller tube against that pressure.  The springs are very strong, and we were warned repeatably by the manufacturer to be sure we let it out carefully because if it was allowed to fly out it would certainly break.  It went well.

The wire ties have been cut and the rope loops are holding it
while I attach two long ropes to the leading rail

The awning support fully extended

Next came the challenge of getting the fabric back on, while not difficult it does take a bit of patience to thread the fabric into a groove in the roller tube and a groove in the leading rail.  Plus it is a big piece of cloth and kind of unwieldy.  But with lots of help it was accomplished quickly and easily!

Harold in the white shorts is feeding his end into the roller tube
while Scott on the right is pulling.
You can't see me feeding my end into the rail, while Harvey, my puller
is moving the ladder to get into position to pull my side

Also Jan and Debbie are feeding Harold and I the fabric and taking some weight off us as we insert the edges in the grooves.  Once in and with a huge sigh of relief, we center the fabric in the roller tube.

Harold and I centering and securing the fabric in the roller tube

Then we have to adjust the motor to have it pull in the fabric and shut off just as the awning closes and also to extend and shut off just as the awning is completely extended.  There is an adjustment for each on the side of the motor.  It required many, many adjustments and running it in and out but eventually I got it right where it needed to be.

Getting it adjusted

So now the awning saga is finally done, only took a year:-)  But, wow, we now have an awning back!

Jan and I owe a lot of thanks to all our helpers, we could never have done this by ourselves.  So thank you everyone!