Great idea. Because my tent has steel tubes, not aluminum, I just welded those strips in there. Works great, cost nothing, $100 stays in my pocket. It won't win a beauty contest, but it's all good. Thanks, RockyCreekValleyFarm!
Thank you for posting this video. I started with this idea in mind, but upon closer examination I decided to go a step further. At Home Depot you can find 48" long aluminum bars that are 3/4" wide and 1/8" deep. Take off the broken strut, take off the plastic end caps. Slide the aluminum flat bar into the two broken "sheath" pieces and replace the center plastic retainer until everything is tightly back together. Align the aluminum on one end with the bar slightly recessed, and cut the bar to size inside the tube to be slightly recessed on the other side as well. My EZ UP has plastic end pieces with an elongated U shape in its center to accommodate the bolt at each end. recognizing the inherent weak point (there was already a slight buckle in the tube where the plastic end cap stops inside) I wanted the bar to be run full tang inside the broken strut. I cut the inside half of the plastic end caps off, then notched them so the flat bar would fit snugly into it, and the cap could be replaced looking original. Align parts and drill the three holes through the original hole areas. Bolt your newly repaired strut back to the canopy frame. No glue. No extra bolts. NO weakpoints at the edges of the repaired area where the internal bar ends. The aluminum flat bar runs the ENTIRE length of the strut, bolt to bolt, with no place for the wind to ever catch it and snap at the end of the repaired area. The aluminum bar costs $5.75. I almost look forward to the next break, so I can just replace and improve all my other struts. I bought two more bars I carry with me to events just in case. One bar. One drill. One exacto knife. 10 Minutes. EZ UP wanted $30 for this. To this, I say "HA!"
Thanks for confirming my idea on how to fix the broken "strut". Just had a brand new 12x12 bust yesterday in an odd gust of wind. I'll be following your idea to save another $150!
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFO,,,!!!! I'd rather fix than replace. The one I have now is broken as was the previous one...very grateful to see how i can fix this one..
I just bought my first canopy tent just before the 4th of July. I broke a strutt trying to set it up. Mine was cheaply priced and cheaply made. Anyway, thank you for posting how to repair it. I'd rather so that than buy another one.
My metal pieces broke where your example did, but I can't remove the two black plastic pieces to reconnect the struts. How did you remove them? The bolt used will not unfasten?
Time and energy? What, about 10-15 minutes? Money and materials?? You must be kidding! You go ahead and spend $100-150 on a new one if you want to. Who doesn't have a little bit of scrap wood around the house? Oh, wait a minute, that would be somebody who doesn't do any handyman projects at home, and therefore probably doesn't have the basic tools either.
You must not be the brightest bulb in the pack! For the time and energy, money and materials you had to have. You could have bought a new awning!! What a waste of time!
Great idea. Because my tent has steel tubes, not aluminum, I just welded those strips in there. Works great, cost nothing, $100 stays in my pocket. It won't win a beauty contest, but it's all good. Thanks, RockyCreekValleyFarm!
Thank you for posting this video. I started with this idea in mind, but upon closer examination I decided to go a step further. At Home Depot you can find 48" long aluminum bars that are 3/4" wide and 1/8" deep. Take off the broken strut, take off the plastic end caps. Slide the aluminum flat bar into the two broken "sheath" pieces and replace the center plastic retainer until everything is tightly back together. Align the aluminum on one end with the bar slightly recessed, and cut the bar to size inside the tube to be slightly recessed on the other side as well. My EZ UP has plastic end pieces with an elongated U shape in its center to accommodate the bolt at each end. recognizing the inherent weak point (there was already a slight buckle in the tube where the plastic end cap stops inside) I wanted the bar to be run full tang inside the broken strut. I cut the inside half of the plastic end caps off, then notched them so the flat bar would fit snugly into it, and the cap could be replaced looking original. Align parts and drill the three holes through the original hole areas. Bolt your newly repaired strut back to the canopy frame. No glue. No extra bolts. NO weakpoints at the edges of the repaired area where the internal bar ends. The aluminum flat bar runs the ENTIRE length of the strut, bolt to bolt, with no place for the wind to ever catch it and snap at the end of the repaired area. The aluminum bar costs $5.75. I almost look forward to the next break, so I can just replace and improve all my other struts. I bought two more bars I carry with me to events just in case. One bar. One drill. One exacto knife. 10 Minutes. EZ UP wanted $30 for this. To this, I say "HA!"
Thanks for confirming my idea on how to fix the broken "strut". Just had a brand new 12x12 bust yesterday in an odd gust of wind. I'll be following your idea to save another $150!
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFO,,,!!!! I'd rather fix than replace. The one I have now is broken as was the previous one...very grateful to see how i can fix this one..
I just bought my first canopy tent just before the 4th of July. I broke a strutt trying to set it up. Mine was cheaply priced and cheaply made. Anyway, thank you for posting how to repair it. I'd rather so that than buy another one.
thanks for tips ,, i always facing same problem . but now i il try it TQ
My metal pieces broke where your example did, but I can't remove the two black plastic pieces to reconnect the struts. How did you remove them? The bolt used will not unfasten?
Great job! :)
I broke my canopy tent folding it up, the piece is hanging in the middle-Do you know how I can fix that?
do you know how to stop small tears on the canopy..from getting bigger? besides purchasing a tent repair kit?
RockyCreekValleyFarm thank you for info...i'll try that!
What do you do if the plastic on the moveable joints break?
I have not had one break so at this point do not have a repair idea.
Time and energy? What, about 10-15 minutes? Money and materials?? You must be kidding! You go ahead and spend $100-150 on a new one if you want to. Who doesn't have a little bit of scrap wood around the house? Oh, wait a minute, that would be somebody who doesn't do any handyman projects at home, and therefore probably doesn't have the basic tools either.
You must not be the brightest bulb in the pack! For the time and energy, money and materials you had to have. You could have bought a new awning!! What a waste of time!