Hi there folks, I'm still trying to sort out my snag list from an old Swift mid 90's caravan,
Some of the awning rail on the offside is missing along the bottom, and some more of it is bent and twisted (beyond repair) around the curve at the rear,
Now I've found a place that sells a very similar aluminium trim, and I've heard conflicting stories whether you can bend the trim to shape, it's not a massive curve to do, but can it be done?
I've got a heat gun for removing paint, would that work for heating the metal enough to have a bit of play to bend it?
I could crush a grape with 2 fingers.
I can kill a man with one finger.
I wouldn't try bending the awning rail though.
Have you tried contacting Swift, they may sell you a section you need already shaped.
My workmate did this with his van, he fixed it all on nice and neat then ripped it off smartish as he drove out the driveway. Happy camper he was not. Ex RAF though nuff said.............
Bending any trim like is difficult, as it tends to twist on the compression side as the bend is applied.
If the bend section is not too large, you might make up a ply template, and bend around that keeping the trim on a flat surface as you go - think of a pipe bending tool used by plumbers - one end fixed the other bent around a wheel to stop kinking.
Or, try a caravan breakers, or buy from Swift and wait a few weeks...
If you kink the awning rail, have look on Amazon or ebay for an awning rail spreader. They do work but it takes a couple of hours to tap it through the length of a rail.