Patio furniture can cost a little or as much as indoor furniture so when your umbrella breaks it kind of makes sitting outside on that expensive furniture in the hot sun uncomfortable. Unfortunately most of us will go through this experience but replacing an umbrella because 25 cents of cord broke really isn’t cost minded.
You will need a few common tools to complete this job and a special one that you can probably pickup at your local discount store.
Umbrella Cord – It will probably say that on the package but match the size.
Metal putty knife
Flathead Screw Driver
Set of wrenches
Scissors or a knife to cut the cord
*** 2 foot long pickup tool (pinchers not magnetic)
Making the Repair
Since the cord probably broke where it attaches to the winding bolt it is important that you don’t open the umbrella until you have attached new cord to the broken end.
If your cord broke in a different spot then you will have a slightly harder time fishing the new cord through the pole but the methods are the same.
To get started you have to examine how the winding mechanism on your umbrella is held together. On this style there are 2 main halfs and Two retaining rings on top and bottom.
The retaining rings are held on by friction and to get them off you need to get a thin tool between the ring and the housing to pry it free. A good tool to use is a thin metal putty knife. Work around the ring moving it equaly as you remove it. A screw driver may help once you have made enough room to get one between the parts but be careful not to damage the plastic parts.
Once you have the rings off you will see that the one side of the housing can be removed while the other side is held in place with a nut that attaches to the winding bolt and handle.
Remove the nut and remove the other side of the housing with the handle.
To get new cord into the umbrella you need to tie it on to the end where it broke, pull it through the pole and through the top pulley.
To do this you need to use the grabber pickup tool that will grab onto the cord and pull it out the bottom of the pole. If you can’t get it out the bottom you might be able to get it out the crank bolt hole.
Stick the tool into the pole and grab the cord. Once you have hold of it you will need slack to get it out of the pole so cut the other end where it attaches to the umbrella ring to lift it. Don’t pull it all the way through.
Tie the new cord onto the old cord and pull it back through the pole and tie it to the umbrella lift ring.
Now reach into the crank hole with the pickup grab tool and pull the cord out the hole.
Give yourself about 8 inches of cord to work with and cut it off so you can tie on the crank.
Make a good but small knot and remember to melt the end of the cord with a lighter or match to stop it from fraying. The knot needs to be small, strong and tight so it won’t come undone or you will be doing this all over again.
Push the knot into the hole first then put the crank bolt into position and tighten the nut.
Assemble the other half of the housing and push the retaining rings back into place.
Your umbrella should work now.
This is a pretty simple fix but it can be frustrating trying to work with the cord if you don’t have a pickup tool to grab on to it and pull it through the pole.
In all honesty this is probably the only time you will need this tool but because it only costs about $3 at a discount store it is worth it.
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