I have a cantilever umbrella that will not open no matter how much I turn the crank. The string is not broken. What should I do?

colleen, August 2009

My umbrella opens but will not catch the gear to move forward.

BunnyI, March 2013

Yes, they can be repaired even if the cord has snapped inside. It is very time consuming as a new cord has to be fed back through and reattached. Who ever takes it apart should put it back together. We repair them at our awning business in Mason, Michigan. If you cannot or do not want to tackle the job try to locate an awning company in your area and ask if they can repair it or know who might if they don't. It might be costly but probably less than replacing it and if it is a good quality one then they are worth it.

Jed, June 2012

I repair cantilever umbrellas
Viking Furniture
1612 Marlton Pike West
Cherry Hill NJ 08002
856-486-1880

Stuart, September 2010

I had similar problem and could always eventually get it to open after repeated tries. But be gentle--my son forced it and the cord broke. Now I'm told it can't be repaired but I'm still going to investigate if it can be repaired. These umbrellas are expensive ! If anyone has info on cantilevered umbrella repairs, please post a source, advice, etc.

No shade St. Louis, September 2009