Trip Woes

[jk_and_dog]

I left Va last saturday headed for St. Louis. Saturday i hit head winds all day long with only a few white knucles along the way. Stayed just east of Lexington Ky that night. Next morning the HWH did not seam to have power to it. Neither the rear or front slide wouls operate and the jacks would not work. Seams no power to the HWH Pad. Turned key on and off several times, walked around MH. After a few gut wrenching minutes power came back to the HWH pad and all worked well.

That after noon I heard a pop on the drivers side. Wind was blowing pretty good and steering was difficult but manageable. A few minutes latter the canopy cover over the fron slide unravels and then retracks. Some how the wind got a hold of it and out it unrolled. Now i'M ONLY DOING 55 and never had this happen before. I pulled over in a truck stop rolled into a pot hole and BANG went the mid door between the kitchen and the shower. Didn't think much of that until I went to close it later that night. Seems like it came off the back roller and now i can't get it back on track. Back to the awning, When i stopped, it had retracted but was loose on the aft end. It had rolled back in crooked. So I went on top, unrolled the awning but while retracking it did not want to go back tight. I ended up have to stop a second time about 5 miles later, repeat the rollup and tie the awning tight to the MH slide bumper.

1. Any ideas on how to reset the canopy (awning) corectly and
2. How did i get to the back of the pantry to reset the door roller back in its track with out dismantleing the shower or the pantry.??

MH = 36G 07 Journey

I = Flustrated!

ps...Monday night we had freezing rain
..... Tuesday we had 8 inches of snow
..... TV antena is frozzen in the up position
..... and last night it was 18 degrees
..... toad is litterly frozen to the parking lot and will not budge...had to get a hard shove from a four wheel truck.

I just want to go home!

[jk_and_dog]

I left Va last saturday headed for St. Louis. Saturday i hit head winds all day long with only a few white knucles along the way. Stayed just east of Lexington Ky that night. Next morning the HWH did not seam to have power to it. Neither the rear or front slide wouls operate and the jacks would not work. Seams no power to the HWH Pad. Turned key on and off several times, walked around MH. After a few gut wrenching minutes power came back to the HWH pad and all worked well.

That after noon I heard a pop on the drivers side. Wind was blowing pretty good and steering was difficult but manageable. A few minutes latter the canopy cover over the fron slide unravels and then retracks. Some how the wind got a hold of it and out it unrolled. Now i'M ONLY DOING 55 and never had this happen before. I pulled over in a truck stop rolled into a pot hole and BANG went the mid door between the kitchen and the shower. Didn't think much of that until I went to close it later that night. Seems like it came off the back roller and now i can't get it back on track. Back to the awning, When i stopped, it had retracted but was loose on the aft end. It had rolled back in crooked. So I went on top, unrolled the awning but while retracking it did not want to go back tight. I ended up have to stop a second time about 5 miles later, repeat the rollup and tie the awning tight to the MH slide bumper.

1. Any ideas on how to reset the canopy (awning) corectly and
2. How did i get to the back of the pantry to reset the door roller back in its track with out dismantleing the shower or the pantry.??

MH = 36G 07 Journey

I = Flustrated!

ps...Monday night we had freezing rain
..... Tuesday we had 8 inches of snow
..... TV antena is frozzen in the up position
..... and last night it was 18 degrees
..... toad is litterly frozen to the parking lot and will not budge...had to get a hard shove from a four wheel truck.

I just want to go home!

[Harry B]

Not to add to your frustration, however the problem with awnings unrolling in strong winds is an issue that can only be resolved with an awning lock. There are several types available. This is the one I have installed http://www.rvtoyoutlet.com/p-RV0247.html
Many of us have had this happen including myself, with an awning that is not supposed to have this problem (A&E Weather Pro), which I assume is installed on your Journey as well.

Locking the arms down does not resolve the problem. The best thing to do for now is wait until the wind dies down and then continue with your journey home.

As far as the door is concerned I would give Winnebago a call as to how to get the door back on the track. I haven't had a reason to explore door tracks yet.

I hope the rest of your journey is without any further mishaps.

[Richard 34A]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jk_and_dog:
Monday night we had freezing rain
Tuesday we had 8 inches of snow
TV antena is frozzen in the up position
and last night it was 18 degrees
toad is litterly frozen to the parking lot and will not budge...had to get a hard shove from a four wheel truck. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry to hear about the road trip problems; after reading your post, it reminded me why I live in California! Hope the trip home goes alot smoother...

[jimandsue60]

Assuming you have this type awning. It sounds like you are missing the anti billow kit on your slide topper p/n 3109252.001(X) as seen on A&E diagram A4 here . That kit will keep the slide topper from opening out while under way. It will not help while sitting stationary with the slideout out.

As to getting it to roll up properly I would extend the slideout, setup 2 ladders with one person on each ladder at each end of the slideout. Manually extend the topper out as far as it will go and then slowly allow it to retract.

Jim

[codgerbill]

Just curious JK.....
Is your awning a manual deployed one or electric?
I have a manual one and just use a couple of large cable ties on the arms. I am wondering what an anti blow thingy is and is it for both a manual and electric awning? My awning has a metal wrap on the outside of it and when undeployed just the corrigated metal shows.

[Harry B]

Jim,

Interesting post about the Anti Billow Kit for the A&E Awning. I wasn't aware of that specific kit.

In the parts manual you referenced, it is referenced as a "Customer Option – required"�. I wonder if that means that it needs to be ordered as an option?

My awning did unfurled on me once. I had no damage however and I resolved it in a different manner. I have read several posts in the past where the A&E awnings (WeatherPro) did unfurl. Kind of curious if those awnings that did unfurl had that kit installed.

Oops, just noticed we're talking about the slide topper not the main awning.

Ignore what I just posted

[codgerbill]

Gee ....
That makes 2 of us Jim.
Senior moment

[Pusherman]

jk, regarding the sliding door coming off its track, try this... There is a vertical wood trim piece which covers the door track, approx. 4" high by the width of the sliding door. It is tacked into place. Carefully pry this wood trim piece off, so as to not damage it. I would try this on the front (nose end of the motorhome) side, but check to see if you have better access on the rear (bedroom) side.

Once off, you should have access to the door track, and it's adjustments. I am guessing on this part, but I believe you should be able to access the door track to allow you to put the rear roller back into it's track.

You can then replace the wood trim piece with small finish nails into the wood header.

I used this process to adjust the door latch mechanism to keep the door latched while driving. Check your latch mechanism for adjustment while the wood trim is off, to keep the door from slamming open while traveling.

[cbeierl]

jk, are you talking about your slideout 'topper' which goes from the roof to the outer edge of the slideout or the main awning on the passenger side of the coach?

[glenda1908]

JK, sorry I can't help you but I can offer "moral support". Hope you have a safe trip home and the Tascas look forward to seeing you soon. Take care.

[Clay L]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by codgerbill:
Just curious JK.....
Is your awning a manual deployed one or electric?
I have a manual one and just use a couple of large cable ties on the arms. I am wondering what an anti blow thingy is and is it for both a manual and electric awning? My awning has a metal wrap on the outside of it and when undeployed just the corrigated metal shows. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Unfortunately it as not as simple as using cable ties or anything else to secure the arms. The problem is not due to the arms coming loose but rather the ratchet pawl in the roller tube giving way and letting the awning unroll and billow out.

There are a number of gadjets that lock the tube and this is what is really required to prevent undesired deployment.

They must be something out there to prevent the deployment of the slide topper the original poster was talking about (other than the anti billow kit which I believe is on toppers since at least 2004 - I have it on mine) but I haven't seen it advertised yet.

[CHIPPYSGT]

Codgerbill,

Just strapping down the arms won't stop your awning from unfurling. You need something that holds the fabric tight and doesn't allow the tube to rotate and let the fabric unwrap.

It usually happens with a strong wind coming at an angle to your rig, usually from the front. W@ind gets between the layers of rolled up fabric and acts like a parachute. The weakest point, usually the roller springs, are going to give and out comes the fabric. the springs don't break, their tension just gives.

[codgerbill]

Ummmmm.....
AS I am the new owner of a older coach I am wondering about the thingy that keeps the awning from unrolling. As I remember it I have this long metal pole and I have to release some sort of latch on the top right hand side and then use the "pole" to grasp the thingy that unrolls the awning. While in the storage lot last year the guy next to me advised me to secure the arms that deploy the awning with bungys or cable ties because they mite come loose while at speed on the freeway.