Community Forums

kevin1959 · 06-12-2018, 12:40 PM

Just back from a couple weeks out west. Went to factory to have full wall slide repaired. They replaced Schwintek drive with the new Power Gear mechanism. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this !! Anyway, when I left Iowa and continued west, I was on 90 in South Dakota when we were suddenly in the middle of a wind storm like I've never seen before !! The wind was so bad it ripped the full wall slide topper bracket right out of the side of coach. Fortunately I was able to secure it with duct tape. Lots of duct tape ! I'm glad I had my ladder with me. Stopped at factory again on the way home but they couldn't get me in for a couple days. Unfortunately I couldn't wait a couple days. Needed to get back home. So my plan is to remove microwave, (I think this bracket sits at wall right behind microwave), drill 4 throughholes through the side of my coach, ( I cringe thinking about doing this !! ) , and also drill through a steel plate. Mount steel plate on inside wall and secure bracket to side of coach with new through hole hardware. Nuts, bolts, washers, loctite , silicone etc..... Ain't this stuff fun !!!!

wilburn · 06-12-2018, 01:22 PM

Save Your RV Awning with an RV Awning Travel Lock!

youracman · 06-12-2018, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilburn

Save Your RV Awning with an RV Awning Travel Lock!

I installed one of these, wilburn .............. on my main (14ft) awning. They are well designed and easy to install.

I believe the original poster said his "slide topper" mounting bracket was ripped off. But the slide topper has its own awning lock from the factory (AKA an anti-billowing device)....... so a travel lock would be redundant, I believe. My slide topper roller could make maybe 1/5 if a turn (max) in a heavy side wind and then it would hit a hard stop (the anti-billowing device) and it is v e r y rugged. I have always felt "no sweat" from real hard side winds as far as the slide topper is concerned....... maybe a false sense of security though? Dunno.

Safe travels.................. ed s

Honwing · 06-12-2018, 05:40 PM

Had the same type of wind storm hit us in Illinois. My 14’ slide topper held but my roof did not. Progressive Insurance denied my claim stating
1. Wear and Tear
2. Manufacturers Defect
3. Lack of proper Maintenance
I fought with them showing pictures I took after doing a full roof inspection including the well known ( I have found very few know this) inspection of the gutter caulk that holds the roof cove in place. They told me that self inspection was not enough to show it was done properly but a dealer inspection receipt was. That way the dealer is responsible( good luck with that) and Progressive is off the hook either way. I was told by the inspector that came to the park that records can be created after the damage but dealer receipts cannot. Quoted $20,000 for a new roof but since this so often Winnebago make a special repair kit that replaces that whole cove for approximately $2,500. Having our cove replaced October 1st at Lichtsinn RV in Forest City,Iowa and the passenger side recalled at the same time. Having the cove repainted down the street at CDI at the same time. Still very upset that I paid for wind damage and they say this was not “ sudden damage”.

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Honwing · 06-12-2018, 05:43 PM

Not “recalled” but “recaulked”. Sorry but autocorrect got me

azpete · 06-13-2018, 11:25 AM

yeah, we lost our big awning during a microburst in montana. i looked for an hour, and never found the roller bar, fabric, or arms. just disappeared.

it ripped the fabric right along the awning rail, and didnt damage it at all.
it ripped the bolts out of the sidewall, and broke those it didnt tear out. not even a small bit of damage to the roof or sidewall. go figure.

wildcatter · 06-13-2018, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin1959

Just back from a couple weeks out west. Went to factory to have full wall slide repaired. They replaced Schwintek drive with the new Power Gear mechanism. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this !! Anyway, when I left Iowa and continued west, I was on 90 in South Dakota when we were suddenly in the middle of a wind storm like I've never seen before !! The wind was so bad it ripped the full wall slide topper bracket right out of the side of coach. Fortunately I was able to secure it with duct tape. Lots of duct tape ! I'm glad I had my ladder with me. Stopped at factory again on the way home but they couldn't get me in for a couple days. Unfortunately I couldn't wait a couple days. Needed to get back home. So my plan is to remove microwave, (I think this bracket sits at wall right behind microwave), drill 4 throughholes through the side of my coach, ( I cringe thinking about doing this !! ) , and also drill through a steel plate. Mount steel plate on inside wall and secure bracket to side of coach with new through hole hardware. Nuts, bolts, washers, loctite , silicone etc..... Ain't this stuff fun !!!!

DW and I ran into that same type of wind on a motorcycle, last august went up to Sturgis and rode over to Wall Drug, perfect day, on the way back we hit that type of crosswind, DW started hyper ventilating so we pulled of of I-90 and into a closed down gas station, we were the second bike, by the time we decided to get back on our way there was at least 15 bikes/trikes and 8 to 10 campers, many were fixing or tying down there awnings, what a site it was.