Community Forums

Dajomar · 08-29-2016, 08:22 PM

We have a 2012 Keystone Passport. We have considered tying down the awning just for added support when it gets a little breezy. We have an elec. retractable awning. We have been told both ways, no, you can't it will ruin the awning and yes it can be done with no problem.

Can anyone help with this problem? Who has experience with this please help us.
Thank you,
Darlene

jmcannonball · 08-29-2016, 08:37 PM

I have an electric auto-retract awning on my excursion. However, I would not even consider tying it down when it got "breezy". I play it safe and retract the awning when the wind picks up. And I NEVER leave the awning out while I am away from the coach. A friend with a Tiffin left his out once and when he returned his awning was across the street from the RV park! JMHO.

**Spdracr39** · 08-29-2016, 08:52 PM

Why tie it down and hope it will hold instead of taking a few seconds and rolling it up when not using it or the wind picks up ?

Mike and Cha · 08-29-2016, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmcannonball

I have an electric auto-retract awning on my excursion. However, I would not even consider tying it down when it got "breezy". I play it safe and retract the awning when the wind picks up. And I NEVER leave the awning out while I am away from the coach. A friend with a Tiffin left his out once and when he returned his awning was across the street from the RV park! JMHO.

We do it this way too, plus ours will automatically retract if the winds gets to a certain speed. But we always retract the awning when we leave the MH, it's just too easy to push the button rather than take a chance of losing the whole thing.

dustyone · 08-30-2016, 12:32 AM

What they said. My little trailer has an electronic awning. Just push a button and no worries.

scbwr · 08-30-2016, 06:16 AM

Another no vote, especially with electric awnings that are much lighter weight.

RPr · 08-30-2016, 07:11 PM

I tie down the awning when I am gone and do not expect wind. I have been fooled in the past. If I am gone for any sgnificant length of time, I roll it up.

Some folks roll it in whenever they are gone just to be sure.

My tie downs are ropes that are attached to the awning struts and are staked to the ground.

powderman · 08-30-2016, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdracr39

Why tie it down and hope it will hold instead of taking a few seconds and rolling it up when not using it or the wind picks up ?

Well the one reason I can think of is that when spending the winter in a single place, I want to have the sunscreen attached and closing the awning would be a real pain. My awning gets staked and stays that way for months at a time.

Btw , I have been doing it this way for seven years running.

gazingm42 · 08-30-2016, 08:43 PM

We just make sure when we leave and when the sun goes down to retract
the awing. We seen winds come up very fast and rip them off.

Dajomar · 08-30-2016, 08:55 PM

I guess I should have made it more clear that I'm inquiring for just the times we are sitting outside under it and it gets a little "breezy". we always close it at night and when we leave. It's just sometimes while we are sitting there, the wind can pick up and we have to rush in and close it. Ours is not made to retract on it's own in the wind, it just flips up to remove excess water on it. Thank you for all your replies.

chaps2018 · 09-02-2016, 02:24 PM

Effectively the tiedowns are working against the mounts on the trailer.

Your call but the stronger one (screws in the trailer or ground attachment) will win.

Where we camp frequently there are storms that pop up with very little warning. We have seen our share of awning rods "stored" under the camper the day after a storm.

I can also tell you that being next to a trailer who's awning roller flipped on the roof and the wind using it to beat the crap out of the slide roof is a terrifying site. You are hoping that heavy roller rod does not fully detach and fly into your rig or tow vehicle.

RPr · 09-04-2016, 11:02 PM

In the end it is your choice. There are all sorts of horrific stories and people who simply watch the weather and judge accordingly.

Highway 4x4 · 09-04-2016, 11:32 PM

I don't tie it down because I want to be able to roll that sucker up fast, and if the wind comes up to the point you need to roll it up, as soon as you take the tie downs off,,,, it's gone.

DGBPokes · 09-05-2016, 05:56 AM

We're to begin ? We live in OK, always real windy, I have tried tied down and not tied down, using those "deflappers" and not. The " deflappers help a lot, but also stress the rails and coach mounts a lot. You get a lot of noise and rattling.

Spent last winter in the Rio Grande Valley. The guy across from us had his tied down, a screened room attachment nailed down in about 12 places. Took him about 2 hours to set it up, and another 2 hours to take it down. The biggest knock in the RGV is the wind. I watched him but that thing out and take it up about 5 times....seemed crazy to me.

We pulled into a park early afternoon a few years ago, had just set up, awning out. I had gone inside for just a few minutes, and a huge thunderstorm blew in. I rushed outside to but the awning up. The wind was so strong, I couldn't get it up myself, so I hollered at the DW to help. She is kinda small, 5-2 110#, as we tried to roll the awning up, it lifted her off the ground! We got ours stowed, there were about 8 rigs in the park that day that had awnings ripped off or shredded hanging on the sides.

Electric awnings are the thing now, and are really nice, but they are no where near as strong as the old roll up awnings. It is always nice to have the awning out. But I can't tell you how many times, in the middle of the night, I have been outside in my Jammie's rolling up an awning. And it would have been worse if it was tied down, and I was trying to untie it half asleep, in a strong wind.

You be the judge. Good luck either way.