Community Forums

ernest917 · 03-10-2017, 04:20 PM

larrymo....

Even if you could get a Velcro strap around the arms I won't do any good....

The arms aren't the issue - the roller is.... Especially on the power awnings... The motor holds it closed by not letting the motor shaft turn when it's closed... Major wind strips the hole in the end cap where the motor shaft enters thus letting the roller spin free....

slickest1 · 03-10-2017, 04:21 PM

Even if the arms are locked the wind can still pull the awning fabric out. I had that happen on my slide topper.

On my carefree electric patio awning I drilled a hole on each end of the metal awning cover. I then attached a vinyl covered cable to each end with an S hook to that hole and a small turnbuckle to the bottom end and hooked that onto the bottom of the arm. I have to use my step ladder to install and uninstall but I have never had a problem with it since.
We have been out in some bad winds and it works great.

dix39 · 03-10-2017, 04:25 PM

You folks are confirming my worst fears, but thank you for doing so! We have had TCs for years. The latest one had an awning that was "encased", but after several years of having it hang on the side and not using it I removed it. Last year we made our first cross country trip with our "new to us" MH. After seeing the arms move slightly with wind and sometimes just different road conditions I began to worry. I would check it every time we stopped, but it seemed to hang together for the whole trip. We are planning a similar trip this coming summer. Thanks to you folks I will have something in place to prevent it from coming loose.

I'm sorry so many of you had to go through the experience of having your awning come loose. Believe me, I had many of the same scenarios playing out in my mind during our trip. As they say, "to be forewarned is to be forearmed". Many thanks for the warning!!

Steve

ernest917 · 03-10-2017, 04:42 PM

YEA !!!!!!! Just ordered a lock for my Carefree Eclipse Power Awning.... Only $59.95 and shipping for some MAJOR piece of mind !!!!

marjoa · 03-10-2017, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larrymo

10+ years ago, a guy I work with had this happen. He said afterwards he put 2" Velcro around the old style manual arms as high as he could get while standing on the ground. Now days the most of the arms are flush mounted. I'm thinking some sort of locking pin through the arms, or a wrap around cable with a quick disconnect that can be reached while standing on the ground. A pain to remember to remove before use, yes. But the cost of awning replacement plus damage repairs to the RV, or worse possible tire blowouts - would be much more of a pain.

The thing is, locking the arms doesn't prevent the awning from unfurling. You have to prevent the awning roller from unrolling....thus the above mentioned roller lock.

barmcd · 03-10-2017, 05:51 PM

I looked at a 1998 Country Coach last year that had a new awning on it. The owner said he lost the original while driving in Arizona and insurance paid for a replacement.

Robleves0143 · 03-10-2017, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickey53usa

About 9:30 A.M. MST my wife and I were west bound 40 miles east of Ruidoso, NM, between MP301 and MP300 when a very strong gust of wind, estimated in the 50 mile an hour range hit the right (passenger) side of the Motorhome. The road in this area drops down a long 4-6% grade and then goes around a right-hand curve and then back up. The wind gust caused the 18+ foot awning, attached to the right side of our 2009 Winnebago Destination 37G to unfurl and extend to the open position. This awning is electrically controlled and the lock mechanism is electric. We heard a loud "POP" prior to the awning unfurling. I was able to safely get to the side of the road at just about MP 300. By the time I got the Motorhome stopped, and got outside, the back arm of the awning was broken and the awning fabric and the roller was being flipped up onto the top of the Motorhome repeatedly. I quickly took a couple of photographs and then started to try and wrangle the flapping awning to the ground. Since this is an electric awning, I had no way to disconnect the arms from the side of the Motorhome and get it to the ground. The awning when fully extended is about eight feet off the ground on the “low” end and eleven feet off the ground where attached to the top edge of the Motorhome. I attempted to get a rope around the back end of the roller to try and keep it under control as it continued to flip on to the top of the Motorhome with each gust of wind. After about 10 minutes of struggle, during which the awning continued to flip onto the top of the Motorhome and then going to the fully extended position, only for the wind to flip it on to the top of the Motorhome, with damage continuing, two passing motorists stopped to help.

With their assistance, we were still not able to control awning and get it disconnected from the Motorhome, which was the only viable alternative to mitigate further damage and be able to continue driving the Motorhome.

On my direction, one of the assistants climbed onto the roof of the Motorhome (he volunteered, younger, more agile than I) and cut the awning off the mounting point on the top of the Motorhome. This then caused the fabric to get caught in the wind and blow it around the awning roller (tube), again causing an uncontrollable situation. The fabric was then cut from the awning roller and stored out of the wind. With the wind continuing, we were able to get both arms disconnected from the Motorhome, along with the awning roller. By this time both arms were bent beyond repair/use as was the awning roller.

While on the roof cutting the awning fabric free, it was discovered that the refrigerator roof vent was broken and the front end was being lifted by the wind and bent back. I decided to have the assistant remove the refrigerator vent cover completely to prevent it from coming off the vehicle as we were driving, potentially causing damage to my towed vehicle or other vehicles on the highway. At the same time it was observed that the slide cover (topper) on the right rear bedroom slide had also partially unfurled, on the back end. I felt that it would be safe to travel with it in this condition.

Since we had no way to safely transport the eighteen foot awning roller and the attached arms, it was left alongside the road.

Monday morning quarterbacks have suggested that the awning roller and arms could have been "strapped" to the side of the Motorhome in the closed position and the travels continued, because once the fabric is removed, it is no longer a wind catcher.

Has this happened to you? What did you do?* What would you do if it happened to you?* Since this was an electric awning is there a better lock technology?

Cross posted to The RV Forum -

Sorry before you. Leave walk around twice . I saw posted somewhere that they put a catch or latch to hold it. Posted on Pinterest check it out.

vettenuts · 03-10-2017, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marjoa

The thing is, locking the arms doesn't prevent the awning from unfurling. You have to prevent the awning roller from unrolling....thus the above mentioned roller lock.

Correct. My arms were locked plus I had Velcro over the locks and the wind got under the metal awning cover and it started to unfurl. Only way to prevent this is to lock the roller itself.

Electra 225 · 03-10-2017, 11:12 PM

Mickey53, that is terrifying and glad you didn't get hurt! As mentioned in the other scenarios, things could have been worse. I would add to that. You were also lucky the awning arms didn't whip downward and damage the side of the coach. I think that would have been severe damage at that.

Learned something here today, I have the same awnings. Sorry for your bad experience Mickey53, thanks for the heads up. Thanks to the other poster too, I be ordering my awning lock now.

Regards,
W.D.

Flyerone · 03-11-2017, 10:34 AM

The site still says unavailable for the Carefree electric awning?

ernest917 · 03-11-2017, 10:54 AM

I called and talked to them and it is available.... He even included a picture of one installed on a Carefree awning. I'd attach it but can't figure out how.... In fact, at the beginning of the site it mentions that they are now available...

Flyerone · 03-11-2017, 11:24 AM

Thanks! I will get in touch with them.

rapid rick · 03-11-2017, 04:18 PM

There also is an aftermarket awning lock strap that wraps around the roller tube.It is made of heavy rubber and unlocks using a rod so that climbing up and down a ladder is not necessary. The strap attaches above the awning and has a clip that mounts below the awning tube, just bring awning in, take rod pull strap down and lock into lower clip. About $50.00 also.

Rv awning clamp@ ppl rv parts superstore

buzz57 · 03-11-2017, 07:39 PM

I just installed the above strap lock. Coming south through Idaho 2 weeks ago, the wind unrolled ours on the I15! Scary to say the least! The wife and I manged to roll the damm thing back up..........................bought the clamp at the first CW we came across (St George ).

hope it never happens again!