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06-10-2013, 03:43 AM
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#1
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Community Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 53,429
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Awning tie down methods
I'm staying in one place this summer and thinking about awning tie downs. I've seen two different methods here. The traditional "straps " and straps with springs like these.
Power Hook Awning Tensioner - Camco RV 42013 - Awning Accessories & Hardware - Camping World
I of course will disable the wind sensor in my AE power awning.
Looking for opinions on these two setups or any others.
Thanks
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Cliff,Tallulah and Buddy ( 1999-2012 )
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06-10-2013, 05:08 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: West Texas
Posts: 228
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I tie my awning down with tent stakes and ratchet ties.
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2015 Ford F150
2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 233RBS
Prior: Jayco Pop Up, Shasta Bunkhouse, Rockwood Pop Up
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06-10-2013, 05:20 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,655
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My cousin used to carry 2 5G buckets. He would hang them from the awning roller ends, fill them with sand, and his awning stayed secure during the "gentle breezes" you always see in the RGV. He said this allowed the RV and awning to move some when winds hit.
Personally I always stowed the awnings in high wind, a sudden micro-burst of high wind will/can rip the awning from the channel on the side of the RV.
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2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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06-10-2013, 06:02 AM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Nor'easters Club Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NH
Posts: 5,099
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Spring tensioners are your best bet Cliff. They'll give in wing gusts but return to the tension set after. I had years ago a set of springs [3] that were a spring within a spring and they worked very good. It was a outer spring with a hook and a inner spring with a hook, somehow married together [to many years ago]. But in any case I'd go spring tensioners. Good luck.
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Bruce & Nancy
FMCA F280542
2004 Bounder 35E
US Navy Vet.
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06-10-2013, 06:35 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Vintage RV Owners Club Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: c above
Posts: 5,525
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Personally
I would not chance it, It only takes 5 minutes to put it up before you leave, and how much to replace it? JMO, Tim
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1982 Pace Arrow P30 454
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Tim, Joe and Lilly too. Mpls Minn.
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06-10-2013, 07:23 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Janesville, wi
Posts: 642
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Spritz, is absolutely correct. After all, you have an ELECTRIC awning. It's purpose is to make it so easy to retract, that there should be no question about it. It has the automatic retract feature so you can leave for the day and not have to worry. You paid a lot of extra $$ for that feature, use it...
Ray,in is also correct.. Any pressure on the fabric, at the channel, and the fabric will tear..
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06-10-2013, 07:58 AM
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#7
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Community Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 53,429
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I've never left mine up in all the years I've been Rving. I , along with most that have a wind sensor don't trust it at all. I find that I'm taking it in at least three times a day. That will be about 400 times over the next 135 days. These motors are notorious for failing. That's why I'm looking at alternatives.
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Cliff,Tallulah and Buddy ( 1999-2012 )
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06-10-2013, 09:35 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,458
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Yeah, the wind sensor on ours is completely unreliable. You can be sitting outside on a calm sunny day and the awning will inexplicably roll up for no reason. On the other hand, it will sometimes not do anything when those notorious OBX winds gust. It's a worthless feature, IMHO. I wouldn't leave the awning out when I'm not there even if the thing worked to perfection.
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2021 DSDP 4326 Freightliner
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06-10-2013, 09:35 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,031
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This one is what I have been using for over 14 years.
Picture doesn't show the springs that are included with it.
I have the awning tied down for 7 months straight in FL. Only time I have ever put the awning up. Has been during a hurricane coming in. It has taken gust up to 40 plus MPH with no problem. Put some good tension on the springs when installing.
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06-10-2013, 10:36 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Vintage RV Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 605
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray,IN
My cousin used to carry 2 5G buckets. He would hang them from the awning roller ends, fill them with sand, and his awning stayed secure during the "gentle breezes" you always see in the RGV. He said this allowed the RV and awning to move some when winds hit.
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We were at an RV repair facility in Elkhart, IN to have some bodywork done on our RV. We met a couple that was there to have their awning replaced. They had tied their awning to 16X8 concrete building blocks.
When the awning was wrecked by the wind, the blocks were whipped over the top of their MH causing considerable damage to storage bays on the other side. The cost of their bodywork was a lot more then the cost of the awning replacement.
We manually run in our awning whenever winds exceed 10 mph.
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06-10-2013, 11:53 AM
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#11
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Community Administrator
Pond Piggies Club LA Gulf Coast Campers Outdoors RV Owners Club Entegra Owners Club Skyline Owners Group
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 40,590
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We use what you linked to, Cliff. We attach them to the stakes you screw into the ground:
That said, we only use the tie-downs when we're in the campground. If/when we go out sightseeing (even for just a couple hours), we unhook & roll up the awning. Even with the tie-downs, I don't trust leaving a deployed awning unattended. Case in point, the straight line winds that came through the FMA rally in Goshen last yr. Took down the 12ft tall FW arch that was tied down with, probably, 500# barrels filled w/cement.
Lori-
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06-10-2013, 11:58 AM
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#12
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Community Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 53,429
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NLOVNIT
We use what you linked to, Cliff. We attach them to the stakes you screw into the ground:
That said, we only use the tie-downs when we're in the campground. If/when we go out sightseeing (even for just a couple hours), we unhook & roll up the awning. Even with the tie-downs, I don't trust leaving a deployed awning unattended. Case in point, the straight line winds that came through the FMA rally in Goshen last yr. Took down the 12ft tall FW arch that was tied down with, probably, 500# barrels filled w/cement.
Lori-
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I agree with taking it in if we leave the CG. It's the taking it in every time we go for a walk or to the pool that becomes too much.
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Cliff,Tallulah and Buddy ( 1999-2012 )
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06-10-2013, 12:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Surprise Arizona
Posts: 1,994
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I'll add my opinion. Anyone that ties down an awning is just asking for trouble.
We have had both manual and automatic over the years and one is not much safer to use than the other. A strong gust of wind can destroy both. Saw 6 of them destroyed in the same gust on the outer banks.
I have to believe that is why most insurers will not cover awning claims, or even offer to insure awnings for wind dammage.
How many have checked their policy for coverage due to wind dammage of awnings?
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Harold & Linda
2009 CT coachworks siena 35V
W22 Workhorse 8.1L. Explorer Sport toad,
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06-10-2013, 12:54 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: texas
Posts: 2,420
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Agree if I leave it goes in when I full timed I replaced dozens where the wind or rain tore them up
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