Community Forums

Izzyblueye · 12-09-2009, 02:11 PM

It is very windy here in the Midwest right now. Far more than what we normally experience. In that train of thought, I was behind a big Class A out on I-75 today. Suddenly his big awning came ripping off the side of the coach. First it unfurled, then the arms came loose and it was one mess by the time he noticed it and got stopped. I tried to notify him, but to no avail. No one should have been out in a motor home in this kind of wind. He obviously did not have any anchors on his awning. It was in an area where the nearest RV dealer of any size is 50 miles away. It is doubtful they would have a full length awning in stock. I felt bad for him, it has happened to me before I put awning locks on.

Papa_Jim · 12-09-2009, 03:13 PM

Where do I go to get awning locks?

LVJ58 · 12-09-2009, 04:22 PM

Almost had that happen to ours traveling through Wyoming. Stopped at the first truck stop and bought some 12" heavy duty teflon ties and secured both front and back arms to the bracket at the top. Kind of inconvenient, but it sure worked good.

Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43' · 12-09-2009, 04:24 PM

Do they make awning locks for awnings with electric motors?? If so I'm interested, I lost mine 3 1/2 years ago when the electric motor shaft snapped in half.

Izzyblueye · 12-09-2009, 05:39 PM

I made my own lock using a awning pull down rod hooked into the hole on the roller and tied securely to the awning anchor plate. CW sells their own version, as does PPL Rv supplies. I can't honestly answer the question on electric awnings as I have never really looked closely at them. However anything that will keep the roller from turning and allowing the awning to unfurl should work on any kind of awning. I use electrical ties to the top anchor to keep the arms tight against the coach. The problem occurs primarily from the cam slipping or breaking and allowing the awning to unfurl. The one I witnessed today did damage to the side of the man's coach.

Wayne M · 12-10-2009, 09:08 AM

In my previous 3400RL we were head down the road with about 45 MPH gusts from the right side. The wind got up under the awning and began unfurling it. We had just stopped to eat and my walk around indicated that everything was okay. Forty-five minutes later we stopped for fuel and DW stepped out and said the awning was torn. When I walked around there was about 3-4 feet of awning billowed out and shredded. Both of the arms were tight against the side of the trailer. The awning was locked so tight I could not get it open to roll it back up. I borrows a step ladder from the fuel stop and used a razor knife to cut the awning away. Insurance paid for all.

I now have a power awning and I have not locked it. I just want to be able to push a button and have it open instead of forgetting to unlock it.

Here is a link to an Awning Lock

Tell Keith WayneM said hi.

ruby2sday · 12-11-2009, 01:13 AM

We were following my brother in law through south Texas a few years ago. His awning billowed out, ballooned over the top of the motorhome, then sucked back in and closed up. By the time we were able to let him know and get stopped, all was well, the awning was fine and back where it belonged. We put heavy duty zip ties on it for the rest of the trip. He wouldn't have known a thing if we hadn't seen it, unless it happened again and wasn't as lucky the second time.

ninos · 12-24-2009, 08:06 PM

I like the lock that Wayne M posted but looks like you have to use a latter to get up there, is that right?

hamguy · 12-25-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVJ58

Almost had that happen to ours traveling through Wyoming. Stopped at the first truck stop and bought some 12" heavy duty teflon ties and secured both front and back arms to the bracket at the top. Kind of inconvenient, but it sure worked good.

What is a teflon tie? Teflon is notoriously slick and darned hard to tie.

Frank P. Martin · 12-25-2009, 10:52 AM

Teflon Tie? I think it's something accidentally misnamed, kind of like folks who have RVs and trucks equipped with Cummings diesels. I'm sure they meant to say Nylon. They're just those little spelling, naming, pronunciation and grammatical errors that we're all guilty of making from time to time... myself included.

Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43' · 12-25-2009, 01:19 PM

Santa brought me the awning lock mentioned above. It does require the use of an 8' ladder. also requires a drill motor, center punch, phillips screwdriver, drill bits 7/32", 1/8", 3/8" drill bit, fine tipped marker, and wreches that fit the supplied nuts. This is the requirement for mine which is for the A&E weather Pro awning with the TSWD adapter.
I will be installing within the next week and will post when that is complete.

cvrvr · 12-25-2009, 01:21 PM

I installed the "RV Awning Clamp" RV AwningClamp - 1 .

So far it has done it's job

Merry Christmas
George

azloafer · 12-25-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43'

Do they make awning locks for awnings with electric motors?? If so I'm interested, I lost mine 3 1/2 years ago when the electric motor shaft snapped in half.

I had the same thing happen to my awning. The shaft also snapped like yours. One of the slide toppers also opened and was destroyed. The difference is that in my case I was not driving. It happened to my coach while it was parked in an outdoor storage lot. A serious wind storm lasting for an entire night must have kept hammering the awnings until they unfurled. The locks on the large awning failed. I guess I'll have to look into awning locks, at least on the large electric awning. I am not physically able to do the job myself. I wonder if Camping World installs some type of lock?

Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43' · 12-25-2009, 02:42 PM

AZLOAFER, If you are interested in the awning lock I spoke about, rather than camping world I would check around for a mobile rv person to come to you and do the install...probably less expensive and you can observe the proceedings and ask questions.