Secure that awning on the road

[Izzyblueye]

Awning from motor home injures man
- Mar. 3rd, 2008
A 50-year-old Harrod man was taken to the hospital Monday afternoon, after an awning came off a mobile home and struck his truck.

Troopers from the Lima post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that Jeffrey Marchel, 50, of Harrod, was westbound on state Route 309, east of Lima, at 12:30 p.m. when the awning came off an eastbound Frontier motor home driven by Lynn E. Joseph, 59, of Harrod. The awning struck Marchel's windshield, breaking it.

Harrod emergency workers took Marchel to Lima Memorial Health System for minor injuries.

Information on his condition was unavailable

[Izzyblueye]

Awning from motor home injures man
- Mar. 3rd, 2008
A 50-year-old Harrod man was taken to the hospital Monday afternoon, after an awning came off a mobile home and struck his truck.

Troopers from the Lima post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that Jeffrey Marchel, 50, of Harrod, was westbound on state Route 309, east of Lima, at 12:30 p.m. when the awning came off an eastbound Frontier motor home driven by Lynn E. Joseph, 59, of Harrod. The awning struck Marchel's windshield, breaking it.

Harrod emergency workers took Marchel to Lima Memorial Health System for minor injuries.

Information on his condition was unavailable

[Rainbow]

I once had wind unfurl an awning but have never seen one come off before. In any event the locking mechanism that comes with the awning is not sufficent to hold it from unfurling in a big wind. Here's a website for an easy fix to hold the awning. C:\Users\Bill\Documents\my docs\RV\Awning Fix.htm

[wilanddij]

Hey rainbow, the website you provided looks more like a file on your PC. Whatever it is, it can't be found on the internet.

[dukcrvr79]

I solved the poblem by using a vecro strap at the top of the arm, where the awning is connected to the motorhome. The only draw back is that you need a ladder to put them on or remove, but for travel with hi side winds they work perfect. They come pre-made at most RV supply stores, think I got mine at campers world.

[Ken Roberts]

dukcrvr79, Please do not take offense; but velcro on the awning arm, other than giving you a warm fuzzy, will not prevent an awning from unfurling. You could even drill a hole through the arm and all the way to the interior of your rig and insert a bolt, washer, nut combo and the awning can still unfurl.

The unfurling is caused by excessive cross winds getting up under the awning and/or awning tube and if they are not secured away you go. There are several after market and DIY gizmos that will prevent the unfurling. However, you elect to proceed have safe travels, Ken'04 DSDP

[BigRedLancer]

I guess it depends on how your awning works. Mine is manual and the awning unrolls as I pull the awning down. The arm that connects the awning roller moves on a pivot point at the bottom of the awning mount. If I put velcro straps at the top of the arm, near the awning when it is retracted, I can't unroll as the arm can not move. In my case, the straps would work fine.

Cheers!

[Wayne Dohnal]

The arms do not move when the awning unfurls. The wind works itself between the layers of the rolled up awning and unwinds it off the roller with the arms never moving.

[John Wayne]

The only thing that keeps the awning from unrolling is the little ratchet gear in the front of the roller tube (the one you turn down to unroll your awning when setting up) as it wears the wind can force it to slip and the awning will unroll.
Big red Lancer next time you climb up to take your strap off flip the lever you turn to unroll the awning. leave the strap on and turn the roller by hand to unwind it (like you were pulling it out). I'll bet you get slack in the awning material now guess what would happen if it was the wind turning the awning material into a large sail. the wind could unroll the whole awning and the arms are still against the side of the RV until the pressure rips them off.
This is why you have to lock the roller tube not the arms. I've posted several times how to make a lock using your awning rod. Total cost $0.00

[Izzyblueye]

John Wayne has got it right, the fix is simple and cost nothing. It can all be done from the ground.

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BigRedLancer:
I guess it depends on how your awning works. Mine is manual and the awning unrolls as I pull the awning down. The arm that connects the awning roller moves on a pivot point at the bottom of the awning mount. If I put velcro straps at the top of the arm, near the awning when it is retracted, I can't unroll as the arm can not move. In my case, the straps would work fine.

Cheers! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The A&E awning that comes with that coach has locks that prevents the arms from comming open and it is fine that you are using velcro as a secondary safety to secure the arms however it is the locking lever on the side of the awning roller that you flip to roll up the awning that is supposed to prevent unfurling. This ratcheting spring latch sometimes breaks in a high wind and although the arms don't end up moving at all the awning spools off the roller and turns into a big sail. To prevent this a seconday lock is installed on either one or even both ends of the roller tube or straps are mounted to the body of the coach cinched around the awning fabric and roller as you would lash a sail on a boat when it is furled.

See page 123 of the part manual for your coach which shows the details of your particular coach and awning.

http://www.winnebagoind.com/service/...05/5wfd30b.pdf

Part #4 is the travel lock for the arms.

At the top middle portion of the page is the detail of the right end of the awning tube showing the roller lock lever that you flip with your awning rod to unroll or roll up your awning. It is the lock attached to this small lever on the end of the roller that prevents unfurling and can fail allowing the wind to get under the fabric of the awning rolled up on the tube and allows it to unfurl.

I'm sorry but unless you have changed out the manual awning that comes from Winnebago with something quite different you are not fine as you would have the same awning that other are having unfurling issues with. Strapping the arms will preven them from rattling and possibly keep the arms from extending if your awning unfurls but it will not prevent unfurling if the latch on the end of the roller tube fails.

[Firecapt]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wayne Dohnal:
The arms do not move when the awning unfurls. The wind works itself between the layers of the rolled up awning and unwinds it off the roller with the arms never moving. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wayne,

Could you re-post your awning lock solution or provide a link to one of your previous posts? I would love to have this info!!

Thanks!!

[John Wayne]

What I have done. Take your awning rod and re-bend the top to to make it about 4"-5" long. Now walk to the rear of your rolled up awning. You should be able to see the hole in the roller tube, this is the same hole that the pull down strap slides in. Put the awning rod into this hole. The rod will now be hanging beside the awning leg. Take a lenght of rope and run it through the bottom loop of the awning rod then run the rope through the hole in the awning foot tie the ends together and your awning is locked.
I put some clear tubing over the rod in a few places to keep it from scratching the arms and hold it it to the arm with small bungee cords.
I now make them out of polished SS for friends and to sell.

[Firecapt]

Wayne,

Thanks! I'll try this out first thing in the morning. Just as you said, it sounds incredibly simple and costs nothing.