Adios, Awning

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jagnweiner

jagnweiner

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 21, 2011
Posts
1,318
Location
Geneseo, IL
<sigh>. We were out for a short drive in the new to us RV yesterday. I was having my wife drive it for the first time. She was doing great and had just driven onto the interstate when we heard a loud noise from the side. She looked in the mirror and saw that our patio awning had decided to take its leave of us.  During its departure, it took out the window awning over the bedroom window.  :( I had to run back and drag it out of the traffic lane.

No real question, just looking for sympathy. Also, if anyone knows of a good source of a replacement awning, I'd appreciate it.
 
Much of the framework as well as the fabric.  It was pretty mangled. Right now it's sitting in the ditch on the side of I80. I will go back today on a salvage mission. The metal shield that attaches at the top is still in place. I'm thinking it will still be more feasible to replace the whole thing. It's an A&E.
 
Just to give you a little idea of a place to start, we replaced the arms and some of the brackets on our awning due to a wind event while parked.  It is an A & E, got a kit from PPL for right at $300 as I recall ... hardware only, fabric was ok.  Wasn't a bad job to replace, all brackets were still attached ok, just some fractures.

Note when you recover the remains, the model number is on a label on the roller, only visible when fully extended ...

Howard and Kelly
 
Thanks, all. The fabric is definitely trashed. It ripped when the awning assembly departed, leaving a few tattered remains. I'm thinking if I were to try to rebuild, only the roller assembly and the metal awning cover would be salvageable. Therefore, it seems like total replacement is probably be the best option. It was the original awning.
 
Sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug. It's only money and the old one was probably faded anyway. As long as everyone walks away without a limp, it was a good adventure. Feel better yet? I could keep going if you need it.

Ken
 
My 2 cents..
Had that happen to me last year..called State Farm..since I have comprehensive on the coach it was covered in full and a new replacement installed..
as a side...the new awning came w/a third support [middle] and it cost me $130 to have it also installed.. my option as it would've been left in the coach if I wanted to install it..

good luck
George
 
Marsha/CA said:
After you get everything repaired and back in place, be sure and put some type of awning lock on the new awning so this doesn't happen again.

Marsha~
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
It's a little late, but maybe something to consider for the new awning, after reading a few horror stories lake yours, and having just paid a couple hundred dollars for new awning material, I purchased two awning locks for my 16' awning.  It cost me about a hundred dollars for the peace if mind.  I installed them myself which wasn't a big deal. 
 
http://www.happy-wanderers.com/technical-articles/94-aae-awning-lock

You might take a look at the awning lock referenced above. I fabricated one of these for about $15 based on the information provided and it works quite well. Sorry for your damage.
 
The locks that I have goes around the awning and are attached to the side and top of the MH.  I do not have a metal cover that goes over the awning.  It was my understanding that the problem occurs when the wind gets between the awning fabric and causes it to billow out. 
 
Mine had a metal cover and it still billowed up and tore off. When I replace I will ve getting a lock.
 
Been there, done that but couldn't afford the T-shirt because I had to replace the fabric. 

http://awninglock.com/index.shtml

The lock came with clear instructions, I installed it in no time and have had no issues. There are other locks out there and, of course, home made systems. This just happens to be the one we got.
 
My awning has an 'L' shaped lock on each arm when you are in "travelling" mode. It appears physically impossible to me for my awning to be "out" without moving these each 90 degrees, out of the way. Perhaps it's an older, better design that for some reason the awning manufacturers moved away from?


Mylo
 
mylo said:
My awning has an 'L' shaped lock on each arm when you are in "travelling" mode. It appears physically impossible to me for my awning to be "out" without moving these each 90 degrees, out of the way. Perhaps it's an older, better design that for some reason the awning manufacturers moved away from?


Mylo
Click to expand...

You need to research the problem a little further to fully understand it.

It's NOT that the arms come away from the side and let the awning come out.  The problem is that the roller unfurls the awning material (while the arms are still secured to the side of the coach) and the wind then tears the entire thing from the coach.

You need to lock the roller, NOT the arms.
 
Just Lou said:
You need to research the problem a little further to fully understand it.

It's NOT that the arms come away from the side and let the awning come out.  The problem is that the roller unfurls the awning material (while the arms are still secured to the side of the coach) and the wind then tears the entire thing from the coach.

You need to lock the roller, NOT the arms.
Click to expand...

OIC. I didn't know that could happen. Must be some serious wind. My roller (as i imagine everyone else's) just has spring tension to wind it up. There is a little lever I actuate with the awning rod to allow it to come out. Am I just lucky that mine hasn't "taken its leave of me", yet?


Mylo
 
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