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  1. #11
    Site Sponsor Scousers's Avatar
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    No matter how you tie down/secure the outer part of the awning, there is still a weak point where it attaches to the trailer. Seen iy happen many times, awning ripped away from its mount.

  2. #12
    Big Traveler
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    Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
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    I will never leave an awning out unattended.......anymore.....
    2018 Dodge 3500 6.7 Cummins SRW w/Aisin
    2021 Reflection 303RLS
    New to RV'ing since 1997

  3. #13
    Fireside Member
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    We hardly ever extend ours. On our previous travel trailer we left it extended, tied down, for weeks at a time in windy conditions.
    2020 Solitude 310GKR
    2003 F350 PSD

  4. #14
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tennesseepowerstroke View Post
    We hardly ever extend ours. On our previous travel trailer we left it extended, tied down, for weeks at a time in windy conditions.
    Why did you leave it extended for weeks, even in windy conditions on your travel trailer but you hardly extend your awning now on your Solitude?

  5. #15
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobWNY View Post
    Why did you leave it extended for weeks, even in windy conditions on your travel trailer but you hardly extend your awning now on your Solitude?
    Because older awnings were significantly more robust! Nothing in modern powered awnings compares to the strength of the old spring-wounds.
    Rob & Nikki + Cloverfield
    2020 Grand Design Solitude S-Class 3350RL
    2015 RAM 3500 Longhorn Laramie Crew Cab, Long Bed, 4x4 Dually Cummins/AISIN

    Mountains of Pennsylvania

  6. #16
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by geotex1 View Post
    Because older awnings were significantly more robust! Nothing in modern powered awnings compares to the strength of the old spring-wounds.
    Understood. I didn't know your travel trailer was an older model.

  7. #17
    Fireside Member
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    Simply because we could. We camped for 2 weeks at a time in south Florida and the Smokey Mountains. I would even have it extended at home when sitting on the RV pad at times.

    There is no comparison between the awnings on our 93 Holiday Rambler and the Solitude. The older unit was much more sturdy. I used to look at the awnings on the newer RV's and wish I could retract it the way they do. After owning a retractable one I wish it was as sturdy as the old one.

    Maybe it all boils down to wishing you had what you don't and when you get it you wish you had the old one. There are definitely advantages to both types. We are living in the Solitude while we rebuild our house that was destroyed be a tornado. The wind is much stronger where we are after losing all of the trees from the tornado. A 15 MPH wind now seems like a 50 MPH without any trees or houses to block it.

    Bottom line is I would not leave home with this awning extended.
    2020 Solitude 310GKR
    2003 F350 PSD

  8. #18
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    With the old awnings that had the arms that came down I was forever banging my head on those arms. They were sturdy though. Wish we had them back though as we hardly ever put our awning out anymore.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
    Michigan
    We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
    https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/


  9. #19
    Rolling Along
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    Feb 2017
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    Hi. We have lost three awnings on two different trailers over the years. The first one in the 90's I take full responsibility. No one told me I had to angle the awning for rain! The material on that BRAND NEW awning was not really damaged so we used it for an underlayment for our carpet for years. The second, on our Solitude, was a tornado scare while we were in town eating breakfast; A completely broken arm assembly and holes in the fabric. The third was a few weeks ago, in Florida when we were very lucky and just sideswiped by a nearby tornado. It all happened so fast that the awning was toast before we could push the button to roll it in. Our BBQ was found 30 feet from the trailer. On the last two I bought steel and fasteners from Lowes and pieced the broken arms back together until we could get it repaired.

    Lessons learned: Right after the awning was usable again, but not able to roll up the last 6 inches to the wall, we started rolling it up for every little breeze. We bought some light-duty ratchet straps and ground anchors so that now the awning itself does not move a millimeter in any breeze. If/When it starts flapping we bring it in.

    To your second question about netting... We looked at the sun screens that are sold by RV stores, but they are really $$$$. We went to Harbor Freight and bought a 20 x 14 Mesh Tarp ($35). We bought heavy-duty Velcro straps and a nylon rope from Lowes to fit the last unused track in the awning tube. My wife sewed 2-inch Velcro (2 x 4 inch pieces folded back on each other) at 2 foot intervals. We threaded the rope with the patches into the track. My DW also sewed the Velcro's opposite patches to the top of the mesh along with another piece of rope that we can yank to disengage the Velcro for an emergency roll-up! Our awning is 10+ feet up so it takes a tall ladder to reconnect the mesh to the Awning, but it comes down in seconds.

    On the lighter side, we still have the one good arm from the previous awning mishap. When we get back home to Michigan we will replace the latest broken arm with that one. Warning: On our Carefree awning, the pneumatic struts take 85 pounds of force to compress, which makes the arm a ballistic weapon should it open unexpectedly while being handled!
    Frank and Char + Maya, Newport, Michigan. 2016 Solitude 379FL/2006 F250 6.0 diesel w/dually conversion. 4th rain-sense roof vent, two ceiling fans, Kodiak disc brakes, Carlisle G 14-ply tires, Water Miser x2, final dump valve, water header tank, fridge cond fan switch, outside range exhaust, elec hot water anode, filtered drinking water, triple battery box,

  10. #20
    Fireside Member
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    I might add another tid-bit based on my costly experience. I had my awning out and tied down. (strings from the roller to ground screws) Decided it was too much trouble to untie and roll up when we went to dinner. Came back to a broken support arm on one end and partial pullout from the trailer on the other end. Upon analysis, I concluded it was pooling rainwater that caused the arm to break which then caused the other end to pull out a bit. The wind was fine cause of the tie downs but I didn't angle the awning so water pooled and kaboom. And it may be tough to angle it with a screen on it.

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