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  1. #1
    Left The Driveway
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    Awning tied down

    In the park that we are in several people have tied down their awnings to prevent damage in severe or sudden winds. Is this advisable? Someone that I talked to suggested that it might be OK for manual awnings but wasn't sure if it was a good idea for the power awning.

  2. #2
    Big Traveler Calbar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JBHarper View Post
    In the park that we are in several people have tied down their awnings to prevent damage in severe or sudden winds. Is this advisable? Someone that I talked to suggested that it might be OK for manual awnings but wasn't sure if it was a good idea for the power awning.
    I have seen people do it on the power awnings. I used to do it with my manual awning but have my concerns about doing it with the power awning. With the manual awning I could put our the feet and then strap down and it was usually pretty good. No feet on the power awning.

    Rob
    Rob & Barb
    2022 Solitude 378MBS
    2022 RAM 3500 SRW HO Aisin 4x4
    Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

  3. #3
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    I've been wondering the same thing, but I decided to get the zipper shades for our awnings and will pin them down. If the wind gets too strong for them, I'll unzip the shades and roll the awnings up. I don't have any poles for the awnings and I'm not sure that I will get any - can't get those out in a hurry, if necessary, (but still thinking about it).
    Happy campers! / Lorna & Eric and our little furball, Finnan, Canandaigua, NY
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali HD 6.6L Duramax Turbo Diesel, Allison 6 speed transmission, 5th wheel setup, Pullrite SuperGlide 20k
    2018 Reflection 303RLS Built 3/2018, Dual AC's

  4. #4
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Your signature doesn't say what trailer you have. Doesn't say much at all!

    If you have more than one awning on your trailer, one of them may extend on horizontal scissor arms rather than the vertical folding arms of the main awning. If you have one of those, it may have feature to automatically retract itself in the event that it detects potentially-damaging winds. Probably wouldn't be a great idea to tie that one down.

    Like you we saw a lot of people tying down their awnings and on impulse bought the spring-loaded straps and screw-pegs to do that. Then we realized that reaching the awning to install the straps would require a ladder, and fussing with the straps seemed like more trouble than it was worth.

    Having seen several people here express surprise about how delicate they are we never leave the awnings out when we're away from the trailer, and move quickly to retract them if anything blows up. Let me know if you want to buy our straps!
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    Your signature doesn't say what trailer you have. Doesn't say much at all!

    If you have more than one awning on your trailer, one of them may extend on horizontal scissor arms rather than the vertical folding arms of the main awning. If you have one of those, it may have feature to automatically retract itself in the event that it detects potentially-damaging winds. Probably wouldn't be a great idea to tie that one down.

    Like you we saw a lot of people tying down their awnings and on impulse bought the spring-loaded straps and screw-pegs to do that. Then we realized that reaching the awning to install the straps would require a ladder, and fussing with the straps seemed like more trouble than it was worth.

    Having seen several people here express surprise about how delicate they are we never leave the awnings out when we're away from the trailer, and move quickly to retract them if anything blows up. Let me know if you want to buy our straps!
    boyscout...we can move/adjust our awnings down after they come out. We have a Reflection and I'm not sure how high yours are on your Solitude compared to the Reflection. They can be pulled down and then tightened with the plastic-handled nut on the awning arm. (Pull them down by grabbing them on the outside of the aluminum slide connection.)
    Happy campers! / Lorna & Eric and our little furball, Finnan, Canandaigua, NY
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali HD 6.6L Duramax Turbo Diesel, Allison 6 speed transmission, 5th wheel setup, Pullrite SuperGlide 20k
    2018 Reflection 303RLS Built 3/2018, Dual AC's

  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper Hwktlg8's Avatar
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    We have been camping the last eight days while using these stabilizers made by the carefree company. This is the brand of awning used on nearly all grand design products.These stabilizers work in such a way that they have a half cup that supports the undersurface of the awning bar with a strap that goes on top of the awning roll bar and hooks into the cup on a pole. As wind blows against the awning this in the fact tightens the strap on top of the awning making it more stable. For the first time in 2 1/2 seasons of camping this is the first Time I felt comfortable leaving our awning out in moderate 20 mph winds and it seems to work great.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Ryan and Alison
    2017 Solitude 377MBS-R
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    Morryde CRE 3000, xmembers x3, WBs,4k springs
    2017 GMC 3500 Duramax Denali SRW Airlift bags with wireless control
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  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    In my opinion the type of material used in the GD awnings should not be tied down because the wing could pull it away from the wall on the coach or damage it some other way. The fabric on the older awnings was a lot thicker. We let our gas shocks absorb the wind and when we get concerned with the wind we roll up. Learned the hard way not to leave the camper unless we roll up.

  8. #8
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nyfingerlakes View Post
    boyscout...we can move/adjust our awnings down after they come out. We have a Reflection and I'm not sure how high yours are on your Solitude compared to the Reflection. They can be pulled down and then tightened with the plastic-handled nut on the awning arm. (Pull them down by grabbing them on the outside of the aluminum slide connection.)
    Thanks for the tip, I'll look again at ours. I've already adjusted the main awning to dip to the sharpest angle down, but the outer edge of the awning is still far above arm's reach. I adjusted using the button/hole adjustment provided in the arms; I don't think we have a plastic nut for adjustment.

    However as @Hokensalem has said above the awning system is not robustly-made. A few people have reported the awning pulling from its mooring on the wall and a few more have reported bent/broken arms. The hassle and cost of replacing the awning on our last trailer (warning, they do not stand up well to telephone poles) has me risk-averse to damaging these ones.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    Thanks for the tip, I'll look again at ours. I've already adjusted the main awning to dip to the sharpest angle down, but the outer edge of the awning is still far above arm's reach. I adjusted using the button/hole adjustment provided in the arms; I don't think we have a plastic nut for adjustment.

    However as @Hokensalem has said above the awning system is not robustly-made. A few people have reported the awning pulling from its mooring on the wall and a few more have reported bent/broken arms. The hassle and cost of replacing the awning on our last trailer (warning, they do not stand up well to telephone poles) has me risk-averse to damaging these ones.
    Excellent point! I'm wary about damaging the awnings also.
    Happy campers! / Lorna & Eric and our little furball, Finnan, Canandaigua, NY
    2019 GMC Sierra Denali HD 6.6L Duramax Turbo Diesel, Allison 6 speed transmission, 5th wheel setup, Pullrite SuperGlide 20k
    2018 Reflection 303RLS Built 3/2018, Dual AC's

  10. #10
    Setting Up Camp tubastew's Avatar
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    Hi, here is my experience. I have a Reflection 303. I have two awnings. The rear awning is on the passenger side slide out. I had both of them staked down with paracord and 14” stakes. Additionally, the front awning had a sunscreen mounted with thee additional stakes in the ground. We were away when a sudden thunderstorm came up. Although we were back within 10 minutes of the outset of the storm, we were too late. We arrived at or campsite and discovered the front awning was undamaged and remained tied down. There was a driving rain along with very gusty winds. I managed to get the screen off the awning and the awning rolled up and secured. The rear awning was a different picture. It remained staked down, but right arm was bent to the left. The bracket at the top, where mounted to the side of the coach, cracked in half, and pulled two of the mounting bolts from the wall. The midpoint rivets had pulled from the wall, leaving only the bottom rivets holding the arm to the side of the coach. The awning fabric had ripped a about 4 feet and was flapping. I managed to get all but the left arm off the trailer before turning in. It rained all night. The next morning I has to pack up as the park was being evacuated in advance of what was to be Hurricane Barry. The fabric roller tube was submerged in about 4 inches of water. Now I have several holes to repair, and a new awning to get. Bottom line — if you can’t get to your awning quickly, roll it up.
    2017 Reflection 303RLS
    2020 Ram 3500 Diesel
    2018 Goldwing Tour

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