Close Call On Awning - Question - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

89Hilo · 02-19-2013, 02:11 AM

Took the '89 22' Funchaser to Galveston last weekend. This was our 2nd trip out. We decided to extend the awning earlier in the day with plans to retract it in the evening.

Around 7pm a good norther blew through while we were in the Hi-Lo waiting for it to get darker so we could go flounder gigging. The winds were hitting around 25mph with some stronger gusts. Before we could get outside we heard a good thump. That was the awning lifting, hitting the side of the roof with it pointed straight upward at a 90 degree angle.

We pulled it back down and retracted it. We checked the side of the roof for damage and only a small nick. The inside awning arms looked good. What saved the unit from being torn/bent/damaged was the poles that attach to the TT (that are hand tightened) extended allowing the canvas to fly up. We tightened them pretty good by hand, but that wind was strong. If those side poles wouldn't have given some the canvas would have surely been torn.

Everything locked back into place securely after we retracted the awning. We checked to bends, cracks...............

Is there anything else we need to check? Also, what's a good product to fill in the small nick? It's right along the edge of the roof about 1/8" round.

davidc · 05-19-2013, 11:32 AM

Never leave an awning out while you're away without anchoring it... One day you will come back with it laying across the roof.

I anchor mine with the screw in the ground doggie tie ups ~$5 at Lowes and rachet straps. I use 2 short pieces of 2x4 between the bottom awning supports and the side of the trailer to keep them from being pulled towrd the trailer.

You can buy an awning anchor kit for ~$25, but I already have the rachet straps.

gus · 05-19-2013, 12:02 PM

Few months back, I had the awning set up , mine is the kind that have 2 metal poles that anchor to the side of Tue trailer, with 2 ropes that anchor to the ground, I thought it will be ok for the bad weather we were getting, but with winds over 40 mph, the awning will be basically a sail on a boat, it broke the heavy duty plastic anchor pieces I had dug in ground, the awning was on top of the trailer, one of the poles was damaged, had everything repaired, now if there are strong winds, I just let the awning down on the side and tighten the 2 ropes anywhere under the trailer if I don't have time.