Ford7700
Vancouver BC
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Joined: 02/23/2005
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Well, I really blew it this weekend. I opened up the awning to clean it, and left it in a level position. Overnight, it poured & of course, it was loaded with water & sagging very badly. This is a 22' awning & I have a center support, that extends from the 5th out to the center of the tube. There were 3 holes drilled in the tube to accomadate the center support, no more tha 1/4" apart, 3/16" big, But that was enough to weaken the tube. When I pushed up on the awning to try & shed the water, it snapped clean in half & crashed to the side of the rig. I am so lucky no one was under it but me. I got some bruises, but it could have been worse. This is my 4th rig over 14 yrs, I can't believe I did not angle the awning down when I was done! Oh well, the fabric survived, & I will be getting this repaired soon! We are leaving for a 2 week Hawaiian cruise in 3 days, so I can work on my pride until I get around to fixing it.
Chris & Rita
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agefhx
Republic of Texas
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Sometimes i wonder if awnings are worth the trouble. hopefully your insurance will take care of it.
2004 KZ New Vision Sportster, 6ft toybox side ramp. 2002 F-350 Crewcab-Superchipped. At COE Lake Bardwell Texas
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Drivr
Seabrook, NH
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agefhx wrote:Sometimes i wonder if awnings are worth the trouble. hopefully your insurance will take care of it.
they are, I had a class C for about 4 years with no awning and I hated it.
1995 Dodge 2500 extended cab, 8' bed, 5.9L, 4.10's Now!!.
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CactusJohn
Scottsdale, AZ
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I'm glad you weren't badly hurt. This is one of the reasons we rarely use our awning.
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Aktravler
Retired from Alaska, On the road
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It won't help now, but we also have the center support and if we have to dump water due to not having it tilted enough (the support causes a pocket also) just lower one side (prepare to get wet unless careful), don't push up.
I can't imagine not having or using an awning!
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5th amendment
yale mi
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as long as we learned something from this
34' liberty
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SCR
Full Timer - I'm really not sure where I am
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I don't think the drilled holes had any effect on the awning tube. I have seen many do the same without the center support holes. The tube just can't handle the weight and bends in the middle to the infamous "V".
Your fabric may have been stretched by the weight of the water and may have to be replaced as well. Your insurance should cover the damage.
Don't feel to bad, you are not the first to have left the awning level nor will you be the last. I'm glad no one was seriously injured.
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NHclassC
NH
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I saw a similar thing happen in Florida a few years ago. A camper had left for the day with his awning out flat when a big rain storm came thru. One of his neighbors went over to try to relieve the water from the awning as soon as he touched it, SNAP! Broke in half. He felt horrible since it wasn't even his rig. The owner was good about it though.
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Larry202br
Olathe, Ks
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We lost an awning that way. We had it tilted, and roped down. But the torrential downpour that occurred while we were away was just too much for it, even with the tilt.
2006 Open Road 316 RLDS-5
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Ford7700
Vancouver BC
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Well now, glad to know I'm not the only one this has happened to.. I did not even consider my insurance , but that is a great idea. I know the tubes are under alot of tension from the wind up mechanism,
& I may make things worse trying to replace it. After my holiday, I just may take the rig over to my dealers & let hem deal with it.
I have a $250.00 deductible, & my agent said my premiums will not increase. Perfect !
Thanks!
* This post was
edited 05/13/08 02:32pm by Ford7700 *
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