Awning Saver - Montana Owners Club

dcowie · 02-04-2006, 10:47 AM

At a Life on Wheels seminar one of the Techs suggested purchasing the Awning saver to prevent losing your main awning to wind gusts while traveling the open roads. It is sold on toys4RVS.com for $59 + shipping. Have any of you installed this and are you satisfied with it?

Trailer Trash 2 · 02-05-2006, 01:10 PM

I dont under stand if the awning switch is in its proper position, that awning can't open otherwise, it would have to strip all the gears to be able to open while under way. you cant even pull it down manually if not released.

TT2

CountryGuy · 02-05-2006, 01:23 PM

Awnings have been known to come down, roll out, whatever term you want to use. Friends had it happen to them. Service center told us to put a electric tie wire around each arm to prevent said unrolling. Should not unroll if properly stowed, as Trailer Trash states. But, it does happen.

sgf · 02-05-2006, 01:24 PM

If we are doing fairly long trips, we put two duct ty-wraps around the poles,can get a pack at any hvac wholesale house for about 10 bucks.Then when you arrive just cut them off and throw them away.There are about 30 to a pack.

Treecounter · 02-05-2006, 04:31 PM

To solve this problem. We took a 1/4 Dia. Steel rod and inserted it int the hole in the awning tube where the groove for awning shades go.
Bent the end sticking out int a U wide enough to fit around the arm. Covered the U with plastic tubbing to keep it from damaging the paint on the awning arm. Used a small pin clip to keep it from coming out while traveling. Need a ladder to install it but can pull the clip and rod out with the Awning rod. So far no problems. But we never lost our awning before either.

Garin1 · 02-05-2006, 07:59 PM

I like that idea of using the ty-wraps

.It is quick, easy and cheap. Just don't go to cheap

. Get them at least 3/16th width.

bobgay · 02-05-2006, 11:43 PM

Help! I'm having a hard time visualizing where the ties are placed to prevent the awning from coming down. Anybody got a picture they can post?

Wagonmaster · 02-06-2006, 03:36 AM

I istalled an awning lock on our Monty. It is a plunger that goes into the end of the roller in a hole you drill. Works real well, no way it can unfurl while traveling. I seen one one on the road unraveled not a pretty sight. Its made by Loess Hills Innovations Inc PO box 416 Council Bluffs Ia. 51502 1-712-310-7187 or 1-712-310-6001. There are $39.95 plus tax. I think it is cheap insurance..IMHO Jack. They have a webb site but I don't remember it. You can search under awning locks and find it.

jpbcny · 02-06-2006, 04:07 AM

Awningmate Locking Pins

At Campers World $ 6.49 (Set of Two)

After doing some research on this topic, It has come to my attention that even if the arms are secured from moving, the awning tube can still unroll if the ratchet pawl fails in high wind conditions, allowing the fabric to unfurl, and rotate the tube. My personal soloution for this will be to use a device I already have for tensioning the awning while it is extended (Power Hook Awning Tensioner $ 24.99), before returning the awning to its stowed position for traveling, I'll reverse the tube tesioner attachment so that it will exert tension to keep it from unrolling. I've used the tensioner on my last 2 5ers, to eliminate the fabric sag, it works well, and only takes seconds to put on, or release, and best of all I don't need a ladder to reach the tube, these RVs are TALL.

JP

padredw · 02-06-2006, 04:33 AM

Bob, for my sake and for yours, let me see if I understand about the ties:

they would go around the struts or lifting arms in the closed position (on our Montana there are "flip" holders on each end which are secured when the awning is up for travel.) If I understand the ties are placed at this point to doubly secure the awning. The awning can't come down if those 'arms' are locked. Sounds like a pretty good idea, though we have never had any trouble with the awning coming loose ---yet!

sreigle · 02-10-2006, 11:19 AM

Don, (TT2) I've seen them unfurled on rigs going down the road. The tube is still up against the side of the rig but somehow the wind apparently got into the material and there was enough pressure to overcome the spring loading of that tube and it spun the material out into the wind. Or maybe the spring broke. I don't know why but it does happen.

ronnilu · 02-10-2006, 09:13 PM

Sounds like there is some confusion as to what an awning lock does. For some really graphic accounts of what an unfurled awning can do while traveling down the highway, check out this site: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/16924232.cfm

Looks like an awning lock might be something to really consider. Mike

Fordzilla · 02-11-2006, 12:23 AM

I have had these on my past trailers and have not yet got one for the Monty. But would one of these with the center support help prevent the unraveling? It would hold the center of the fabric tight up against the cradle when stored up against the trailer. We have a friend who has just installed the cradle to prevent sag in the center of the awning. Seems to me it would help.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/p...63&prodID=4956

fulltimedreamer · 02-11-2006, 12:53 PM

Ron,

I have one of the center supports on my owning. We addded this after losing an awning to a rainstorm. When the center arm is secured for travel it pushes up against the awning tube and cradles it. I have to believe this would serve to keep the awning from unrolling as well.

Fordzilla · 02-11-2006, 04:30 PM

I really want to put one on the Monty but the water heater and kitchen window are right smack inthe middle of the awning and the support would be in the way if I installed it where it should be. I may install it a little off center and leave it blocking the window a little bit. 75% of the time we will have the awning out anyway.

sgf · 02-12-2006, 01:38 PM

We insisted on a awning center pole when we bought our monty, dealer said no way ,it will block your kitchen window.I said who cares if it blocks the window when the unit is not in use,please install or no deal.They did and now would never have another long awning without one.The ty-wraps that we use will only keep the arms from coming undone, they are 1/4" wide and thirty inches long, not the cheap ones you can get at wally world.

Sunshine · 02-14-2006, 02:46 PM

In a very strong wind in southern Idaho, the awning unfurled from the roller. Apparently the wind caught it just right and broke the catch. It wasn't the awning coming down, but coming out. This was on our travel trailer, not the Montana - no damage done to the trailer, we stopped safely and were assisted by a highway incident person to get the awning rerolled and secured. Pretty scary.

paulrem · 02-14-2006, 06:16 PM

You know what they say here in Southern Idaho. If you wait ten minutes the weather will change. Just kidding, but do know that the wind here will turn almost anything inside out in a hurry.

Montana Sky · 02-14-2006, 09:32 PM

Paul,
Funny that is exactly the same thing we say up here in Spokane, WA. Amazing on Sunday it was almost 48 degrees with clear skies and nothing but sun. =) Woke up Monday morning to snow, the interstate had 37 accidents in a matter of 2 hours, it was bumper cars out there. And today (Tuesday) got back into the mid 30's and clear sky again. I look forward to summer...

Fordzilla · 02-15-2006, 12:07 AM

Gee sound kind of like the weather we are getting here today. Day before yesterday it was 65 degrees. Now today they are predicting 7-11 inches of the white stuff and high winds. YUCK!

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