Awning locks - Montana Owners Club

Ozz · 09-05-2007, 02:51 AM

I thought I would re-post some information about my awning locks.
we had wind problems in the high desert, just driving down the road in our Keystone Sprinter Travel trailer, the wind would come up without warning when camped also.
I would suggest a good awning lock to everyone; (for traveling)
http://awninglock.com/
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...inglock010.jpg
Unlocked:
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...inglock011.jpg
My shredded awning:
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/86bad725.jpg
Absolutely nothing to do with awnings….
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/100_1027.jpg
Helping a guy with his unrolled awning in Port Isabel:
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/100_0870.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/100_0871.jpg

Emmel · 09-05-2007, 03:02 AM

Ozz, I recently purchased and am using the Velcro straps that wrap around the uprights. I know they may not be as secure as yours are, but I think they will suffice.

Really admired the pic that had absolutely nothing to do with the awning!!!!!!

ols1932 · 09-05-2007, 03:23 AM

I have the Awning Lock and wouldn't be without it. Simple to permanently installed and easy to use. Very reasonably priced. I never promote a product unless it's something I've used and love it. By the way, it's so easy to install that even a caveman (or woman) could install it.

Orv

bigmurf · 09-05-2007, 03:44 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Emmel

Ozz, I recently purchased and am using the Velcro straps that wrap around the uprights. I know they may not be as secure as yours are, but I think they will suffice.

Really admired the pic that had absolutely nothing to do with the awning!!!!!!

The Velcro straps do NOT prevent the awning from unrolling in high winds. The tube itself unrolls.

Ozz · 09-05-2007, 04:42 AM

Correcto mundo... and Spring Break at Padre.....

stevemc · 09-05-2007, 05:03 AM

I installed mine a few weeks ago and have since noticed the hole doesn't always line up to allow it to lock. It seems to have something to do with temperature and how the awning expands or contracts. I installed the lock when temps were about 90. I pulled it out and rolled it up severaly times when I installed it and the hole always came back to the same spot. Last weekend I rolled the awning up in late evening when the temps were about 60-65 and it came up to about an inch short of the hole lining up with the pin. I pulled it out and back in 3 times and came to exactly the same spot each time. The next day before we left I pulled it back out and didn't roll it up again until about noon. This time the hole lined up exactly. Temps were in the 80's by that time. Anyone else ran into this?

MikeM · 09-05-2007, 06:34 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by stevemc

..... The next day before we left I pulled it back out and didn't roll it up again until about noon. This time the hole lined up exactly. Temps were in the 80's by that time. Anyone else ran into this?

I've noticed the same problem with mine although I don't know if it's temperature related or not. At first I thought it might be how the pull down strap was recoiled, but after several different attempts, it didn't seem to make a difference. I have noticed that the awning material has stretched slightly on the rear where the lock is compared to the front. Would sure like to find a solution so that the lock lines up every time.

Ozz · 09-05-2007, 06:37 AM

Here is what I did; I installed it in K.C., rolled it up in Santa Fe, hole didn't match, different temp's and humididty..so, I drilled a second hole. Works either way now.

CRUZIN 2 · 09-05-2007, 07:45 AM

Ozz

Does the awninglock fasten to the rig or the arm of the awning?

Larry

Ozz · 09-05-2007, 12:55 PM

The arm. Stops the aluminum ratchet and gearing stops from stripping in high winds. A good fix for the problem. Wish I would have thought of it first....

MAMalody · 09-05-2007, 07:28 PM

How about a link for the awning lock. I don't think I have seen those anywhere. I did see in one place a strap the would loop around the awning. Which is better?

Ozz · 09-06-2007, 01:45 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by MAMalody

How about a link for the awning lock. I don't think I have seen those anywhere. I did see in one place a strap the would loop around the awning. Which is better?

Posted - Sep 05 2007 : 08:51:51 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I thought I would re-post some information about my awning locks.
we had wind problems in the high desert, just driving down the road in our Keystone Sprinter Travel trailer, the wind would come up without warning when camped also.
I would suggest a good awning lock to everyone; (for traveling)
http://awninglock.com/

Mike, I can't speak to the one you mentioned, but this one is heavy duty and works well.

VanMan · 09-06-2007, 02:36 AM

Those new ones that are rubber and loop around the awning are waaay expensive. I was thinking about a couple until I saw the price !! They recommend 2 for a long awning. They advertise in the back of Trailer Life.

kaw · 09-06-2007, 05:30 PM

Friends,

I have a comment about the hole for the RV Awning Travel Lock not lining when you retract the awning.

The same problem has happened on mine. Like some of you, I suspected the culprit was the temperature. (I dismissed humidity as a cause, as I don't believe the plasticized fabric on mine can absorb moisture --but I could be wrong.) So you're not alone!

A key element to having the hole line up every time you retract it is using exactly the same procedure each time. One writer basically suggested that, and he's certainly on the right track.

The way Wilson Forbes, inventor of the RV Awning Travel Lock, recommends is to, first, mark your roller tube in the center and have the strap in the same place (the center) each time.

Second, let it roll up at about the same speed each time, then when it is about a foot from the top basically let it go! That should make the arms seat properly and make the hole line up. (It helps if this was the way you did it immediately before installing the lock, of course.)

I've gotten several visits to the website from this thread, and one order that I know came from this thread. I appreciate all visits, and hope this info will be useful to you.

The site has a new entry point for readers of this Forum. This will take you there: http://awninglock.com/montanaowners.html. That page has a link to the article "The Greatest Myth in RVing---and What You Can do About It.

Ozz · 09-07-2007, 02:30 AM

When my awning billowed up, I had to cut it off in a 40 mile an hour wind, while laying, and crawling along on the roof. It was no fun. Sue on the ground, had the corner of the awning pulling while I was slicing it off. I almost got blown off the roof, and she almost got blown away.
This was along side the road about 75 miles South of Albuquerque.
The picture I took of me and the awning fabric was in El Paso.
I took the awning tube apart, the Aluminum gear was stripped.
When I contacted Dometic, I asked them why they didn't offer an awning lock to prevent this. He said that they didn't think it was necessary, or they would include one.
If you never get caught in a high wind, maybe not.
I would get one.
Ozz

stevemc · 09-07-2007, 08:35 AM

I does make sense to me that the material is bound on expand and contract a little with temperture differences making some difference in how the awning rolls up (and how the hole lines up). I'll try the suggestions made on consistency of operation also. If necessary I'll put another hole like Ozz and I'm sure that'll take care of the problem.
I'd like to comment that I ordered mine directly from Keith on his website and got outstanding service. I think it was only 2 days when it came in the mail. It is an amazingly simple but effective device that is very well made. I don't want my comments to discourage anyone thinking about adding the lock to their rig. As explained above the hole alignment problem is easy to correct and I certainly believe the lock is one of the best additions we've made to our trailer.

LonnieB · 10-21-2007, 04:41 PM

I ordered, and recieved the Awning Lock several months ago, just never had the time to install it, so I kinda forgot about it. Yesterday, I took the trailer to work so I could put the new tires on, and while there, I remembered the lock, so it too got installed. Just like the others have said, it's a pretty simple task, and only took about 20 minutes. Between the lock and the new tires, I increased the "peace of mind" thing more than I can measure.

Ozzie · 10-21-2007, 04:59 PM

I got one a while back too...a little different style (didn't look at the picture closely), but it does the job well enough to not worry.
Those tires are worry enough going down the road.

hazmic · 10-22-2007, 04:04 AM

I also have the Awning Loc on my awning and yesterday coming home and running into some awful strong side winds I never thought about the awning. It was so windy out it blew the steps out that they are talking about in another post and from now on I will bungee mine also. As Keith says the loc works.

edwardsb · 10-27-2007, 01:10 PM

I purchased an AwningLock from Keith in Donna, Tx 2 years ago. He even delivered it to our site at Victoria Palms. It was easy to install, but I have experienced the same problem lining up the locking pin with the hole which I drilled in the tube. I also tried to open and close the awning several times in an attempt to line up the pin with the hole. I believe that the line up problem is caused by the tension or lack thereof when retracting the awning. I find that the pin and the hole eventually line up, but I may drill a 2nd hole in the tube.

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