Tieing Down Awning

[busted2341]

Since Heartland has seen fit to have the awning now over ten feet high, How are people securing it? I'll begin by saying I never leave the awning out when we are not here. That said, we like having a sunshade attached and I ALWAYS secure the awning to the ground. However at the moment my only idea that has worked is trowing a rope over the tube several times until I catch it, pull down enough to secure a bungie to both ends of the rope and let go. I have tried a small loop around the tube and leaving it but when rolling up, it will not stay at the end of the tube and will just tangle. Any ideas for a permanent solution for a hold down that can be reached?

 

[JohnD]

I have two sets of these . . .

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/happy-hook-awning-tie-down/11171

I used them on our Trail Runner, which had a manual awning (worked very well), but haven't used them yet on the Prowler's electric awning.

I've also seen some that use a much bigger ground anchor and ratchet straps.

 

[busted2341]

Do you leave the part that hooks into the tube on as you roll it up?

 

[JohnD]

Do you leave the part that hooks into the tube on as you roll it up?

No . . .

The rope just goes over the awning and both ends of the rope attach to the ground screws.

I just leave them in the original box and pull them out when needed.

I now use them more for my portable 10x10 gazebo!

 

[yport]

I know what you mean ... we have 2 awnings ... the main 18'er and an 11'er over the remaining side. I use similar awning "hooks" that John shows and it is easy to reach and install on the 11'er. Not so on the 18'er. So far (2 years) we have been fortunate enough to have a picnic table near by that I stand on to reach the 11'er ... or I have an egg crate in the truck cab that I can use.

 

[Shortest Straw]

What is the purpose of anchoring the awning? What am I missing?

 

[olcoon]

To keep the awning "somewhat" secure during wind. You'd still need to retract the awning in high winds, or heavy rain.

 

[JohnD]

What is the purpose of anchoring the awning? What am I missing?

As Roy said . . . to hold the awning down during strong winds.

However, I haven't used them on the trailer awning since we got the Prowler as the electric awning has what I've seen here in the chats called 'auto dump' awnings, where when they fill up with water one side or the other will lower by itself to dump the water, which basically make these tie downs useless.

However, on our previous Heartland Trail Runner with the manual awning, these tie downs worked great as the manual awnings, once locked in position, wouldn't lower themselves and these tie downs kept the awning tight and stopped them from flapping.

I now use them (if needed, that is) with our 10x10 foot portable gazebo to tie it down when camping.

 

[pegmikef]

I use rachet straps and screw in stakes, but if the wind starts getting strong, I pull it in. We never leave with it out even if staked down

 

[Nabo]

This is what we do. If we are going to be gone long, everything comes down and we close the awning.

 

[RoadJunkie]

View attachment 46562 View attachment 46563This is what we do. If we are going to be gone long, everything comes down and we close the awning.

We call this the "Black Widow" method! I have tried all sorts of methods to reliably restrain our awning from wind gusts, but we have found the only method of protecting it is to roll it up, and never leave it down, if you're not available to roll it up.

 

[Nabo]

It's not a "Black Widow" method. We have used this method for over 12 years without any problems when we are near by. Again, if we are gone for anytime, everything comes down and the awnings are put up. ​

 

[IronJ]

So when I owned my sob bumper pull trailer I was a regular on the sob forum....there was an old coot on there who fabricated these brackets in order to attach self storing awning poles. The brackets had a eye at the top you hooked your ratchet straps to and then you hooked the other end to a ground stake/tie out...

I used it on my old trailer and it was freaking AWESOME!!!... I actually still have the brackets ...i also used to hang the screen material as well but have yet to find I really need it on the new rig...these poles kept the awning stable in pretty high winds I will prob install them on my new rig at some point...I'll see if I can find pics

sent from space via an invisible beam from a flying metal dish

 

[IronJ]

sent from space via an invisible beam from a flying metal dish

 

[IronJ]

sent from space via an invisible beam from a flying metal dish

 

[busted2341]

Thanx for all the replies. Some neat stuff. This is what I am doing now. I am just wondering if there is a way to keep from having to throw a rope 10 feet into the air, over one of the arms and pull down the awning so I can reach it then throw the rope over the tube to have my ratchet strap tie it down. As lazy as I am, I would like to think of a way to keep something to grab onto that can stay attached when rolled up. By the way I agree that anytime we leave for any amount of time and pretty much every night, everything comes in. Just piece of mind. By the way, I use the tube but have seen several others just hook the motor rube or the little gap between the end and the tube. Is that a good thing? I was always told to use the tube as the support not the end thingy..

 

[RoadJunkie]

Great idea on the poles...nice clean approach.

 

[JohnD]

Ironj . . . that is a pretty cool setup.

As for the screw-in awning anchors that I have, the main issue that we run into our here in the Rocky Mountains is the ground is often too hard to screw them in all the way

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As has been mentioned previously by others, we also never leave the awning out when we are not using it.

We learned our lesson the hard way in our old 1978 Coachman a few years back while camping up in the mountains west of Ft. Collins, CO (Poudre Canyon).

We used to pretty much always put the awning out and didn't roll it up until it was time to go home (that old manual awning was a PITA and always drew blood when putting it in our out).

Anyway . . . middle of the night (3 a.m.) a thunderstorm blew through and a strong wind almost ripped that awning off of the side of the trailer.

It flipped the awning (kind of like the way you would take a throw rug outside and hold one end to shake the dirt off of it) . . . smashed the porch light in the process . . . then we had to go out in the strong wind and pouring rain in our jammies and put it up.

(Second and third shots are both at the same campground where this happened - Jack's Gulch - but not the same trip):

 

[IronJ]

I had that pole setup out in 60+ mph winds and no damage...storm blew in at night and it was too dark/windy so I just left it out and hoped for best...

Next day I went out expecting somethjng broken or the awning shredded...nope..good as new!!..

The winds were strong enough to take a lawn Chair 2 sites over, tear up a pop up camper, and trash a neighbors slide toppers...this is West tx ya know?....

I made those poles myself from electrical conduit, but a lot of people use fiberglass twist adjust poles..when you roll the awning up they self store along the awning arm..nothing to remove but the strap and ground stake. I made to poles adjustable from 7ft to 13ft...

sent from space via an invisible beam from a flying metal dish

 

[busted2341]

I love that Idea, you should patent that. I am not sure why companies have not thought of that. I wish I have the tools and capability to make those....Great idea...

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What did you use for the attach point?