Tightening Knobs when Awning Deployed

[RVFun4Us]

Just wondering what everyone with an electric awning does as far as tightening the knobs on the arms when deployed. Obviously they need to be loosened when retracting the awning. But when extending it, does everyone tighten both knobs on the arms? I only tighten the one next to the door, then loosen it when retracting. But I don't do so with the other end since it would take a ladder to reach the knob. So what do people do, tighten both knobs, only one or none? By the way, we also retract the awning when we leave the fifth wheel or when there are winds predicted.

 

[Boscowtx]

Have never tightened mine, am afraid I will forget when retracting. Only have my awning out when we are there.

 

[danemayer]

You must want this. Jesstalkn mod #110.

 

[lynndiwagoner]

The only time I tighten a knob is when it is raining and I want to slope one side for water run off. I use the only one I can reach.....by the steps.

 

[kbbagshaw]

Have never tightened mine, am afraid I will forget when retracting. Only have my awning out when we are there.

Likewise

 

[Alan_B]

The only time I tighten a knob is when it is raining and I want to slope one side for water run off. I use the only one I can reach.....by the steps.

ditto

 

[aatauses]

We very seldom tighten either of them and only have awning open when we are near the rv.
al

 

[JohnD]

I must be doing something wrong . . .

I always leave our knobs tightened and it rolls up and down with no issues.

 

[Gaffer]

I only tighten mine on one side after compressing the arm to facilitate rain run-off. The rest of the time, they are loose.

 

[JohnD]

I wonder if that could be why our awning stops when fully extended

Many others here report that if they don't pull their finger off of the awning button that it will start rolling up backwards.

 

[Lynn1130]

I have avoided tightening the knobs because of wind gusts. If it is locked in it won't flex with unexpected gusts and it does "dip" with too much rain water.

Mine stops when it reaches full roll out. I have not experienced it wanting to go further or roll backwards.

 

[Nuclearcowboy]

We always tighten both knobs when the awning is in the fully pulled down position. We do loosen them when retracting. If rain is expected, then I loosen the one by the door allowing the awning to come up on that side so water run off is opposite from the door end. As a footnote, if any wind is expected, I stake the corners and tie the awning down with nylon cord to prevent potential damage.

On another note, the one aggravating thing about both Bighorns that we have owned is the main awning just barely covers the door steps, since we have a slide in close proximity to the entry door. Perfect spot for rain to come down in. Any of you come up with a way to minimize rain coming in this gap? We sometimes will drop an umbrella on the top of the slide and awning to close the gap a bit, but this doesn't work too well at times.

 

[JohnD]

We have a slide under our awning as well, which is a huge waste of awning space.

For starters . . . can't put the awning out all the way as it rubs on the two corners of the slide, plus you really can't sit under it with the slide taking up 3/4 of the space under the awning.

And to make matters worse . . . the outside speakers are on the opposite side of the slide where the little space you can sit under the awning is, so you can't even hear them unless you crank it up to volume 9!



I got spanked here for calling that a design flaw . . . so I won't call it a design flaw!

On the other hand . . . I guess I can say we have a slide topper on our kitchen/entertainment center slide!

 

[Kbvols]

We have a slide under our awning as well, which is a huge waste of awning space.

For starters . . . can't put the awning out all the way as it rubs on the two corners of the slide, plus you really can't sit under it with the slide taking up 3/4 of the space under the awning.

And to make matters worse . . . the outside speakers are on the opposite side of the slide where the little space you can sit under the awning is, so you can't even hear them unless you crank it up to volume 9!

View attachment 52430

I got spanked here for calling that a design flaw . . . so I won't call it a design flaw!

On the other hand . . . I guess I can say we have a slide topper on our kitchen/entertainment center slide!

John it may not be a design flaw but it is a poor design in my opinion.


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[farside291]

I never loosen mine except to drop one side when it rains. Even after I drop one side it seems to roll up just fine, it moves the arm as needed against the tension of the knob. Never had a problem...yet!

 

[RVFun4Us]

Well, like most things, everyone has their own way of doing things. Thanks for the responses. Wish the manufacturer would have more clear guidance on the proper deploying and retracting of the electric awning. I sure can't find anything in the manual on this.

 

[TravelTiger]

Well, like most things, everyone has their own way of doing things. Thanks for the responses. Wish the manufacturer would have more clear guidance on the proper deploying and retracting of the electric awning. I sure can't find anything in the manual on this.

I hear that. One of my knobs has been lose from day one, but I didn't know it needed to be tight. It's been "clunking" every time I put the awning out, for a year and a half! A Heartland service tech at the National Rally tightened it and explained why. I had no idea!


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[JohnD]

I deployed and retracted our awning the other day both ways . . .

With the knobs tightened . . . and with them loose.

Didn't seem to make a difference, other than it made more noise when the knobs were loose.

I think I will leave them tightened.

 

[RVFun4Us]

I hear that. One of my knobs has been lose from day one, but I didn't know it needed to be tight. It's been "clunking" every time I put the awning out, for a year and a half! A Heartland service tech at the National Rally tightened it and explained why. I had no idea!


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Can you tell what the Heartland Service Tech said and why he said the knobs needed to be tightened? Interested in his logic. Thanks


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[danemayer]

Dometic A&E Power Awning manuals says:

Prior to closing awning, loosen knob to allow awning to reset to original position. Lightly tightenknob to reduce potential for sounds of rattling during travel.