Slide Out Awning Bellows in the Wind while Driving

[timmac]

My large slide out awning bellows loose when in high winds while driving, do slide out awnings have a lock so this won't happen, appears now my fabric is ripped but don't want to replace till the problem is fixed.

When I extend my slide out and retract it the awning does go in tight but seems to unroll in high winds.

[timmac]

Thanks everyone for your post, I found my problem, I do have the stops but not installed correctly, I readjusted them, drilled new holes and screws and seems that the awning will not roll out but very little now compared to who ever installed them when new.

I am finding this out on my new to me 08 Bounder, seems they built to fast and did not pay attention to details, even my drawers in kitchen fell off tracks because of small and to few screws, not now after I redid them, bigger and twice the screws, by the time I am done making this RV better than new it will be time for a trade in. LOL..

[Lobstah]

If you don't have the preventers, install them. Quick and easy to do. If you DO have them, make sure you have them on BOTH ends of the awning.

Jim

[Daveinet]

I had a problem with my awnings pulling all the way open, when I was hit with a microburst - reported 90 mph winds. Ended up tearing the awnings. When I made new material, I made sure I tightened the springs extra tight, so it would not ever happen again.

[doxiemom11]

Our slide awning arms have a lock that is pulled down after the slides are put in and the awnings roll up. To full extend the awnings and have more open than just the top part over the slide we have to push these up and pull the awning the rest of the way out with the strap. The arms then go from vertical to horizontal for the awning to fully extend. Ours are Carefree of Colorado awnings.

[Lobstah]

What the pic shows is also referred to as a "billow preventer" or "blow out preventer". I had to replace mine after a trip through a hurricane in Newfoundland.

The part that attaches around the end of the awning is what broke on mine. Break was so clean you wouldn't have noticed it if you weren't looking for it.

I bought the replacement at a local RV parts store for $29.00

Jim

[CloudDriver]

Our A&E slide topper has an "anti-billow device" on the forward end of the roller. With the slide retracted, the arm will hit the stop screwed to the side of the RV, preventing the fabric from unrolling.

[John_Wayne]

mine has like a small arm on the front roller with a rubber foot that will hit the side of the MH if it tries to unroll when closed. Check the web site of the awning manufacture and see if it is an accessory item.

[Whaler]

Had same problem in S. Dakota with slide topper. Found screws stripped at one end and was able to replaced them. I use the heavy rubber trap straps on both ends of the main awning any time I am west of the Mississippi River. Too many close calls with the wind.

[Popsie]

We had a mechanical lock on the roller, and hit 70 mph cross winds in North Dakota while on an overpass at 60 mph.

The wind just blew the awning apart - tore up the fabric and bent the mechanical parts. It felt like the wind was going to blow us over sideways. Fortunately we were able to crawl into a truck stop at the next exit with a dumpster, and we abandoned all the parts.

I guess the point is that mother nature can be stronger than you think.

[bigB42]

find a way tolock it they will unroll while the arms are locked.met a guy in jackpot nv who had to bungee one on narrow road with high winds ken

[nelson]

Mine has a stop on one end of the roll that hits against the another stop on the outside wall when closed to prevent that. Might be missing or need adjusting.

[rgatijnet1]

If this is a new problem, perhaps one of your retraction springs has broken. I had one break and the awning would still retract but would just not be as tight as it was with two good springs.