Awnings, Wind, and Tie Down Straps

[Scott J-24]

Over this last weekend at a local campground we were using tie down straps (straps with spring tensioners and screw in anchors) attached to our awning roller. Having seen quite a few of these tie down systems on previous trips and getting very favorable comments from their owners, it looked like a great way to reduce our anxiety about supprise gusts of wind. When we went to bed there was no wind.... Then about 2:00 am I was awakened by big gusts of wind and rain. The awning was angled for the rain to run off and the tie downs appeared to be working as advertised (no rain or wind damage). However, in my rush to get it stowed I broke one of the forward claw hooks. My bad, I should have been paying more attention and not been rushing so much, or better yet, I should have stowed the awning before we went to bed. The replacement claw assembly (part group #7) only cost ~$15.00 but could have been a lot more expensive, so I think I got lucky... this time.

Here is my question: How much more wind can a Zip Dee awning handle with the tie downs than without?

Please note that in the future, the awning will be stowed before we retire for the evening or we are away from the campground.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Scott J-24

Over this last weekend at a local campground we were using tie down straps (straps with spring tensioners and screw in anchors) attached to our awning roller. Having seen quite a few of these tie down systems on previous trips and getting very favorable comments from their owners, it looked like a great way to reduce our anxiety about supprise gusts of wind. When we went to bed there was no wind.... Then about 2:00 am I was awakened by big gusts of wind and rain. The awning was angled for the rain to run off and the tie downs appeared to be working as advertised (no rain or wind damage). However, in my rush to get it stowed I broke one of the forward claw hooks. My bad, I should have been paying more attention and not been rushing so much, or better yet, I should have stowed the awning before we went to bed. The replacement claw assembly (part group #7) only cost ~$15.00 but could have been a lot more expensive, so I think I got lucky... this time.

Here is my question: How much more wind can a Zip Dee awning handle with the tie downs than without?

Please note that in the future, the awning will be stowed before we retire for the evening or we are away from the campground.

I think that would depend on the wind direction.

But, for the best answer, call Linda at Zip Dee.

800-338BEST

Andy

[sandlapper]

Scott, can't help you with any specific MPH figures, but would advise a policy of " if it SEEMS too windy, put the awning up" . Better safe than sorry. Zip Dees can stand a bit more wind than other brands but it is just not worth the risk. I don't think Zip Dee recommends tying them down although many people do. They say if it is too windy to sit outside, put it up. Only takes a couple minutes.
It is an expensive item & the collateral damage can be even greater. Saw one once (not a ZD) fly over the trailer & knock out the front window of the truck parked behind. Bad and badder.
John

[ROBERT CROSS]

"Please note that in the future, the awning will be stowed before we retire for the evening or we are away from the campground."

Exactly the procedure we follow.

If rain threatens we have a "garage" tent for the outside gear.

Bob
_________

[SteveH]

Too many years ago than I'd like to admit, I used to hunt/camp with my Dad in his Airstream in West Texas every year. Every year he would come up with yet another better idea of staking and tieing down his awning.

Every year we would have to get up in the middle of the night when a wind would blow in, rush out our in our skivies, and as quickly as possible put the awning away.

That taught me to never leave an awning up over night, and never leave the camp site with the awning up.

[Lily&Me]

Yep, we lost the awning on the Interstate our first winter with it, having gone to bed with it out, but tied down securely---we thought.

A wind came through the valley we were camped in and we woke at 3am to hear it flapping outside. Outside in sub-freezing temps at 3am, we got it rolled back up, but it was torked and had to be replaced.

We very rarely these days leave the awning out at night. We have also changed from traditional tie downs to heavy duty bungee-cords we found at a sporting goods store.

We found red ones , about 4' long I think, which stretch to cover the area between the ground stake and the awning. A much more secure, neater, and more attractive option than those unsightly ties which can loosen, be tripped over or wrapped 'round by the dog. The bungees also take up less space, always important with us.

We'd like to take credit for coming up with this, but in fact stole the idea from fellow campers in southeast Texas this past winter.

Should you be parked close enough to a standing grill, the bungee can be affixed to it rather than the ground.

Maggie

[Kamiak]

I can’t answer the specific question relative to wind velocity with or without tie-downs. For a variety of reasons, I don’t deploy my awning as part of my routine setting-up procedure as many people do. Typically, I use them only if dictated by the complete absence of shade, and/or a particularly intense sun. I know I should be more careful; but I enjoy the sun, and I’ve got the liver spots to prove it. When I do deploy them, about half the time I tie them down with a rope, using a looped bungee as a shock absorber rather than a metal spring. If I see too much movement, down they come. Absent serious wind, I deploy and stow the awnings as the day progresses so that by late afternoon, they’re all in the stowed position. Typically, I’ll leave the tie-downs deployed until I break camp. All-in-all, in my innate caution I use the same procedure suggested by others: Never leave your awnings unattended.

[jspafford]

I wish I had read this thread before last weekend! As a rare rainstorm approached our campsite near the Mexican border (Potrero Regional Park - a hidden gem of a campground) I pulled the outside camp gear, chairs, firewood, etc. under the awning. "It'll be safe here, and this will keep the entry area to the AS dry," I thought.

This all worked as planned, until later in the evening I stepped out to enjoy the rain and look around. The runoff from the awning was splooshing in waves, not continuously dribbling. Waves? Is there a pond up there?

I stepped out for a look and saw that there was an ocean of water from edge to edge. I imagined all the terrible things that were about to happen when all that weight collapsed the awning, the arms gouging the side of the AS, the ribs buckling ... Holy Cow!

So I did the obvious, as mentioned by OP Scott above - I carefully lowered one side down one notch - and the dam let loose!

There must have been 30 gallons or more whooshing down in a big torrent, splashing mud and water all over the gear, Silvia (our AS) and me, flowing across the campsite.

So - if light rain and winds are encountered, one end of the awning must be lower than the other. If conditions are moderate or worse, down comes the awning. And by the way, those optional handles on the arms work really well!

Thanks, Zip Dee, for holding up long enough to teach me a lesson!

[Skater]

For the trailer's awning, I generally check the weather report for the night before I go to bed. I prefer to leave it out, but if the weather is going to get ugly, I'll put it away. It's not worth the risk.

Years ago, the awning on a friend's Airstream came off...there were about a dozen people under it, waiting out a storm, and the wind picked up the edge of it. It basically ripped out every rivet holding the awning to the camper, then dropped to the ground and spun (due to the spring in the roller). After the storm, probably 20 people from around the campground showed up and held it in place, and my dad climbed on top of the camper and pop riveted the awning back in place. Campers are such nice people.

[TBRich]

We, too, are of the school of never leaving our awning deployed over night or while we make a side trip from the campsite. We have begun using tie-down straps recently which do add a lot of stability while it is deployed, but they are quick-release and it only takes a couple of minutes to put the awning away. In our neck o' the woods it can be clear, dry and calm when it's time to hit the hay and a few hours later we can be in the middle of a real wind & rain storm. Putting the awning away keeps me from lying there at night wondering if it's time yet for me to go out and put the awning away. Been there, done that. No thanks.

[RangerJay]

After too many sessions of middle-of-the-night scrambles and away-from-the-campsite anxiety episodes we've evolved into an embarassingly simple, practical and obvious policy regarding our Zip Dee awning:

"Don't ever second guess the wind".

We don't even think about it any more.

The awning comes out only when we need shade or shelter from the rain - it goes in at night or when we are away from the campsite.

End of story.



Jay

[cactusjk]

Sounds like awning tie downs like "the Claw" that Airstream Life recommends are not recommended. We were looking for a little piece of mind during the day if the awning is out and agree the awning needs to be stowed at night.

[mccrosti]

Having had to replace an awning pole on a 26 ft Overlander, I can attest it is not a fun job, especially doing it alone. I left the awning deployed one mildly rainy nite - one side was lowered , but when I got up in the morning the nasty surprise was that the long pole will bend in the middle. I am ultra cautious with my three awnings.


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[TBRich]

We have seen many different methods and types of tie-downs, but the easiest one we have seen, and the one we use ourselves is a Camco brand RV Awning Hold Down Strap. It is amazingly low-tech, inexpensive (I think we paid less than $15 for it ... check our Amazon.com)...and it's very quick and easy to disengage in a hurry, if necessary, by simply releasing the end with the spring. It adds good stability even in a good breeze. We like it because the strap runs the entire length of the awning so it's stabilized all the way across. The only caveat is that it requires stakes to anchor it in place...and sometimes in our neck o' the woods it is not possible to put stakes down (when hard as rock desert ground or pavement). But you could devise something like buckets of sand to accomplish the same thing is you can't do stakes. It comes with ample strap so that it will fit any length of awning...we cut quite a bit of excess strap off (19' Bambi) but left a enough extra so we could position the stakes where necessary. All this said, we STILL release the strap at night and put the awning away ...and when we leave the site for a side trip.

[Protagonist]

I use a pair of 8' bungee cords to tie down my awning. The bungees have a little bit of "give" to them so a sudden gust is less likely to bend anything. And they can't be over-tightened.

[badkat]

After sitting under the door awning when a micro burst hit and only lasted about 5 minutes it scares me with just a little wind. I was by myself and had no time to pull in 3 arms. Of course kudos to Progessive, I now have 2 new awnings. All the seams popped on both and of course the claws broke. I was told they are made to break so that lessens the damage.

I don't mind the one on the passenger side out cause it is quickly taken in.

[AWCHIEF]

A couple of weeks ago at the Florida State Rally we had a visit and seminar from a ZD tech. He was ask about tying down ZD awning. His answer left little mystery as to ZDs opinion on this. Answer, Do Not Ever Tie Down a ZD Awning.

[cactusjk]

Good to know. Not going with a tie down!

[PaulnGina]

Learned from Dad: If you think you want to tie down your awning, roll it up! And, roll it up before going to bed.

Several travel trailers Dad had while I was a kid had Zip-Dee awnings, including Airstream and Avion.

[AWCHIEF]

Old sailor saying. If you think it might be time to reef the sails it is probably too late. They same might be said for our ZD awnings. Seems almost every camping outing I see someone with a trashed awning from not putting it up before the wind starts blowing too hard. Better safe than sorry.