Embarrassing Awning Question

[DewTheDew]

I was going to ask this in the Awning section but the participants there are from such a wide range of AS (year and type) that I wasn't sure I'd be able to ask the question correctly. Whereas you all likely have the same thing I have on my 2017 27' FC. It is so trivial that it is kind of embarrassing!

When searching "awnings" I mostly find a lot about the complex main awning over the entry side. I get that and exclusively use mine in the Caravan position as that seems to work for us. This past weekend I wanted to use the other side awning and couldn't figure it out! I recall a short discussion at the dealer last year but don't recall the details and now I'm stumped. Basically I can unhook it from the travel hook and pull it out but how to I keep it from retracting again? I seem to recall that the hook about halfway down the side (halfway front to rear but also top to bottom) plays a role. I didn't see any latches or struts. Luckily that side was shaded for most of the day but it won't always be and I will surely want to use it at some point. Sorry for being so stupid! (On the little rear awning I see the strut and that seems straightforward enough).

Help! And thanks! We love our AS and just had a wonderful several days in Western Maryland camping with two grandkids and it worked like a charm.

[delrossa]

Try YouTube. Our first time I tried to extend our awning and couldn’t understand the manual. Went to YouTube and it made it easy.

[Baby Zeppelin]

After you pull the strap to extend the awning you hook the end of that strap onto a hook located about halfway up the body. That will hold it in place.

[DewTheDew]

Thanks! The YouTube videos I could find were all about the large awning. The angles make it seem that attaching the strap to the hook wouldn't hold it but perhaps it locks it. I will try that.

Yes, I am this stupid :-)

[rmkrum]

The roller tension should keep the strap tight into the hook. Mine works the same way. We use it to shade our fridge which is on the streetside of the rig...

Don’t be hard on yourself. A simple lack of knowledge is not stupidity if you are making an effort to figure it out. This is a great place to gain knowledge.