Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-01-2014, 09:14 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
tonyvoudy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Georgia
Posts: 212
How to destroy your awning

Lesson learned:

A few weeks back the wife and I were SUP’ing on Lake Fontana, just south of GSMNP. Although slightly overcast, with a few small passing showers, we had a great day. Once back at camp, I setup the awning as the sun had come out in full force, and it was slightly toasty at our campsite. After cooking dinner, drinking a few beers, we headed to bed for the evening.

At around 1am, the sky opened up and we started to get a heavy downpour of rain. I got up to close the vents to make sure rain did not come in. About 30 minutes later, I heard what I initially thought was a tree branch that had fallen on the van. It was a HUGE boom and not only did it cause us both to jump up, but it shook the van. I tried to open the sliding door but noticed that the awning was laying up against the window. After stepping out the passenger door, and not seeing any tree branches is when my mistake was realized.

I was not paying attention when I set the awning up earlier in the day (in full sun) and happened to set it up pretty much parallel with the ground. It being flat, allowed water to pool up in the middle of the awning which eventually broke both support arm brackets and cause the awning to pendulum into the side of the van at a very high rate of speed.

Pictures included for your viewing pleasure:

Support Bracket #1 hanging on by sheer willpower alone:



Support bracket #2 was completely separated from the awning and laying on the ground:



I contemplated replacing both support arms (at $250 each) but decided the rails were just too bent and elected to purchase a new awning from fiamma. The new awning should be in either today or tomorrow, so replacement happens this weekend.

-Tony V

tonyvoudy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 09:26 AM   #2
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
Re: How do destroy your awning

Even with the awning sloped away from the van, don't you think the center of the awning could have become a bathtub anyway since it is more supported on the edges than the center?


Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 09:34 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
BrianW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 4,198
Re: How do destroy your awning

My Fiamma has a center brace... don't most of them?
BrianW is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 10:26 AM   #4
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
Re: How do destroy your awning

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianW
My Fiamma has a center brace... don't most of them?
Right, but then you have two smaller bathtubs....maybe each one will be small enough to prevent a catastrophic failure as compared to one large bathtub, but maybe not.
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 10:59 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
windguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 249
Re: How do destroy your awning

Tony,

Thanks for sharing your story. sorry for your loss.
Maybe the story will evolve over the years to where a bear cub was using it as a trampoline.
hopefully the van didn't get messed up too bad in the blowout.
and you can salvage spare parts from the awning for future needs.

safe travels
windguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 05:31 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Re: How do destroy your awning

That is quite a bummer, and also by far the most common RV disaster besides tire blowouts. I've heard story after story over the years and still managed to do it myself as well. The wind before a storm picked mine up and lashed it against the side of the van, bending several things and scratching my van. This was my previous rig, not my current one. Anyway, I love to leave my awning out at night but I don't anymore if there's ANY chance of rain.

Good luck with the fix

86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 06:43 PM   #7
Site Team
 
daveb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
Garage
Re: How do destroy your awning

With the right slope and using the center bar, I haven't had any problems. Yes it does create two small pools. Also I don't know how far down you can slope it. Depends on if the barn doors clear it and that varies between models. Sorry to hear that it was damage.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer

Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures..........On and off road adventures
daveb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 06:46 PM   #8
Site Team
 
Gooseberry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Covina
Posts: 1,317
Garage
Re: How do destroy your awning

I went on Fiamas web sit and ordered new end caps not to long ago but I could not find the center support to order one anyplace .
__________________
Kelly, Claudine, Sophie dog, Bell the redheaded step child and Gooseberry RIP.

Most the time the Copilot is Now Sophie dog the noise maker.

2000 7.3 PS Quigley/RB30 with a 6 window poptop.
Gooseberry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 11:11 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
1der's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,259
Re: How do destroy your awning

If you do not mind going a bit ghetto, go to HD / Lowes and buy a good quality 10 ft (when extended) extending painters twist lock pole for arnd $20. It works great.
__________________
Ray
Beastie 3: 2002 7.3 EB Cargo: Agile TTB, CCV High Top, Custom Walk Through, Lots of stuff added. www.BlingMyRig.com
1der is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 09:10 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
tonyvoudy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Georgia
Posts: 212
Re: How do destroy your awning

I ended up buying a brand new awning from fiamma. After initially telling me titanium was back ordered until December, I got a call yesterday stating they got an early shipment and pulled one aside for me.

I am not exactly sure what I will do with the old awning at this point. (Repair/keep for parts, dunno)

tv
tonyvoudy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.