# New Owner



## JohnnyG (Feb 9, 2005)

We purchases a 2005 Outback 26RS about 3 weeks ago, and have taken it out once for a 2 night trip. A question that I have is what do people do to get the awning tight. I live up in the Great North Wet, and I'd like the rain to be able to run off. You can't put too much of a pitch on the awning because the door will then rub on it. I'd like to be able to leave it up without worring about a large puddle forming.

Any suggestions?


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## our2girls (Jan 26, 2005)

HI! Welcome..

I too am new to Outbacks, but did have a TT with an awning before. What I did was raise the one side one to two notches higher to run the rain off.

Hope this helps!

Mike


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

What I generally do as well is pull down on the end of the roller part of the awning (when the arms are fully extended) and then tighten the tension knob. Once tight you can raise the awning up into the correct position. Makes everything nice and tight.

As our2girls said, raise one end slightly to permit runoff.

Enjoy


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

If you have your awning parallel to the ground, then rain will accumulate near the center where it is weakest and eventually buckle the rollup portion. You won't ever get it tight enough to really shed a lot of rain. Instead, set the awning at an angle. Instead of putting the awning parallel to the ground, drop one side slightly -- a couple notches like out2girls suggested would probably be enough. By having it in that position, the water won't accumlate in the center, but will run to the corner where it can drain off. Hope that's enough of an explaination. If not, let me know and I can get you some pictures. Or, take a look at some of the other rigs in the camp ground and I'm sure you'll see many of the awnings in the "tilted" position.


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## JohnnyG (Feb 9, 2005)

Thanks for the advice. I'll try it next time out.


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## NWcamper2 (Mar 28, 2004)

Perfect idea here









Go to http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_179.php click on reserve online and then "Book now" grab a site (happen to know #3 and #4 are available)for April 8-10 and we will show you how to do it









Welcome to the land of Outbackers


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## hurricaneplumber (Apr 12, 2004)

With the great advice as above, make the high end of the awning nearest the door for clearance.

If in the sun, you may need to retighten like Wayne says to take out some of the slack.

If it is expected to rain lots, sometimes it is best just to lower the whole awning down a few notches to prevent any puddling at all.

Good Luck.

Kevin


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

You should also look at purchasing a pair of awning tighteners. These clip on to the side rails and to the awning half way up from the roller to the trailer. Helps keep the awning taught and more secure in wind. Also helps prevent the puddling in the middle somewhat. About $20 at Camping World.

Regards, Glenn


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Johnny,

Congrats on the new Outback, and welcome to the family!

Doug


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

You can also buy a roller wheel for the top of the door. I'm not sure if they will fit the radius style OUTBACK door though. Worth a look.

I keep one side high as well.

Best awning advice I ever heard was...awnings were made to keep the sun off you. Not rain, snow, hail or wind. (I've seen a few ripped off, folded over the roof, or torn) Use your best judgement.

PS...I don't leave it up at night either. (or use it if the campfire is tossing embers around)


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## hurricaneplumber (Apr 12, 2004)

Jolly,

You put yours up everynight?

With the dew that we get, in the morning everything would be soaked.

I keep mine down all the time unless high winds or heavy rain, in which case I lower it right down.

We get lots of dew here.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Congrats on the new TT and welcome to outbackers. action

I do all of the above and at night I lower the entire awning a bit just to increase the angle if there is a heavy down pour.

Enjoy you new TT.

Thor


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

hurricaneplumber said:


> Jolly,
> You put yours up everynight?
> [snapback]23438[/snapback]​


I know, it sounds like overkill...

Where I live and camp...wind is a big problem. It's always blowing! Bad weather finds me everytime I venture out. I almost lost my awning on my last trailer in the middle of the night. Storm came out of nowhere, and there I was trying to fight the awning in high winds and driving rain.









I have seen and heard of MANY people suffering severe damage as well. My friends was wrecked last season...AFTER I told him he would be better off putting it away at night. He spent hundreds of dollars fixing the thing. While I was relaxing under my awning the next day...he was trying to take his apart for his early journey home. (It was literally folded over onto his roof)

I can't sleep when the breeze is blowing and the awning arms are clanking all night. I lay there awake worrying the awning is going to get ripped off!

It's so quick and easy to roll up. I don't leave anything there to get wet...except the rug. I tuck everything under the OUTBACK GARAGE. (queen slide)

I know a lot of people don't roll it up each night, and that's ok. I just sleep better knowing I'm not replacing hundreds of dollars in awning parts!

That's just my opinion on awnings...I try to learn from others expensive mistakes!


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## our2girls (Jan 26, 2005)

I'm with you, Jolly!

Last year we almost lost our awning when a "outta nowhere" storm blew in....I actually bent a A&E awning arm trying to roll it up half asleep.... Luckily I bent and straightened it to get it rolled up and home.

Roll em' up at night !!! The clanking alone will drive you bonkers!!

Mike


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

I am really paranoid about my awning getting blown away and ending up in Kansas. If it's flapping and the winds a blow'n, I stow it. That will probably change as we get more experienced and it becomes too much of a hassle to put up and down all the time, but for now I'm with Jolly.


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

Jolly is right about the awning. I've left mine out in some good storms with tie-down lines attached, but I only use tie-downs when I'm on an extended outing.

I'll also roll the awning up the night befor I leave if there's normally a heavy dew or rain, you don't want to roll up a wet awning unless you can unroll it at home to let it dry.

Bottom line, if in doubt, roll it up, it only takes a couple minutes.
Regards, Glenn


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## CamperDC (Oct 30, 2003)

I have the tighteners like Glenn suggested and they work really well for me. I also put de-flappers on to keep the noise down if there is a little wind. Of course, If there is ever a danger of really strong winds I will take it down.


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## raxtell (May 4, 2004)

One of the things I do to keep mine tight is hang buckets of rocks on it when I am camping and when I am at home letting it dry out. THe buckets also help when the wind comes up all of a sudden


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## JohnnyG (Feb 9, 2005)

I think I'll be buying some awning tighteners, along with a quickie flush, and an anti-sway device for my hitch that the dealer didn't think was necessary.


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## summergames84 (Mar 6, 2004)

We're with Jolly on the awning issue. On our third trip out, a severe thunderstorm came up unexpectedly (weather forecast for the weekend was clear and warm) and we woke at 2am and saw the awning sagging with gallons of water, even though we had it lower on one end. The rain was coming down so hard, it couldn't drain fast enough and the wind was whipping it around, and once it sagged, it didn't drain at all. We were out in dangerous lightening hanging on to those metal awning arms, rain so hard we couldn't even look up to see what we were doing. We learned our lesson and put it up every night, even in the desert.

Or course, we see people all the time who never put their's up and come out just fine.

We bought our awning de-flappers at Wal Mart.


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