Help! Awning opened at 45mph Citation

Lbruce0302@gmail.com · 09-26-2021, 03:49 PM

I just traded for at 2018 THOR Citation ST last week in Iowa. Love it.
Drove home to NY no problems.
Yesterday, while driving at 45mph the awning slowly & fully opened to the screams of grandkids. Pulled off country road and couldn’t avoid phone pole!
Anyone know of this?
Thanks!

MJC62 · 09-26-2021, 04:20 PM

We have never heard of this happening.
On our rig the ignition has a cut out that does not allow slides or awning to open while the ignition is on.

Bob Denman · 09-26-2021, 04:28 PM

Welcome to the forum.
Now... where were the grandkids in relation to the Rapid Camp remote, and the switch in the stairwell?

cpmath · 09-26-2021, 04:42 PM

Oh no Bob, are you inferring possible the awning had some help unfurling?

Laco · 09-26-2021, 05:25 PM

They have been known to open while underway, though usually when you are in a very high wind condition. You can buy clamps, that can be mounted, to lock the awning in a closed position, just don't forget to undo them before you try to open the awning.

dkoldman · 09-26-2021, 09:11 PM

How did you derive "the awning slowly & fully opened"

Was someone watching it slowly open? Do you have faster speeds for it to open or did it open at it's normal speed? How far had you driven before this happened?

I have heard of people driving off when it was opened by either forgetting to bring it back in, or mistake to have it go back out.

I have SOB (Some other brand other than Thor ) that will not allow the above to happen for two reasons.
#1. If ignition is on, it is locked out so awning cannot be extended
#2. I have manual only switch and you must hold it down for it to keep extending otherwise it will stop.

I have not seen true benefit yet to having a remote that can easily get hit and then fully extend the awning

If your Coach's design allows you to extend the awning while driving, I would have it rewired.

Bob Denman · 09-26-2021, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpmath

Oh no Bob, are you inferring possible the awning had some help unfurling?

Not necessarily...
I am willing to be more direct; but I was trying to be polite...

dkoldman · 09-26-2021, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Not necessarily...
I am willing to be more direct; but I was trying to be polite...

I am working on new proprietary formula ( I will called it the Z-RV Statistical Test to predict tendencies to calculate one and dones.

The value for Z-RV is calculated by subtracting the OP perceived value of the theoretical average return response selected for the test, or 1% in this case, from the observed average response posts as samples. Next, divide the resulting value by the standard deviation divided by the square root of the number of observed values.

Z-RV = .9155

**EA37TS** · 09-26-2021, 11:20 PM

My awning on our prior Class C opened at 55 mph on I 95. Talked about numerous times on the forum. There was a Dometic recall where the installation instructions were wrong. Forest River did not keep adequate records so they didn’t notify owners. This was 8 or 10 years ago.

Awning motor serves as a brake if the wiring comes loose or the motor goes bad there is no brake.

Bob Denman · 09-27-2021, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkoldman

I am working on new proprietary formula ( I will called it the Z-RV Statistical Test to predict tendencies to calculate one and dones.

The value for Z-RV is calculated by subtracting the OP perceived value of the theoretical average return response selected for the test, or 1% in this case, from the observed average response posts as samples. Next, divide the resulting value by the standard deviation divided by the square root of the number of observed values.

Z-RV = .9155

My head hurts... I'm going back to flipping channels between NASCAR, and the NFL

Bill in Redlands · 09-27-2021, 01:32 AM

From one of my prior postings.

"It all started as a typical Santa Ana winds day in SoCal but it was also the first day of a two week round robin of state campgrounds in the central and north coast areas of California. We have driven in similar winds in the past, not fun but ok.

The problems began when the traffic locked up in one of windiest areas. As we sat and rocked around, we began to hear banging on the passenger side (facing the winds). The awning was slapping against the side of the motorhome, despite having been stowed in a closed position. Initially, it was just a few inches but the wind was blowing up into the exposed area forcing the awning further out. The canvas then billowed out completely, banging against the top of the motorhome.

We pulled off to the highway shoulder and I did what I could to tie the awning brackets shut – not much luck. By the time we got moving and could exit the highway, the awning was ripped and had pulled the cross bar completely off of the motorhome at the front end. This actually put a slight bend in the rear vertical support.

All I could do was cut the awning off of the motorhome and remove the cross bar from the rear support. We laid it alongside a nearby utility fence and proceeded to our campsites.

We got home Friday and yesterday I went back to the scene of the crime and recovered the evidence."

I found that I could weave a strap around the vertical support with the motor drive that locks the articulating sections together. This can be done without having to place the strap behind the fixed vertical support

Lbruce0302@gmail.com · 09-27-2021, 03:00 AM

No, everyone were strapped into seats. Absolutely no chance of pressing open. I thought the slide nor awning could move if the vehicle was in motion?

Lbruce0302@gmail.com · 09-27-2021, 03:15 AM

Fortunately I had begun to slow for an upcoming intersection on a back road. The car behind us and 2 on lookers watched for nearly 15 secs before I could stop on a blind hill country road with no shoulders. On our last sprinter the awning wouldn’t move AT ALL if the ignition was on. Even with the new Citation, I KNOW the slide can’t move unless the emergency break is engaged as well. i assumed it would be the same for the awning too since it is one the same control panel touch screen ?

Lbruce0302@gmail.com · 09-27-2021, 03:19 AM

Thanks much. I had caught your previous post in my search, it was appreciated.

Lbruce0302@gmail.com · 09-27-2021, 03:23 AM

A memorable trip!

wchambers630@aol.com · 10-04-2021, 10:02 PM

My awning on my 2015 Chateau retract very slow, sometimes it won't extend or retract.. Could this be a motor going bad?

Pete'sMH · 10-04-2021, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wchambers630@aol.com

My awning on my 2015 Chateau retract very slow, sometimes it won't extend or retract.. Could this be a motor going bad?

Could be. But it also might be a battery issue. Try running the coach engine when moving the awning and see if that helps. On my Freedom Elite I had that problem when retracting. I called the awning manufacturer and they were quick to recommend a new motor but running the engine gave me just enough additional voltage to make the difference.