Omnistor Awning Damage

My tie down straps slide into the channel of the awning, this also has a strong spring. But when I tighten the strap tight, I then slacken it just a tad,  if a sudden gust happens, I hope the slack will prevent any damage.

Leighton.

Interesting tie down method Leighton.
Now I am wondering if pegging the legs down through the peg holes in the feet is ok! Omnistor recommend that you peg the legs down at their feet and so does Fiamma on theirs. These legs are fixed at the top to the outer bar with no slack. There is slack in the wind out roof arms though so I guess thats ok?

This method of setting up has survived many a gales but no guarantees given:


Extend the awning to nearly maximum with the legs down but not pegged.

Install central rafter(s) if used.

Wind awning back in about 1.5" (so that much can extend under spring loading without tensioning canopy).

Peg down leg feet using 6" rock pegs.

Adjust leg height so that one is circa 2" shorter than the other (to allow for water run off)

Add storm tie downs fixed to 12" storm pegs formed from steel rod - not pressed steel  For many years I used straps the slid into the groove on the end plate but they were getting tired so are retired.  I've reverted to my Fiamma strap installed as in picture below, Under canopy but over support arms - do not put the strap over the soft metal guides at the end or they will bend and the awning wont retract properly.  Turning the strap back gives extra support to the legs and reduces trip hazard.

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Yes snow, I only use minimum no of pegs to fix the legs, so I'm always ready for a quick return to it's housing if necessary.

Leighton.

Thanks, Peter - what a good idea to wrap the tie-down around the leg and peg it beneath the awning. I shall use that method in future - albeit that, as far as possible, I don't leave out the awning if a storm or strong wind is likely.

Your photo is very helpful.

Cymro

Thanks Peter - that's helpful and very similar to one of the 2 methods suggested by Thule Omnistor ie:


The tie down strap arrangement (like yours):
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] see 2nd/3rd pics which show how it is fitted

Or the side straps - which is how we fix ours down:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] again the 2nd/3rd pic show how we fit ours


I still don't understand why mine has torn but will have a go at a tape repair and contact Thule to see if I can convince them to replace as I really don't think it should have split like it has.

Cymro wrote:Thanks, Peter - what a good idea to wrap the tie-down around the leg and peg it beneath the awning. I shall use that method in future - albeit that, as far as possible, I don't leave out the awning if a storm or strong wind is likely.

Your photo is very helpful.

Cymro

Hmmmmm. I wonder??

If there was a serious gust, could not the pressure on the strap exert a horizontal force on the legs and bend them??

It's amazing how much force the wind can generate. I recall the (probably quite amusing to onlookers) situation when two of us were lifted clean off our feet while hanging onto a friend's awning. Our combined weight is about 28 stone!!

No doubt Peter has considered this, and maybe tested it in a gusty situation?

Was this incident in Axmouth a couple of years ago Dave?
If so I think we may have been watching!

Several awnings got trashed that night. Glad to say we wound ours in before the wind got up!

[quote="Gromit"]

Cymro wrote:

No doubt Peter has considered this, and maybe tested it in a gusty situation?

Its not something that will photograph well, but there are two kinks in the inside structure of the front plate where the storm straps that slip in to the groove were sited during a storm in Austria.


We get violent storms in Europe every year, its because the canopy has that 1.5" against its return spring to play with that saves the structure.

Thanks Peter.

I'm still inclined to chicken out and wind the awning back in when we leave the van, or if it begins to blow up a storm.

It only takes a minute, and I sometimes leave it extended by a couple of feet to keep the rain off the doorway.

Yes, Dave - I also bring in my awning in such circumstances.

Having now remembered, my Thule tie-down is the 2-strap, side variety, which clips into the slot at the top of each vertical stay - it doesn't extend across the awning and so I can't use Peter's method after all!  Off to the Royal Welsh Show next week so shall have to remember how the straps fit!

Cymro

One thing I have also noticed over the years, is how these awnings are not as strong as they once were. They seem more flimsy now.

Leighton.

I like your idea of attaching the straps to the folding arms, Peter.  Not quite sure about wrapping them round the legs as I would be worried about bending the legs - but it's tried and tested!  I have bent some figure of 8 rings so that they fit into the slots at the top of the legs with my single straps dropping into the lower half of the 8.  My straps have ratchet tightening but big springs at the bottom.  I strongly endorse winding in an inch or so after fully extending to tension the fabric and having one leg 2" shorter than the other to allow rain to run off
PLEASE DO NOT USE THE HOUSINGS that you are given to screw to the side of the van into which you can put the bottoms of the legs at 45 degrees - unless you want some holes in the side of the van!
I am amazed at how many folk wind out their awnings fully before dropping the legs.  I ALWAYS wind out about 30% to 50%, then drop legs sloping outwards before winding out fully and then retracting the inch.

Have repaired the awning with clear Tenacious Tape.
With the awning out but the fabric very slack, took off the end cap to the outer beam and the 2 retaining screws to the bottom of the awning. Slipped the awning out of the beam channel.about 6" to get proper access to the Kador. Cleaned both sides of the corner of the awning and the Kador and dried it etc. Then applied a 4" wide strip of Tenacious Tape starting about 4" up the upper face and running down and round the Kador and back up the underside for about 4". Made sure all bubbles out of the tape etc. Then slipped awning back into place and refitted end caps and retaing screws.
Hopefully it will hold. But by using clear tape I can still see whether the tears are holding.
Cant post photos as out on site with no wifi. But if anyone is interested in photos let me know and will post them Monday.
Thanks for all the words of wisdom folks.
Sarah

snow863 wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

That is the exact place mine failed. I managed to get the fabric replaced FOC as the van was 18 months old at time. I guess it is a weak area, as I never used it in any wind above a breeze, honest sir. You can just about slide some repair tape in the front groove for a temporary repair.

I am now  almost afraid to use it, as I don't think I would get another FOC replacement!
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Richard

Sadly mine is 4 years old and Thule are not going to replace FOC.
The repair we did at the weekend seems to be ok but will be keeping a very close eye on it.

snow863 wrote:Sadly mine is 4 years old and Thule are not going to replace FOC.
The repair we did at the weekend seems to be ok but will be keeping a very close eye on it.

Genuine question:-

The posts above suggest that it's a welded kador, but the pictures look as if it's sewn, and that the fabric has torn along a seam.

If it's welded, it might be a dielectric weld, in my old job repairing dielectric welders I used to know dozens of companies that used this method for making everything from tarpaulins and plastic card wallets, to biscuits and 'foam rubber'.

There must still be companies around who could and would re-weld a new kador?

Thanks Chris
Will see how the tape repair holds first.
Tenacious Tape is pretty strong stuff and held out well on our old awning which had several repairs done with it.
We managed to wrap the tape round the Kador and up both sides of the awning to support it around the tear.
Fingers crossed I wont need ro look for a welder yet.

snow863 wrote:Thanks Chris
Will see how the tape repair holds first.
Tenacious Tape is pretty strong stuff and held out well on our old awning which had several repairs done with it.
We managed to wrap the tape round the Kador and up both sides of the awning to support it around the tear.
Fingers crossed I wont need ro look for a welder yet.

Hope the tape repair holds out OK.

I'm still interested whether it's welded, or sewn? I would have expected a dielectric weld to be a regular pattern or line from the welding tool, not small dimples like yours appears to be.
Just trying to accrue a little extra knowledge. 

meanchris wrote:

I'm still interested whether it's welded, or sewn? I would have expected a dielectric weld to be a regular pattern or line from the welding tool, not small dimples like yours appears to be.

According to Thule it was welded on at the factory but I am also baffled as it looks sewn to me.

snow863 wrote:

meanchris wrote:

I'm still interested whether it's welded, or sewn? I would have expected a dielectric weld to be a regular pattern or line from the welding tool, not small dimples like yours appears to be.

According to Thule it was welded on at the factory but I am also baffled as it looks sewn to me.

Surprising. 

Seems to be a daft solution when dielectric welding is extremely strong.

No it looks like it is stitched, but is welded as you say.

I am afraid that where mine failed it was along the welded seam, as such I would think there was nothing to weld onto, but I am no expert on these dielectric welds.

Tape was the only way to go until I had it replaced. By the way it only took the Thule engineer about 1 hour and that included training the dealers technicians. I was not allowed to watch as it was done in the workshop and I guess H&S came into play.
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Richard

I had the material replaced by my dealer when I bought the van as they discovered a 4" rip during PDI . They had to wait 6 weeks for new material from Fiamma. The dealer had never done the job before and were prepared to give me a courtesy car if it wasn't done in a day. As it happened it only took them about 3 hours to do that and replace a mixer tap.