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Do you strap down your Fiamma


AndyLou

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Hi,

We have a roll out Fiamma awning on our Bessacar E745 and there are go guy ropes to secure the legs.

 

I was wondering do people strap theirs' down or just rely on pegs in the legs feet?

 

When we had a caravan with a pull out awning we had to secure the legs with pegs and guy ropes. Some people even went to the trouble of adding a strap.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

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Guest pelmetman
Andy&Lou - 2016-05-20 9:18 AM

 

Hi,

We have a roll out Fiamma awning on our Bessacar E745 and there are go guy ropes to secure the legs.

 

I was wondering do people strap theirs' down or just rely on pegs in the legs feet?

 

When we had a caravan with a pull out awning we had to secure the legs with pegs and guy ropes. Some people even went to the trouble of adding a strap.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

 

It depends.......

 

If we're in a sheltered spot and the forecast is good, then we often leave the awning out, but I'll use ratchet straps as well as pegging down the legs.....

 

If the weathers a bit iffy, then I'll just peg the legs down, or else the dog will take them out when she's on her lead *-) .......But if we go out, and at night I'll wind the awning in.......

 

Once had to help a chap escape his RV when a gust of wind took his awning up into the air, which enabled the legs to come off and trapped him and his Mrs in their van 8-).......

 

It wasn't pegged down but latched onto the van side as some do ;-).......

 

 

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If the awning is going to be up for a while I strap down with a strap at each corner and then a further strap along the top. For a short time no straps but do not leave and keep an eye out for the wind getting up.

Great piece of kit as it expands considerably the use of the MH and provides a shelter from the sun.

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Depends a lot on the weather conditions.

 

If calm and at the van, then pegs on the legs. If a little breezy and at the van, then supplementary ratchet strap looped around the top of the leg at the knuckle joint.

 

If away from the van or at night - retract the awning. I've had too many sleepless nights listening to the gathering wind and eventually getting up in PJ's and retracing the awning.

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We usually put 2 guy ropes from each leg. If we think it may get really windy, if we don't take it down , we throw a strap over the centre an secure that either side. A piece of webbing will suffice

Have found that having a front sheet, sun shade threaded through the slot , gives a lot more stability and also some privacy It really depends where you camp. We are usually in Spain , so don't know what is best in UK as you get more wind. Usually take ours in at night, if not sure about the weather. Nothing worse than having to get up in the night , to take a rattling blind in

PJay

 

Looks like I took to long to answer, as others have said the same.!!

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Fiamma do a tie down kit which includes adjustable straps and springs to absorb shock loading, it works very well but,If there is strong wind forecast over night, I put the awning away, it saves having to get up in the night!
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In a word - No, not yet although I have bought some very substantial rock pegs to hold the thing down driving them well into the ground through the legs.

 

There are some horrendous tales of these awnings flipping up, breaking the awning and doing untold damage to the structure of the van in the process. We were thoroughly warned by our dealer and then by friends, - almost to the stage that I am wary of using it.

 

One issue is that my wife is disabled, so I need to do this on my own, it isn't that easy to set the thing up - or fold it away on one's own, especially in a wind without assistance, getting the legs clicked into place and not bending anything.

 

Saying that - we are very careful of it's use, - The solution is straightforward - In any remotely dodgy conditions we wind it in, - or if we are leaving the van unattended for a while, also at night and we haven't had a problem.

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Andy&Lou - 2016-05-20 9:18 AM

 

Hi,

We have a roll out Fiamma awning on our Bessacar E745 and there are go guy ropes to secure the legs.

 

I was wondering do people strap theirs' down or just rely on pegs in the legs feet?

 

When we had a caravan with a pull out awning we had to secure the legs with pegs and guy ropes. Some people even went to the trouble of adding a strap.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

 

Wouldnt be without a wind out awning, and YES, we always put out guy ropes or straps, even if we only put it out for half an hour. Have never had any problems over 4 differant vans, all with wind out awnings. Used mainly as rain shelters rather than sun shades. Cheap cargo straps from screwfix or toolstation do the job just as well, with really strong metal pegs.

It is possible to wind it in in a high wind ,single handed, by hanging on to the far strap, as you wind in the awning. Leave it attached until the wind dies down, my Wife is disabled too, so have had to do it many times.

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We use our awning all the time. When I roll it out I add two guy ropes to each leg. Additionally I add two antiflap beams, one each end and a centre rafter. I also have an end wall and a side wall that I use depending on conditions. When we first used the awning I was very concerned about stability of the lightweight design of our awning. Now that I have added the additional components we have no problem with worrying about it blowing away in most winds we experience here. Having said that I have "pulled it in" once or twice when I have seen an ugly sky approaching. Set up time is around 15 mins, no big deal really. Cheers,

awning_rafter.jpg.c487683ae4d94028a57d5b0878f187ec.jpg

66505267_Awning_generalview.jpg.52bb97d5d63f97f8188a12306db2992a.jpg

Awning_antiflap.jpg.a0cef97fbbe2a3c7db0008d4f28b57b8.jpg

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Ours is the Omnistor version, which I find a bit stronger than the Fiamma ones we have had previously. Rarely use in UK, but most times when stopping on sites in France. Very useful, and always peg down, plus Tie down kit, and usually ratchet straps to pole tops.

We also have the rain blockers both sides, and the sun blocker along the front, and these give considerably more support in windy conditions..

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Two weeks ago in Devon we went to my daughter's just a couple of miles away and left the awning out. The awning was fitted with the FIAMMA kit which hooks on to the slot of the front of the awning and the pegs are about 12 inches long with the springs attached and the upright legs were in position with a peg in each. The rafter was also fitted. It was sunny with no wind on the site.

When we got back a few hours later it was like a bomb site. The rafter was still attached to the MH but had come off the fronf and was BENT. I have managed to straighten the rafter but it is not like new with a couple of kinks but I can adjust it just about. I shall certainly take the rafter down and wind the awning in when MH is left unattended.

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