For those that DO!

[Smurf]

tie down your awning, what do you use? Is it as simple at a couple coffee cans with cement and a eye hook in it, then ratchet straps around the corner of awning, attach to eye hook?
Thanks

[michael.g]

We camp seasonally directly across from a farm. Our site might have 20 mph winds with gusts to 30 mph, but walk 150 feet north past the farm to the lake and there is no wind. We have to tie our awning down or we wouldn't be able to use it.

We purchased this Camco tie down kit. With our previous Class C with electric awning, coffee cans with cement would not work, they'd get thrown around easily. Maybe 5 gallon buckets with cement might have worked. For an electric awning, the springs in the kit allow the awning to move gently. The springs are 7" long and tight, but they do allow movement which keeps the awning fabric from getting torn. In really high winds, the awning might move a lot, but we've never had any issues. We had a really bad storm roll through a few years ago. The springs got completely over stretched and were no longer usable, but the awning survived. Camco does sell replacement springs.

Our current awning is manual. We use the same kit, but I'm not sure the springs are necessary since the manual awning doesn't really move in the wind like the electric did. We did have a storm roll through in the middle of the night last season that brought 60 mph gusts. The storm hadn't been forecast at the time we went to bed, but the Tornado Watch alert on my smartphone alerted us around 5:30 am. It was too late as the storm had already kicked up. No tornado for us, but one did touch down about 50 miles north of us. The awning was out and it survived that storm.

If you don't expect high winds when you are camping, the coffee can with cement might work for the occasionally dust up. If you have an electric awning and expect winds, I'd want something with more weight than a coffee can with cement.

-Michael

[penguin149]

Husky Hangups from Home Depot around each end of the awning tube and a 1" ratchet strap from Harbor Freight. Hook one end in the Husky Hangup and the other end to the picnic table, tree, etc. I use a couple a screw down dog run anchors as a last resort. Ratchet the straps just tight enough to be taut...DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN!! I figure if the wind is strong enough to lift the awning, it will just pop those anchors out of the ground!

[GScott]

I use screw in 12” ground anchors if we are there for a few days or more. I thenhave a simple kayak strap that hooks into a rubber bungee that hooks on the support arm. This simply provides an extra security. Number 1 rule, don’t leave with awning out!

[Pauls72]

We retract the awning unless we are there and under it.

I have a set of these tie downs that I use.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-RV-...c-Box/14504346

[Parcany]

If you have time go to the Wildcat websight and go into the Mod section and look up awning tiedown. Made these for our trailer and they work great.

[kevine1979]

Originally Posted by Parcany

If you have time go to the Wildcat websight and go into the Mod section and look up awning tiedown. Made these for our trailer and they work great.

Do you have a link?

[WeRJuliian]

For those who use the "corkscrew" ground anchors... please take a moment to replace your divots when you leave. ]]

I once almost broke an ankle, while setting up in the dark, thanks to somebody who had excavated a couple of pits to hold his anchors, and then just left them...