Yahoo Message Number: 9729 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9729)
Zip Dee is a brand of awnings commonly used by highline coach mfg and bus converters.
For a long time, they were the very best you could buy, but seems they missed the movement to automatic systems like Girard and others.
The problem we are discussing seems to center on the awnings over the slides that automatically roll out with the slide. A locking mechanism isn't used on them as it is on the large awnings.
In my case, the billowing has happened twice in over five years. In both cases, the mechanism stays in place but the awning unwinds and the fabric billows out over the top of the coach. I corrected it by sliding the room out and back in.
The deflector prevents the wind from getting up under the roll of fabric and unwinding it.
On the large awning, locks on each end and a center lock seem to keep in in place.
I have friends with Dutch Star MH's with A&E awnings who have lost their entire large awning including arms and everything in severe wind conditions.
It's not a fun thing.
I had a Bounder with an A&E awning that unwound in a sudden gust, but didn't suffer any damage, other than scrapes and bruises to yours truly while trying to secure the damn thing in a windstorm on I-15 near Riverside, California. With the help of a friendly Highway Patrolman, we got it back in place and I stopped for the day!
Apparently the Girard system is fully enclosed inside a nifty housing and isn't subject to wind problems. At least I have never heard of them. Hope this helps.
I have a new rule: When it's windy, stop and smell the pollen. Life is too short to travel in high winds.
Larry
Intrigue
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