Awning Problems

Oscarhound

Hi
this might seem like a bit of a silly one but we just bought our motorhome and when we put the awning out there is nowhere to stick the poles into (the awning is an Omnistor 5000). Think that there is a pole missing as well, phoned the people that we bought it from, great couple no complaints there and they never used the awning so they cant really help. Anyway we were away this weekend and realised that we could really do with getting some side panels (we have a small baby and himself and myself ended up sitting freezing outside rather than disturb her sleeping inside hence the need for side panels or the safari room yoke that you can get). Anyway if someone could let me know where you screw the poles into and what I need to sort this out I would be eternally grateful. Motorhome is perfect in every way apart from this little teething problem and had fantastic first weekend away in it - should have bought one years ago.:D

peasant

The poles should extend.
There should be a little plastic latch that you flip over and then the inner half of the pole comes out. Adjust to length and flip the latch back so it's locked again.



Some campers have receptacles for the poles an the sidewalls of the vehicle (little plasic recesses), some don't. For statics its better anyway to put the poles on the ground.

The best way to roll out your awning is:

Roll out to about half way or a little less, just when it starts to look a bit "wobbly". Bring down the poles and extend them so that they push upwards and support the weight of the awning, let the tips point forward so they can support the awning as it moves out. Roll out awning fully, reposition poles to vertical and adjust length.

Hope you find your little latches now and all the best with the new camper

peasant

Addition:

Found another picture which shows how to fit the end of the poles into those little fixings on the vehicle (if they're fitted) or alternatively how to secure them to the ground.

stapeler

The side panel are also know as a Privacy room or Safari room, What length is your awning? I have a complete 3 meter Omnistor Safari room that I was considering selling as it's too small for my new awning.

Oscarhound

Thanks Peasant. Had another look at the awning (keep going out to play in the motorhome - new toy and all that) and realised that I am missing the proper poles. The couple that we bought it from never used the awning and just wedged a pole in the middle of it on the few occasions that they had it out. Hubby phoned a couple of places today to try and get replacement poles but no joy. Stapler I cant measure the front bit as cant put the awning out but will get himself to measure the rest of it and will be back in touch. Want to get sorted asap as are heading off again this weekend (no stopping us now!)

stapeler

Check out http://www.omnistor.co.uk/ under spare parts where they have drawings and part no's for all their awnings. Email them with your requirments and they will quote you.

peasant

Oh ...no poles at all ?

Strange ...

Any good motorhome dealer should be able to get the parts from Omnistor directly.


EDIT:
Taking the risk of pointing out the obvious ...

... you are aware that the normal poles don't come seperately? They are folded up into the front of the awning. They are held up there by springs and a little fixing in the middle of the underside of the front section. You have to push them outwards from that fixing and then they will just fold down.

Took me a while to find them too, when I rolled out my awning for the first time.

The other pole (in case its an Omnistor part and not just a broomstick) could be an accessory ...used to increase the stiffness of the awning once its fully out by fixing it under the actual fabric to strengthen the whole thing.

zagmund

We had the same problem with ours when we first used the awning - couldn't work out how it was supposed to be supported. We managed to stick a pole in the middle and kind of balance it, but it wasn't very stable.

Eventually we looked at all the other awnings out there and saw they had a pole at each corner, had a look at ours and discovered they were there.

Best thing is to start at a corner and look for something that looks like a pole - follow it in until you get to something that looks like a clip and then unclip it.

It is possible that it came without poles, but I would very much doubt that this happened.

z