Automatic Awning Pitch Question

RSlonaker · 11-12-2019, 08:39 AM

We are the proud owners of a 2017 Montana High Country 305RL which we just used this past weekend for the first time. For the most part we are happy with our purchase but have one complaint and one question. First, the complaint - why the heck didn't they put the second grey water tank dump valve handle with the other 2 instead of hiding under the frame by the front wheel? Second, a question regading the awning - ours seems to go straight out at almost a 90 degree angle and while we researched it on line we were unable to find out if there is a way to adjust the pitch downward more so as to block the sun - it is pretty much worthless as a sunshade as it is now???

Thanks, Ron S

**sourdough** · 11-12-2019, 09:16 AM

I've not seen any that just drop straight down to block the sun. There are all kinds of products (screens) manufactured that attach to the front edge and extend to the ground with anchors to eliminate/reduce this problem. Our awning (Dometic 9100?) has adjustable arms that I can pull back to lower the front edge if needed. I just try to get situated so that I'm not always facing the setting sun in the west.....but I do carry a front screen (and end screen) in the event it becomes an issue.

RSlonaker · 11-12-2019, 09:22 AM

I can't really re-position my RV from where it is - we have a perm. site at a Florida beach RV park which we use on the weekends unless we are traveling. Our awning is a Solara. Awning rail is really too high to try and attach a sunshade to it - a good 10 feet or more.

Thanks
Ron S

bobbecky · 11-12-2019, 09:25 AM

You might be able to grab the roller end when extended and pull it down to where you want it and have another person tighten the knobs on the support rails to hold it. Be sure to loosen those knobs before retracting the awning.

**sourdough** · 11-12-2019, 09:33 AM

This is similar to what I was referring (I'm sure there is one for your application on some site). You may have to take a ladder (we carry a 7' collapsible) to attach it to the front roller.

https://www.shadepro.net/product/vis...SABEgJj3fD_BwE

Wxman · 11-12-2019, 09:58 AM

Are we making this too difficult for the OP?
Didn't say for sure if it was power awning but since a Montana I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
If all OP wants to do is adjust the pitch down some just pull down on the articulating arms to adjust and it should stay. Mine has big stickers on it that say just that.
I have attached a link to the manual for the power awning if that is indeed what OP has. See page 4. Hope it helps.

good luck

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001369.pdf

**sourdough** · 11-12-2019, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wxman

Are we making this too difficult for the OP?
Didn't say for sure if it was power awning but since a Montana I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
If all OP wants to do is adjust the pitch down some just pull down on the articulating arms to adjust and it should stay. Mine has big stickers on it that say just that.
I have attached a link to the manual for the power awning if that is indeed what OP has. See page 4. Hope it helps.

good luck

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001369.pdf

OP said it is a Solara awning and being on a 17 Montana High Country I can only assume it is a power awning. The suggestion to alter the pitch using the bars and knobs has been made. I have never seen an awning that could be dropped all the way down using the adjustments which is something that may be required by the way he is describing the situation. In that event I think the sunscreen may be the only alternative to get the "total" coverage to ground level.

**flybouy** · 11-12-2019, 10:28 AM

Danny covered the awning. As for the second dump valve I'm guessing it's location is a function of the location of the valve itself. The cable has to reach the valve which is above the coroplast.

FlyingAroundRV · 11-12-2019, 11:37 AM

The problem with just adjusting the arms to bring the outside edge down is that the door will scrub on the awning every time you open and close it. If your awning is like ours, the material is very thin and wouldn't take a lot of scrubbing like that to wear a hole in it.
I'll go with adding a sun shade to the outside edge as the most practical solution.

travelin texans · 11-12-2019, 01:15 PM

This all got way too complicated!
The pitch should be easily adjusted, but not familiar with your awning.
Look up your particular awning on line to find pitch adjustments, you may or may not have readjust pitch to retract & be sure it doesn't interfere with the door opening/closing.

K_N_L · 11-12-2019, 02:48 PM

Check on the side of your lower awning arms for small push points that allow you to adjust the lenght of the arm. A bit hard to see in the photo, but there are seven or so positions that allow the awning to dip down slightly. Good to know for rain so to angle the water off as well as not having it extend straight out.

RSlonaker · 11-18-2019, 05:55 AM

Yes, ours is an auto awning - I am familiar with how to adjust pitch on manual awnings, but this one is different. There are no buttons to push in to adjust the arms. Pulling down per the label on the arm only makes it tip to one side for rain run off, and also results in a downward bow in the fabric. I saw another High Country in our RV park over the weekend and that one was pitched down a good deal, but the arms looked different, as if they had a white metal tube extension on them - unfortunately the owner wasn't around to talk with about it. Somewhat irritating if there is no way to tilt the entire awning pitch downward from its almost 90 degree pitch now.

Thanks for all the replies!

Ron S

jsmith948 · 11-18-2019, 06:53 AM

We have a similar issue on our Laredo. The Solera awning is mounted quite high on the side of the camper. The arms do not have the locking screws like our Dometic awning did.

Looking at the angle of the arms when our awning is fully extended leaves me thinking that there isn't enough awning fabric to allow the awning arms to completely extend. I also noticed that the diameter of the rolled up awning is much smaller than the Dometic awning we had on our Cougar. I might be mistaken (rare - but it happens) but the awning just doesn't extend as far out away from the camper as I think it could with a longer awning fabric. The awning on our Cougar seemed to extend further away from the wall.

As for a fix - other than replacing the awning - I intend to purchase a solar screen that attaches to the awning tube for those times when we can't have the door side of the camper facing east and in the afternoon shade.

**JRTJH** · 11-18-2019, 08:44 AM

I can't say for sure that LCI has "shortened the fabric width" in newer awnings, but their "claim to fame" 2 years ago was that their awning projection was the "widest in the industry at 8'6"".. That's 6" wider than the 8 foot projection of Dometic and CareFree awnings. I wouldn't doubt that they changed the diameter of the roller tube (to save weight) if they could figure out how to install a smaller diameter motor in the tube....

As for changing the pitch of the awning, the "square tube" that attaches to the vertical channel on the trailer sidewall is an "articulating arm"... If you pull down on the roller tube or if you pull down on the center of that articulating arm, it will fold to allow that end of the awning to lower (change pitch) so rainwater can run off the fabric.

The owner's manual, on page 4, gives instructions on how to change the pitch of the awning by pulling down on the roller tube and "tightening the bolt and Belleville washer assembly that's located on that "articulating arm"....

The owner's manual is located here: https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001369.pdf

On that page, items 1, 2, and 3 give specific instructions on how to adjust and then tighten the bolts to maintain the adjusted pitch. The bolt and Belleville washer assembly is shown in figure 6 and is marked as item "A".

I haven't seen a "2020 LCI awning" so they may have changed the components, but if it's located on a 2017, 2018 or 2019 trailer, I'd suspect that horizontal arm that attaches to the trailer channel has the "bolt/washer assembly" that's used to adjust pitch.

jsb5717 · 11-18-2019, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wxman

Are we making this too difficult for the OP?
Didn't say for sure if it was power awning but since a Montana I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
If all OP wants to do is adjust the pitch down some just pull down on the articulating arms to adjust and it should stay. Mine has big stickers on it that say just that.
I have attached a link to the manual for the power awning if that is indeed what OP has. See page 4. Hope it helps.

good luck

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001369.pdf

^^^^ this. As usual, John's got it right as well.

Just pulling down on the arm as described in the manual will adjust pitch. It won't hit the door at any angle of pitch. It's easy and works just as it should. I typically pitch mine as low as they will go every time I set up. It blocks sun the best and sheds rain as necessary. I just make sure to straighten them back out before retracting the awning.

These awnings also have pretty decent forgiveness when it's windy but too much wind will still bend something so I pull it in when it gets a little too breezy.

MarkEHansen · 11-18-2019, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsb5717

I just make sure to straighten them back out before retracting the awning.

You don't need to straighten the articulating arms. When you retract, they straighten on their own.

jsb5717 · 11-18-2019, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkEHansen

You don't need to straighten the articulating arms. When you retract, they straighten on their own.

Good to know. I didn't take a chance on that and just pushed them back up.

**flybouy** · 11-18-2019, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkEHansen

You don't need to straighten the articulating arms. When you retract, they straighten on their own.

That depends on the brand of awning I suppose. On mine, I can pull the arm down and tighten it in place with a crew knob. If I retract it ib that state it will bend the arms.

MarkEHansen · 11-18-2019, 09:38 AM

I'm referring to the awning John referenced above in his guess that that is what the OP has. Of course, not all awnings work the same

**flybouy** · 11-18-2019, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkEHansen

I'm referring to the awning John referenced above in his guess that that is what the OP has. Of course, not all awnings work the same

My only reason for making that statement is to prevent the "Cliff Notes" reader that skips to the end to see what the fix was. I see that all the time in the way some folks, especially those that are new to forums, will reply with the same thing that was said previously (often several times).

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