Poor design - door/awning arm collision

Gckiddhouse · 07-11-2019, 09:39 PM

3 weeks ago I purchased new 2019 Rockwood Ultra Lite 2702WS. While showing my friends the beautiful new purchase, I retracted the awning with the rear door open. It looked like there was clearance as the door did not appear to be touching the main (lower) arm rail. Seconds later I had a main arm that was bent forward and twisted to the right. The smaller top rail that normally pivots on a pin within the main arm is now wedged in the bent channel preventing further movement. The awning remains extended 5 feet.

I have had trailers for years and it would seem like common sense, but it did not look like it would make contact. IMO the door should have had a stop, bumper (door chain if you are really old school) or something to prevent the collision. This door is intended to be left wide open when in use with the inner screen door, yet that position leaves it in direct path of the awning arm!

I will not feel comfortable in the future leaving the second door open when any unknowing person might try to retract the awning with the same results! I am extremely disappointed with the design and the quote of $700 from a mobile RV repair service to replace the arm!!!

Has anyone else had this problem?
Any solution other then keeping the door locked?
Any ideas to get the awning down myself in this condition?
Appreciate any advice for this frustrating situation.

Jhut · 07-11-2019, 11:41 PM

I have a 2019 27rr and I must watch the front door. My dealer mentioned that during my walk through, glad they did.

Gckiddhouse · 07-12-2019, 12:53 AM

If someone would have pointed this out it would have been really helpful. This did not happen.
We have contacted Forest River to ask for help in repairing the arm. It's just a poor design. There should be something keeping that door from being in the way.
We also noticed that if the front window is open and the main door opens, it will quickly bump into that window and could easily break it. We won't be opening that window.

**ependydad** · 07-12-2019, 09:35 AM

I’m surprised that your door didn’t come with a gas strut to limit how far open it would go. That seems like a huge oversight on the manufacturer’s part. Especially with it mangling the awning and having the possibility of buggering the window.

It should be easy to add. Just a 10 lbs strut from Amazon or Camping World. Installation is pretty easy.

Iwannacamp · 07-12-2019, 10:47 AM

They have the friction hinges now and brag about it. Time for a stop or a chain dilly. I would fab up a vinyl coated wire so to not scratch the door up.

Oaklevel · 07-12-2019, 11:16 AM

I guess being old school every camper we have ever owned (from a 1973 to the 2017) The doors have needed to be closed to prevent possible awning damage.

n0ms · 07-12-2019, 12:48 PM

2x. The $1000 sail or sale

SeaDog · 07-12-2019, 12:54 PM

Bent my rear arms by leaving the rear handrail folded to the rear after I had opened the awning when I closed it things got bent. My fix was to rebend the awning to about normal and remove the handrail so it would not happen again.

Campinfishin · 07-12-2019, 12:57 PM

Horrible design on this model. Come on FR think before you Mfg and ridiculous design. I'm sure there are others that have encountered this same thing. FR at least goodwill the poor man the parts? Great way to start your relationship with your new trailer!!!!

primo20 · 07-12-2019, 01:20 PM

Our signature ultra lite had a similar design issue. Rear door would not open fully because of the awning arm, and the front door when fully opened covers the bedroom window. Unfortunately the front door wasn’t a friction hinge AND had no clip or strut to hold the door in place when open. Needless to say a gust of wind came along and slammed the door into the open bedroom window breaking the window. It was a frameless window. I will say these were really the only two flaws we found in the year we owned the unit, but should have been obvious as flaws to the manufacturer.

TitanMike · 07-12-2019, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gckiddhouse

3 weeks ago I purchased new 2019 Rockwood Ultra Lite 2702WS. While showing my friends the beautiful new purchase, I retracted the awning with the rear door open. It looked like there was clearance as the door did not appear to be touching the main (lower) arm rail. Seconds later I had a main arm that was bent forward and twisted to the right. The smaller top rail that normally pivots on a pin within the main arm is now wedged in the bent channel preventing further movement. The awning remains extended 5 feet.

I have had trailers for years and it would seem like common sense, but it did not look like it would make contact. IMO the door should have had a stop, bumper (door chain if you are really old school) or something to prevent the collision. This door is intended to be left wide open when in use with the inner screen door, yet that position leaves it in direct path of the awning arm!

I will not feel comfortable in the future leaving the second door open when any unknowing person might try to retract the awning with the same results! I am extremely disappointed with the design and the quote of $700 from a mobile RV repair service to replace the arm!!!

Has anyone else had this problem?
Any solution other then keeping the door locked?
Any ideas to get the awning down myself in this condition?
Appreciate any advice for this frustrating situation.

Find a replacement awning control switch that has a "Safety Hood" on it and a tag that says "Do Not Retract with door open".

OR

Install an on/off switch in the positive feed to the awning control switch. Turn it off when door is open and back on when you want to retract the awning. This will keep anyone who is unfamiliar with the problem from doing damage.

MOODMAN · 07-12-2019, 02:28 PM

This same thing happened to me. I had to pay for a new arm. Cost about $700. Yes, bad design. Surely there is a way to prevent this, like an awning interlock switch that prevents the awning from retracting if the door is open.

Wolf26 · 07-12-2019, 03:43 PM

Just for the heck of it, I'll take a different point of view.

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with WARNING labels & interlock switches. We have become so used to someone else looking out for us and warning us of every little thing that can go wrong we are losing our ability to foresee potential dangers . Companies have to put warning labels on everything to try to protect themselves from potential law suits. The plain truth is, you can not idiot proof everything. Common sense is becoming a thing of the past. If something goes wrong, it just has to be someone else's fault. Some times you just have to learn the hard way. I'll bet you will not do that again!

TitanMike · 07-12-2019, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf26

Just for the heck of it, I'll take a different point of view.

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with WARNING labels & interlock switches. We have become so used to someone else looking out for us and warning us of every little thing that can go wrong we are losing our ability to foresee potential dangers . Companies have to put warning labels on everything to try to protect themselves from potential law suits. The plain truth is, you can not idiot proof everything. Common sense is becoming a thing of the past. If something goes wrong, it just has to be someone else's fault. Some times you just have to learn the hard way. I'll bet you will not do that again!

My guess is that the OP won't do it again. I believe one of his questions was how to prevent some unknowing person from doing it. Someone like a "helpful friend", a young child, etc.

poppytoymaker · 07-12-2019, 05:43 PM

I have a Forester Class C about 4 and 1/2 years. Mine has a gas strut and I still have to hold the door when I raise the awning, It's not rocket science.

MCTroy · 07-12-2019, 07:00 PM

Yup, we are replacing an outside cubby door because the awning arm crunched it. Not just once either, no we crunched that door a second time just to br SURE it was broke! Good grief. But $73 and a new door is on it's way. Thank you Brook at Forest River.

Rossnet · 07-12-2019, 08:52 PM

I agree that it is a very poor design yet I see it on several models. We had a similar experience the first time out with our 2016 Coachman Leprechaun. Fortunately the door was not damaged but the awning arm was totaled and we were very ill-equipped to deal with the situation. With the help of a couple other campers we got the awning retracted and the damaged arm secured. Replacing the arm cost just shy of $600.

We are now in a 2019 Sunseeker with the same tight clearance between the door and awning and we are very careful when extending or retracting the awning.

primo20 · 07-12-2019, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf26

Just for the heck of it, I'll take a different point of view.

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with WARNING labels & interlock switches. We have become so used to someone else looking out for us and warning us of every little thing that can go wrong we are losing our ability to foresee potential dangers . Companies have to put warning labels on everything to try to protect themselves from potential law suits. The plain truth is, you can not idiot proof everything. Common sense is becoming a thing of the past. If something goes wrong, it just has to be someone else's fault. Some times you just have to learn the hard way. I'll bet you will not do that again!

Ouch. Harsh

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