Wind and pop-ups

Kawigreenguy · 07-28-2013, 10:07 PM

Took my 2012 palomino banshee b2 out on the maiden voyage this weekend. Great unit! We got some crazy wind on sat and it pretty ruined the day, cause I was worried about wind damage, so here's the question... How much wind can a popup handle? The roof moved around A LOT and the bunk tent supports were flexing quite a bit.

What's your experience with wind and also, what is the best thing to do when you see sh is going to hit the fan? Is it better to just leave it popped up, or slide wind side bunk in?

What do you guys do?

Blackrock · 07-28-2013, 10:18 PM

The '09 I used to have rode out a lot of storms. Wind, rain and some light hail. One really bad downpour with heavy winds in South Dakota one time was the worst I ever had it in.
If the weather looks nasty make sure you are leveled out good and the jacks are snugged up tight. Go around the outside and make sure all the zippers are closed and all Velcro strips are nice and tight. Then hang on and ride it out.

I was on some higher ground and really exposed at the Whittington Center near Raton NM and caught some hail and we came out OK.

GalsofEscape · 07-29-2013, 12:01 PM

We were in 50 mph winds in South Dakota in 2011 with our popup. It does make you lose sleep with all the buffetting of the tent material going on. Found the whole camper had been pushed a bit (skid marks behind the levelers), but we had no real issues or damage. When I got a chance later, I asked our salesman how much wind speed was the camper designed for, he did not know. He did say if I saw a witch on a bike flying by that I should take cover. Lot of help. Oh, and keep the awning in if those high winds are expected. (We stopped putting it out in the midwest as it is impossible to put the awning away on a highwall without lowering the roof and the wind seems to blow all the time)

HONDAMAN174 · 07-29-2013, 02:46 PM

We survived 40+ at Lake Havasu over thanksgiving. Disconnected the top two connectors on the door to let the roof move freely. We weren't comfortable sitting in it during the wind just waiting for the roof to come off. After 8 hours no damage except one of the plastic windows were streched/bubbled from pressure for so long. Another member on this forum told me that they had been thru 80 mph before. NO THANK YOU!

BigBaron · 07-29-2013, 04:24 PM

Tie down the four corners like you would a tarp. That's what we've done. When it hits 35+ mph we put it down, though.

Kawigreenguy · 07-29-2013, 10:09 PM

Thanks for everybody's input. I think I might be a little more comfy next time....

**ependydad** · 07-30-2013, 08:09 AM

I don't know what the wind speed was, but a few years back we were camping in a fairly unprotected area off of a bay in Ocean City, MD and a thunderstorm came through. We did out the awning away before it hit.

I'm a big boy- maybe 250 pounds at the time. My daughter and I were laying on the bunk end and you could feel it slightly lifting and moving around.

Pretty nerve wracking, but all was well at the end of the night.

goody59 · 07-31-2013, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawigreenguy

Took my 2012 palomino banshee b2 out on the maiden voyage this weekend. Great unit! We got some crazy wind on sat and it pretty ruined the day, cause I was worried about wind damage, so here's the question... How much wind can a popup handle? The roof moved around A LOT and the bunk tent supports were flexing quite a bit.

What's your experience with wind and also, what is the best thing to do when you see sh is going to hit the fan? Is it better to just leave it popped up, or slide wind side bunk in?

What do you guys do?

I installed 4 solid eye bolts in the roof section above each of the roof catches. Then I attach 4 guy ropes with spring fasteners to these and fasten down on about 45 degree angle with long solid tent pegs like a tent top. This steadies up the whole camper in high winds. I have a mesh wall on the outside of my awning attached in the sail track. This wall is also fastened down with guy ropes and a number of solid tent pegs. This also assists in high winds to stabalise the outfit.

BigBaron · 07-31-2013, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goody59

I installed 4 solid eye bolts in the roof section above each of the roof catches. Then I attach 4 guy ropes with spring fasteners to these and fasten down on about 45 degree angle with long solid tent pegs like a tent top. This steadies up the whole camper in high winds. I have a mesh wall on the outside of my awning attached in the sail track. This wall is also fastened down with guy ropes and a number of solid tent pegs. This also assists in high winds to stabalise the outfit.

These are great ideas!
I am thinking of attaching to the lift poles (uprights?), as the roof seams/joints can pull apart from the forces.

MtnGuy · 07-31-2013, 07:24 AM

I had a mid 90s Coleman pop-up. High winds bent the top pole on 1 side of the camper. Spent the night with that side collapsed, but other than the bed, the camper was still usable.

Kamping Junkie · 07-31-2013, 07:32 AM

I had a 05 jayco 1407. Seems like every time we took it out we got caught in a storm. Never had any issues other than some sleepless nights. But one particular night we were at a local camp and during the night another storm came through and about 4am broke a branch off the tree we were under and collapsed one side of one bunk. Didn't do much damage. Pulled the Velcro loose. Bent the support bar slightly and scared the living sh*t out of my kids. Got the mattress and me wet from having to go out and get it off the top and refasten the Velcro. Luckily we were all in the other side. Wasn't long after my wife started talking about a TT. Go figure. Now we have the surveyor sv305.

dmullen · 07-31-2013, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goody59

I installed 4 solid eye bolts in the roof section above each of the roof catches. Then I attach 4 guy ropes with spring fasteners to these and fasten down on about 45 degree angle with long solid tent pegs like a tent top. This steadies up the whole camper in high winds. I have a mesh wall on the outside of my awning attached in the sail track. This wall is also fastened down with guy ropes and a number of solid tent pegs. This also assists in high winds to stabalise the outfit.

I like the sound of this but am a little worried about drilling thru a new roof. Did you just drill a hole and attach the eye bolts with nuts and washers?

Also would you give more details on your mesh wall? Thanks!

goody59 · 07-31-2013, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBaron

These are great ideas!
I am thinking of attaching to the lift poles (uprights?), as the roof seams/joints can pull apart from the forces.

I would still go the roof section. I used threaded eye bolts 2 nuts and two washers per bolt. Drilled into and through the side of roof section and then sandwiched the roof materials between the two nuts and two washers, one set on the outside and one set on the inside. It is the same strength area as used to mount the roof to base catches/clamps. Plenty of strength.
I would fear bending the support posts if I used them to tie off on and that would become an issue for retracting the supports in my van, a 2011 Forest River Flagstaff 205A.

goody59 · 07-31-2013, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmullen

I like the sound of this but am a little worried about drilling thru a new roof. Did you just drill a hole and attach the eye bolts with nuts and washers?

Also would you give more details on your mesh wall? Thanks!

I just purchased a mesh mat at a camping store, it has brass eyeletts already. I had a friend sew in the sail rope on one side edge. The mesh mat was as wide as my awning and long enough to reach the ground from the awning set up. The sail rope slides in the awning's end that I had attached a sail track to. The whole mesh that already had brass eyeletts is then stretched down on an angle out from the awning and pegged down in eyeletts to the ground. The mesh wall gives me added privacy under awning and also braces the awning for strong winds. I added two guy ropes on the outside of awning corners too that gives even more strength.
It is not your one night set up as there is a bit involved but I use it for a set up for more that a few days stay.

BigBaron · 07-31-2013, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goody59

I would still go the roof section. I used threaded eye bolts 2 nuts and two washers per bolt. Drilled into and through the side of roof section and then sandwiched the roof materials between the two nuts and two washers, one set on the outside and one set on the inside. It is the same strength area as used to mount the roof to base catches/clamps. Plenty of strength.
I would fear bending the support posts if I used them to tie off on and that would become an issue for retracting the supports in my van, a 2011 Forest River Flagstaff 205A.

I will research this and post pics. Your approach seems reasonable, especially if you install the eye bolts in the same areas that the uprights lift the roof from.

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