Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

September 09, 2013, 08:49:14 pm

I noticed that when I put the awning back in (the auto with the arms on the 02) that the front did not seat properly but appeared tight enough.  Yesterday upon leaving Branson I noticed a crack from top to bottom on the passenger windshield. I also noticed the small sq rest box against the black band around the windshield.  It must have pressed hard enough to crack the windshield. What an unhappy person was I. Called Foretravel to get an appointment.  Also called ZipDee Support to see if they can tell me why this happened.  So far no answers as they were gone for the day.  Will try tomorrow.  This awning is really about to drive me to say good bye to it.
DAN
 

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #1 – September 10, 2013, 10:37:28 am

Dan, I hear your frustration.  And yes, the small square block can cause the windshield crack if it hits the black rubber molding.  Been there, done that.  It can also pull the front arm off the front of the coach.  Been there, done that too!  We love our manual zip dee now. 

Also note, when FOT installed the autoawn, they only used wooden blocks to screw the awning into.  Zip dee recommended metal.  I do think the rear arms are secured into metal but I know on our 02 the front was not, only a block of wood. 

I really liked the awning when it worked, hated it most of the time.  And in our mind, it's a divorce waiting to happen! 

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #2 – September 10, 2013, 11:47:16 am

Well ... We have not used our patio awning (auto) since June. BUT, that is because I made a sudden "adjustment" to the thing when I came home from running some last minute errands (while we were still in Tucson and it was 110 degrees) and happily thought to park the car in it's shade. Unhappily, I forgot that the roof rack and the frame for Jeff's floaty boat were still on the top of the car. BAM!!  My idea of hitting it from the other side and un-skewing it was not met with enthusiasm.  We readjusted the fabric a bit and managed to get it retracted ... but we are hoping the gentlemen at Oregon Motor Coach can realign the thing for us.  Block of wood, or not ... the thing seems to be on there pretty good!  But I may be going manual if we can't get the thing working properly.  When I smacked it, I knocked the front arm AWAY from the windshield ... is your perhaps skewed TOWARDS the front, and the arms a bit crooked?  The fabric along the top edge can move in that attachment at the top over time, I think.

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #3 – September 10, 2013, 12:48:56 pm

Carol, I like your thinking on re-adjusting the awning after the small mishap!  Sounded like a good plan to me so I'm not sure why Jeff would be apposed to smacking it again from the other direction! 

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #4 – September 10, 2013, 12:56:33 pm

Tom & Bill

But, she might hurt my floaty boat...the heck with the awning...

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #5 – September 10, 2013, 02:06:32 pm

Well, at least Jeff's priorities are in the right place. Floaty Boats are worth their weight, or Jeff's Weight, in Gold.

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Reply #6 – September 10, 2013, 02:44:23 pm

Hope the Floaty Boat survived the encounter with the awning, not requiring to many patches. 

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #7 – September 10, 2013, 08:42:49 pm

Talked to Ron at Zip Dee today and he indicated that he had not had any windshield breakage due to awning coming in on the coach.  He did say it appears the nylon or plastic sleeve in the arm which keeps the wiring from rubbing in the arm collapsed and the arm would not retract all the way and caused the problem.  Got appointment with Foretravel to replace the windshield and repair the awning.  Somewhere around the 25th this month.  No more than I use this awning it maybe for looks for a while until I get some "guts" to open it after the repair.  I hate having an item like this and not using it.  Now I need to see if insurance will cover the broken windshield.  DAN

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #8 – September 11, 2013, 12:36:13 pm

We had the front arm go bad on our awning and had an issue with retracting. We purchased a rebuilt arm from ZipDee (the one with the wiring), had it sent to Foretravel for installation, and then returned our bad arm to ZipDee.  Saved about 50% on the price by not buying a brand new arm.  Been good for almost 3 years ... hope I didn't mess things up when I smacked it!

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #9 – September 11, 2013, 05:53:41 pm

We are at the Oregon Motor Coach in Eugene having our awning re-adjusted AND having a windshield replaced afre a bad rock chip. I was looking at the awning arm and the little "square box" on the front arm that lines up exactly with the rubber gasket on the edge of the windshield.  Since the auto glass guy was right there, I asked him about the possibility of the thing rapping the gasket hard enough to cause a break.  His opinion was that since our awning is the automatic type, and the retraction does not let it smack with any great velocity, the chances of it hitting anything hard enough to cause a break to start were very slim.  The awning arm does not actually touch the black gasket when the awning is retracted, and if it DID ever touch it, it is the outer edge, and not actually over the glass.  A few years ago we were parked in a spot facing the sun ... retired for the night with an intact windshield.  On arising the next morning and rolling up the front shade, we were treated to a crack that ran from top to bottom, just about where the curve begins.  We had not the faintest idea why, and still do not.  Stuff happens ......

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #10 – September 12, 2013, 02:11:20 pm

My passenger side windshield cracked in the bottom outside corner when my coach settled unevenly while camping (HWH auto level was off).  Uneven settling cause enough twist in the frame to crack the windshield. 


 

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Re: Zip Dee awning cracked my windshield

Reply #11 – September 12, 2013, 11:35:13 pm

Called insurance today and they are going to replace the windshield ($100 deductible)
I use State Farm.  I still think the awning cracked the windshield but will let you know after Foretravel looks at it on the 25th.  DAN

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Reply #12 – September 13, 2013, 08:27:50 am

Dan since the windshield is going to be out are you replacing the refridge with a residential one?  Sounds like a perfect time! 

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Reply #13 – September 13, 2013, 05:26:39 pm

You know with the windshield out some remodel could take place, but at the end I do not wish to join the "John S" club of over a $1,000 day at Foretravel. I think as my current refrig is working fine (tks to forum  info with fans installed).  Would love to have a pull out bed instead of the jack sofa bed in front.  DAN

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