does anyone know what this is

[mfredm]

in the basement of my newmar baystar i found a thin metal rod about 5 feet long with a 90 degree bend at one end and an eye hook at the other

[old_guy]

do you have manual pull window awning?

[copeland343]

We have a Powered Awning. We have the rod and a strap. It is used to retract the awing in a somewhat controlled manner when the motor fails and you disconnect the power motor. If you dot use it the awing will slam against the RV. It is in the awing owners manual how to use it.

[Tinstar]

I use mine to pull down the window awnings.

[Executive45]

The Girard awnings have a loop in the front. A rod goes in the loop to spin it to manually close the awning. OP doesn't say what brand of awning is on his coach..I, too have that same rod but it's for pulling down all the manual awnings around the coach. Only the door and large awnings are electric.....Dennis

[3_dog_nights]

Yup!

[wa8yxm]

Big Katuna wrote:
Sounds like an awning loop. Used to open your awning. Look for s loop of fabric near the middle of the awning.

Also handy as a fire poker.

Yes that is the Awning Rod NOW if you have power awnings you wont have that loop but with manuals it is used to Flip the latch then you hook the loop of fabric and pull it down,

(On autonmatic electric awnings you will have the "Strap" in your owner's manual bag or should have. for when the Motor fails. Read the instruction manual)

FIre poker.. I use mine to snag "pads" under my jacks or planks under my tires and a host of other "I need longer arms to snag something) uses.

One of the handier tools that came with the RV.

OH. in another thread folks were discussing how tight sewer fittings and outlet caps are.. I should hope they are tight. but on my RV it's hard to reach in and get a good grip.. So a slip joint type oil filter Plier type tool Like you might use to change oil filters.

Been lugging that thing around 13 years and just recently figured out IT IS PERFECT for the job.

[Bumpyroad]

Dale.Traveling wrote:
A Bay Star with a manual awning? I guess it could happen.

Edit - 3 minutes late with the posting. No idea how to get a power awning back in if there's a problem. Got a manual on my coach. First place I would check is the awning manufacture for a possible solution. There are procedures to retract a slide so I would hope there's something for the awning.

I think if I tried to deploy it and it didn't go out electrically, I surely wouldn't pull it out manually unless something in the manual gives instructions.
bumpy

[egh33]

Yea, I got one of them also, but I have an electric awning.
But I have use it for a lot of things, like pushing the blocks under the jacks when the site is soft.

[jplante4]

Kind of a "let them eat cake" type of post. 🙂

[bjbear]

It is for pulling down the small manual awnings on individual windows.

[phillyg]

mfredm wrote:
yes that is it, but i have a powered awning and the end caps are where the motor is. is this a manual pull down, and if so how do you get it back up if the motor doesent work

I have the same, and there was an awning strap in my docs folder when I purchased the RV. Think there are instructions on how to
disengage the awning motor so you can get it in, whilst holding the strap.

[dougrainer]

The Awning pull rod will not do anything for a Powered Awning. That rod was installed because I will assume you have window awnings which require that rod to pull them down. Doug

[Trackrig]

One of those came in my DP also even though I have electric / automatic awnings also.

Keep it in case you get additional manual awnings installed over some other windows or the refrigerator.

Bill

[wildtoad]

It’s there as a “backup” incase the awning motor dies for what ever reason in the extended position. There should also be a fabric strap somewhere to slide into a channel just like the manual awnings. I forget the details, but there IS a procedure to disconnect the motor and using the strap and the rod raise the awning. Once the motor is disconnected the awning will try to close and you will want the strap and rod to keep it from slamming against the MH. At least this is my understanding.

On edit: You should have a manual for the awning that explains the procedure. If you need one, PM me with your email and I can send you a PDF copy. The manual talks about the strap but not the rod, so you may have gotten lucky.