Posted 2011-08-11 7:06 PM (#136641) Subject: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
I saw an awning for sale on craigslist. It's 18 feet, a couple of years old, from Camping World. He said he paid about $800 or a little more for it. He said all parts are there except a flat metal strip that goes where it attaches to the rv (in my case horse trailer). It has two arms, retracts with a spring.The box on my steel 3 horse slant is 18 feet.He also said he'd put it on for $50 plus the cost of parts which should be screws? and the strip.What do you think about this? I'd like to have an awning at some point, but really don't know anything about them. Thanks for any opinions.
Posted 2011-08-12 12:20 AM (#136649 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
Thanks!Yeah, the price seems good, but that's if it's the right awning, and if he knows how to put it on, and all that kind of thing. He wasn't talking like a real awning rail was necessary, and that's a bit of a concern. I was reading up, and will go talk to him tomorrow with the idea of getting it if it seems like it'll work out. 18 foot box with an "18 foot" awning, too, may fit, may not depending on who they are measured. The color matches lol.
Posted 2011-08-13 10:45 AM (#136664 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 322 Location: Fort Madison, Iowa
If you have any RV Business locally, I'd talk to them about possibly installing and maybe take your trailer too. It's a good price but I'd be concerned about having it installed right and if there's parts missing, they'd be able to get them for you.
I had an awning put on last year and there were pros and cons on where to place the awning and that's what helped me to decide on what size awning to put on.
Posted 2011-08-13 11:33 AM (#136668 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
Well, I got it yesterday. It ended up being an A & E 8500. I did inquire at the local RV store about installing it, and they said they will not install used awnings. It was the place where it had been purchased too. I talked to the horse trailer place, and they were not a flat out "no" but said they couldn't give me even a very rough ball park price and said they had no idea what would be involved. It would have taken a day for me to get everything together, up to their place for them to evaluate it and decide if they wanted to do it at all - just too much of an obstacle.It fit well enough, the placement is good (the doors, windows, lights all work well with it), is connected securely, but it was a big mistake having it done by this guy. The awning rail was put on so that it isn't straight - a big, big mess in that regard such that I wish I had not done this. (I means, seriously, how can you take a straight awning rail and put curves in it as you attach it?) I should have bought the awning and installed it myself which is a conclusion I come to on almost everything I have done, whether I pay a premium price or pay very little.
Posted 2011-08-13 11:49 PM (#136684 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 264 Location: Sumas Washington
Sorry about your trailer-awning experience. That has to be really painful... I know that I have been bit several times taking one of my rigs to have it fixed by a "Professional" Seems the quality of work by some of these places ranks on the lower end of the scale. Hope you get it all straightened out..
Posted 2011-08-14 7:45 AM (#136685 - in reply to #136668) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 406 Location: Minneapolis, MN
You can purchase new awning rail. Measure equal distance in from both ends so that the rail is parallel with the awning tube. Snap a chalk line and re-install the rail. When i bought my trailer I notice the Two-Step rolls up somewhat at an angle. The rail wasn't install parallel to the tube.
Posted 2011-08-14 9:20 AM (#136691 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
The thing with this installation is this: The installed awning rail is curvy, so that rather than being in a straight line parallel to the top of the trailer, it curves more than once. The bad part is that it's not just the aluminum awning rail that curves, *the screws are not in a straight line!!* The line of screws is wavy. That's was has me bummed. The screws are too long, too.To address the long screw problem, I can either cut them off and grind them down some or replace them with shorter screws - I'm not sure which is better to do.To address the wavy line of screws is a bigger deal to me. I think, like you say, replacing the awning rail is the way to go - and that in and of itself isn't a big deal. But, now the holes in the trailer are not where they should be, so I probably need something other than a standard narrow awning rail. I think I need one that is a bit wider and that doesn't have pre-drilled holes. Or, get a standard awning rail, and either a second awning rail or a piece of aluminum of equal length and use it to help cosmetically.I haven't really assessed how many holes are "standard" and how many are off where they should be. It is the most bizarre thing, and really can't be left that way - whether I fix it now, or a little later, it has to be taken care of.
Posted 2011-08-14 7:15 PM (#136701 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 406 Location: Minneapolis, MN
One would hope the the new awning rail would cover the "wavy" holes. Most RV places sell a butyl caulking in a roll. Offset the new rail so that you drill new holes, place the butyl strip under the rail, you should be good.
Posted 2011-08-14 8:02 PM (#136704 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
You would just drill all new holes and just let the old holes be filled by the butyl caulk? That didn't occur to me. I did look up butyl caulk and it is not the same as the putty tape he used. I was thinking that it was better to not put new holes in the trailer, but I may have been looking at it backwards.Thanks!
Posted 2011-08-15 2:45 PM (#136719 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
Oh, thanks, JacciB. I think we'll just do it ourselves now. It's up straight (though the awning rail is wavy) and secure, and though there are changes that need to be made, we should be able to do it ourselves from this point. We should have from the beginning, but didn't - now we will. Following wyndancer's advice makes it pretty easy to fix.
Posted 2011-08-16 10:01 AM (#136732 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 326 Location: Gallatin, TN
We just bought an A&E 8500 awning with the heavy duty hardware and we love it! I'm sure you will enjoy yours very much. Post some pictures when you are done.
Posted 2011-08-16 10:49 AM (#136733 - in reply to #136641) Subject: RE: Question about awning
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Posts: 504
Thanks JacciB. It seems very heavy duty and in good enough condition. It seems easy to operate and I think we'll really enjoy it quite a lot. It works fine the way it is, and I'm adding the changes that need to be done to our "to do" list.
Question about awning
