Posted 2009-01-16 8:01 AM (#97602) Subject: Awnings
Member
Posts: 33 Location: East Texas
We lost our awning driving down I-40 last month and now we are looking to replace it. It is an 18 foot awning. Can anyone recommend a good awning.. good meaning: easy to put up and take down, and one that will not come off the trailer! Appreciate all the input! Brenda
Posted 2009-01-16 8:33 AM (#97606 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
We have a 21 foot, A&E 8500.... Don't use it too often, seems like I'm cleaning it more than relaxing underneath it... There's several steps in getting it deployed!! Once you figure it out it ain't too bad... I can put ours up and down by myself and I'm in a wheelchair.
Posted 2009-01-16 1:24 PM (#97628 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 33 Location: East Texas
Called Camping World... they have the power awning on for the same price.. woo hoooooo..... looks like I am going to get a power awning.. that will make it easy on me
Posted 2009-01-16 2:58 PM (#97635 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
We also have a 21' awning. It's a Fiesta by Carefree of Colorado. The trailer we bought was a "show special" at a horse expo and was loaded with a lot of extras, including the really nice awning. I haven't had any trouble or difficulties with ours, other than me being a too trusting with the weather. I got a 2' long tear in a seam right along the roller one afternoon while I was cleaning the trailer from a strong gust of wind. Wife wasn't happy about that one! Anyway, I'll get around to replacing it one of these days, but for the time being, I just leave a little rolled on the spool and it hides the torn seam. The only missing is the fancy ruffle that hangs over the roller and about a foot of awning still on the roller. As I said, I really the awning and knew very little about them when we bought the trailer. It's been trouble free and I have no problem handling it by myself when we are camping.
Posted 2009-01-16 5:39 PM (#97645 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Expert
Posts: 1391 Location: North of Detroit, MI
I don't have an awning, but I've read about folks whose awnings have come unfurled going down the road.
If you search around this site, you might find the thread that has a link to the extra clips that can be put on, to prevent the awning unrolling.
One trip my friend opened her's up for the first time. We had trouble closing it, so I used a stirrup hobble with extra holes punched in it to strap it closed.
Posted 2009-01-16 5:55 PM (#97649 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
We have had awnings since about 1985 or so, never had one "come undone", but a cheap tight nylon dog collar fastened around the uprights is cheap insurance for some peace of mind. Ours have all been just your standard A&E of various lengths, all trouble free....
Posted 2009-01-17 10:08 AM (#97664 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Veteran
Posts: 214 Location: lyle,mn
I will seconded the use of dog collars on the uprights, We a have one pretty pink one and one pretty red one on our awning. Yes I know they don't match but they were in a a bargin bag that was a whole $1.00.
Posted 2009-01-17 4:11 PM (#97674 - in reply to #97664) Subject: RE: Awnings
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
O.K., now I've learned something new today! My awning has factory clips on the uprights, but I never thought about adding a second strap for insurance? The dog collar fix sounds like the right idea!
Posted 2009-01-20 1:34 PM (#97855 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 33 Location: East Texas
The awning did not come unrolled... the wind ripped the awning right off the trailer.. the arms went down carrying the awning with it... it never come unrolled at all... So how do you 'fix' it not to do that?
Posted 2009-01-20 2:01 PM (#97858 - in reply to #97855) Subject: RE: Awnings
Expert
Posts: 1391 Location: North of Detroit, MI
Originally written by myhorsecheyenne on 2009-01-20 2:34 PM
The awning did not come unrolled... the wind ripped the awning right off the trailer.. the arms went down carrying the awning with it... it never come unrolled at all... So how do you 'fix' it not to do that?
That's where people use the dog collars (or stirrup hobbles) to strap the arms of the awning, tightly against the part that is attached to the trailer.
Posted 2009-01-20 2:07 PM (#97859 - in reply to #97858) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 33 Location: East Texas
Originally written by gabz on 2009-01-20 2:01 PM
Originally written by myhorsecheyenne on 2009-01-20 2:34 PM
The awning did not come unrolled... the wind ripped the awning right off the trailer.. the arms went down carrying the awning with it... it never come unrolled at all... So how do you 'fix' it not to do that?
That's where people use the dog collars (or stirrup hobbles) to strap the arms of the awning, tightly against the part that is attached to the trailer.
oh I got'cha.... I will def. do this with the new awning! That was some kind of scary!!!!!!!
Posted 2009-01-21 8:43 AM (#97922 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 33 Location: East Texas
I love the plastic zip ties idea!!! I do have plenty of them, thanks ever so much. I really would like to feel secure that the awning is not gonna be going into traffic going down the road.
Posted 2009-01-22 1:25 PM (#97999 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 33 Location: East Texas
woo hoooo... got the check from the insurance and got the awning ordered... I am so excited to be getting the power awning for the same price as the manual one! Should be in sometime in the next 10 days to 2 weeks... and then will have them install it.. then.. it is time to go camping!
Posted 2010-06-21 8:03 AM (#121342 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 11
Location: Topeka, Kansas 66542
Awnings are really nice to have when you need one for shade or rain showers. My dad always taught me that if you are not where you can see your awning it ought to be be away. The wind will tear one up very quickly and they are not built to be used on a windy day or in a bad storm. The only one that I have had come loose is the two-step A&E. It was built to always have a strap around the uprights when put away. One of the strap was missing the latch and I wasn't familiar with it and had a RV dealer tell me they weren't necessary because the arm locked at the top. Well I didn't secure it and it came loose going down the road at about 40MPH. Now I have a broken arm on the awning. Use it like the manufactured designed it and they not much trouble at all. I miss having a awning and will replace mine next spring. I've had both the Carefree and now the A&E two step. Although I haven't been able to use the two step, I've seen them used and they are definitely easier to put out and put away. Good Luck
Posted 2010-06-21 11:28 AM (#121352 - in reply to #97602) Subject: RE: Awnings
Member
Posts: 15
Location: TEA, SD
a friend of ours made two strips of velcro for us to wrap around each side of our awning. So we don't have the chance of it coming open accidentally going down the road. They work pretty slick and just knowing that it can't come open makes me feel better. Just a thought for you people that are worried about yours coming open going down the road.
Awnings
