Awning adjustments
- Thread starter Porkchop
- Start date
olcoon
Well-known member
Do you have the electric awning? If so, when it is extended, there should be a black knob on each arm (front & rear). You can grab the arm and pull it towards the 5er, when it's as far as it tighten the knob. It will lower the awning some, but there are times when I'd like it still lower. Hope this helps.
Hank, the slide awnings on the larger slides do tend to collect water.
Some people put beach balls under the awning to prevent sag. Some have built supports out of PVC pipe.
I just make sure I have all the doors closed before bringing in the slides.
Peace
Dave
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Some people put beach balls under the awning to prevent sag. Some have built supports out of PVC pipe.
I just make sure I have all the doors closed before bringing in the slides.
Peace
Dave
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
I bought and installed slide awning cradles on 2 of the longer slides on my trailer. The cradles took most of the sag out of the awning slides. The cradles also reduced the flapping noise on the slide awnings. The cradles also moved the center of the awning away from the slides. The slide awning on the longest slide had rubbed the paint off of the top of the slide trim. Now the slide awning is about 1" away from the slide.
I was looking at this very same thing today. My 2011 300C has the power awning but its not adjustable. The instructions that came with the trailer list like three different types and the one on the trailer from what I can tell is not the adjustable one. That stinks as it just sticks straight out and doesnt block much sun with the way the trailer is positioned. I would just as soon have the manual adjustable unit as its less of a headache, more reliable and adjustable for just a little bit more work.
TwoGypsies
Well-known member
I've looked into this. You likely have a Carefree electric awning out of Colorado. Ours goes in and out horizontally, i.e. no pitch whatsoever. This awning may have been selected because we have a slide-out on that side that the awning must clear. However, it looks like there is room for some pitch. I contacted Carefree and learned that they have 3 models. One is like ours, another is their 'steep pitch' model which has a fixed pitch, and one is adjustable. They said parts are available to convert ours to adjustable but they don't sell directly to customers. I contacted PPL in Houston to see about getting parts to make ours adjustable. On ours, the arms with the rollers that go up and down the side of the coach are fixed. On the adjustable one, you get the ability to telescope your arms shorter. Unfortunately, the only parts available are the entire arm assemblies including electric motor. This will cost well in excess of $800 as I recall. We have since acquired a sheet of shade screening with ropes and pegs and some lantern clamps to easily fasten it to our very high up & very horizontal awning. We'll give this a try this season. Most of the time the present setup provides very little shade. We went ahead and got a smaller manual awning installed on the side of the garage so we can make a shaded spot. Most of the time the big one doesn't help us much at present.
TwoGypsies
Well-known member
A little more info fwiw; we bought our sunscreen from PPL. I believe other folks are finding/making alternatives via Lowe's or Home Depot for some savings. Ours did come with grommet holes and some pegs for hold-down lines. I went to install it and it has an embedded piece of rubber you are supposed to thread through the groove on your screen roller. I could not do this while standing on top of my ladder. I bought some 'lantern clips' from Camping World and they are handling the weight of the screen, clipped to the awning's edge. I put it up with just 4 of the clips and am going to buy 4 more. Setting up & removing the screen will be a high altitude operation and a PITA when you have to roll up the awning for high winds, but it's going to help the shade situation somewhat. I'm going to the Gillette rally and hope to see one of the adjustable units. If I can get some measurements I might get up the guts to shorten my existing arms for a one-time pitch change. I can't get as low as I want due to the slide, but it would provide a bit more shade and make it easier to install/remove the sunscreen and lights. If I ever do this I'll post the info and pix, but it may never happen.
Thank you for the follow up, I really appreciate it. We don't have any slides in the front and I will see what type of awning we have when we go pick up the RV tomorrow from storage. I have NO idea how we are going to access the awning.
I'm hoping there is something that we can get that will just roll into the awning itself when we retract it. We park on pavement most of the time, so I'm not sure how I'm going to lock it down.
I also need to get myself a decent foldable ladder. I like the look of the little giant but its pretty expensive. Any thoughts? I'm going to do a search and see if anyone has posted about it and what the recommendations were.
Thanks again and please keep me posted.
Irene
I'm hoping there is something that we can get that will just roll into the awning itself when we retract it. We park on pavement most of the time, so I'm not sure how I'm going to lock it down.
I also need to get myself a decent foldable ladder. I like the look of the little giant but its pretty expensive. Any thoughts? I'm going to do a search and see if anyone has posted about it and what the recommendations were.
Thanks again and please keep me posted.
Irene
olcoon
Well-known member
I bought one at Home Depot a few years ago. It's not a Little Giant, but very similar, and a lot cheaper! It's made by Werner, and I really like it. However so far I haven't taken it traveling so far because of the weight, and even though it folds up it still takes up more room than I'd like, it's the 13 footer.
we bought a 2012 northtrail 22 fbs last year an we are so upset with the awning as well as other issues. The awning is awful. I have been online trying to fin something that will attach to awning for privacy an to keep the sun out. if you have any suggestions I can let you know what i come up with Lou Ann Higgins
