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My Dolphin didn't come with an awning, and I really don't think I could justify spending $700 for a new one.

SO, I started doing research and found this thing called a "Bag Awning". Although its intended to be used with pop-up campers, many trailer and RVers have installed them instead of the retractable.

The biggest difference, these are a little more pain in the behind to extend and retract, but if your willing to put up with that inconvenience, the money savings is substantial.

Bag Awnings can be purchased new for about $200. I found a new surplus one for $130. This is a 9ft A&E Trim-Line I purchased from Tri State Surplus (you can also find them on e-bay).

Installation is very easy. On the bag awning, bolt the two main support end rails together, slide the canopy piece onto the main support rail, then slide this whole thing onto the awning rail thats already on the Dolphin..

The one change I made, we sewed 5 inch valcro strips to the existing tie cords. When rolling the awning up instead of using the tie cords to hold it up, I use the valcro straps. This makes it a lot easier for one person to extend or roll up the awning. (Don't need someone to hold it while I tie the straps.

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I want to thank Eddie (Warrier92), He turned me onto these type awnings.

http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3730

The horizontal and vertical support poles are attached to a rail at the bottom of the canopy. When these poles are stowed, they are hinged and fold up into that rail.

The Horizontal poles are a twist lock type and press into a fitting thats mounted on the camper, just below the zipper bag.

The vertical poles have a press button pin and can adjust the height of the canopy (In the photo, I think I have them to high)

The Vertical poles also have a little tie down at their base so you could put a small stake in the ground to hold the canopy down in a wind.

You need a short stool or ladder to unroll or roll up the canopy. Two people are needed, one person needs to hold the rolled up canopy up while youe tie the internal straps.

The straps just hold the canopy rolled up so you can zip the bag closed.

I'm going to make two heavy steal plates that these poles can rest on. I'll get some photos when I'm done.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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John your welcome. One thing i am going to do that you might want to do as well is: build a couple of U shaped brakets to mount on the side of my motorhome. Then drill a hole in the feet of the awning legs. This way you can take the awning legs and put them into the bracket and inset a pen to hold the leg in place. If you are camping and can not stake down the awning leg you could then use the brackets on the side of the RV. This might lower the height at the end of the awning a little but i think it will work. I hope you get what i am trying to say here......

Eddie in Texas.

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Mine has sockets for this (Ball and Socket, Same as the top sockets), but I don't have room to mount the forward one, I'm also concerned that when the door opens it would hit the pole.

I currently have the awning all the way forward so it also covers the door. I didn't use screws on the top awning rail, I drilled a hole in the rail and have a small stainless cotter pin to keep the bag from sliding out of the rail. If I drill another hole all the way aft, all I need to do is pull the stainless pin out of the forward position and drop the pin in the aft position, and slide the bag all the way back to the aft position!! I think I just talked myself into doing this :-)

I would need to order another set of the top sockets, that way I could easily move the awning over the door, or slide it back all the way aft.

The bottom poles attached to the MH would only work in the aft position, like you said, and don't have to worry about the door hitting the pole.

I LIKE IT :ThumbUp: :ThumbUp: :ThumbUp:

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  • 3 months later...

I did move the bag to the aft so it does not cover the door. I also installed lower pole supports so the bottom poles can be attached to the MH rather than stand on the ground.

It was a little windy one day. I have a couple small bungee cords that I wrapped around the legs and then tied them to a couple large pieces of firewood logs (you can see these in the left photo)

We used the awning a lot during our Alaska trip.

Here's a link to the Alaska Trip Blog

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John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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  • 1 month later...

I was looking at awnings at the RV rip off joint near me. I went into serious sticker shock when I saw the price. The bag awnings have a price that I can justify.

Thanks for the heads up.

Bob C

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  • 11 months later...

This is very cool! I have a huge, heavy awning that was on the home when I bought it. The poles hold the weight directly to the siding, and I just hate it. I like your solution, and gonna take mine off and look into the type you have given, or maybe a small screen room so my cat can enjoy the outside too. I really like your Toy, and thanks for sharing some nice photos. Happy Travels!

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  • 3 months later...

I'm a newbie who has a 1989 Toyota Odyssey Toy Rv. I will be doing a complete rebuild on the camper. Roof leaks, outside sidewall delamanation,etc. Anyway I found this site for bag awnings. They also have screen room additions for the awnings and claim to beat any price. I plan on getting an awning with the screen room addition ( screw the skeeters ) once I finish rebuild. Here is the site: http://interwestsports.com/

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Bob C

I was looking at awnings at the RV rip off joint near me. I went into serious sticker shock when I saw the price. The bag awnings have a price that I can justify.

Thanks for the heads up.

Bob C

I was told today that the difference in price between the awning we have with the metal blades that fold around the rolled up awaning and the same one without the metal cover was $ 600. I didn't ask what the total price was. Even given that I was talking to an RV place this price seems excessive. Was I being smoked???

vanman

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  • 3 months later...

This is the stool I use when rolling up the awning . the stool also works great as a small table while sitting under the awning.

STEP STOOL

JOhn MC

88 DOlphin 4 Auto

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The Bag awning is a little more prawn to wind blowing. The awning comes with little tie down hooks, but a strong gust of wind will pull those out of the ground.

I carry a couple small nylon ratchet straps to tie the awning down. Last summer I made a couple flat steel pads for the awning poles to rest in and to tie the rachet straps to.

Making a foot pad. If you ever examined a railroad track closely, you'll see the track sits on a steel pad, and that pad sits on the wooden tie. I found a couple of those pads, they weigh about 30 or 40 lbs each. I welded a piece of pipe in the center of the pad. The pipe is about 1 inch in diameter and one inch tall. I put these on the ground, and the awning pole fits indie the short pipe. This keeps the awning pole from walking around or wobbling off the pad. I then use my small ratche straps to tie the awning to these pads. The awning isn't going anywhere and it looks good. It would probably take a hurricane force wind to pick up those steel pads. I'll get a photo of them next time I'm out.

I like to carry stuff that has multiple purpose. I keep the pads in the genny compartment with the bottle jack and other tools. If I'm not on solid pavement and need to jack the truck up, the jack can rest on one or both of theses pads for better footing.

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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  • 11 months later...

Justto clarify this, when you said, sliding in the rail that is on the dolphin, my Toyota has a rail like, looks like a pipe wth a slice that run the length of the pipe, looking at it from the side it looks like a C, that is what you're talking about it. That's what I have on my toy.

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Yes, I believe that "C" channel is installed on most Dolphins, the awning will slide into it.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto (Sold)

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