Would like to get an awning for my motorhome

[gr8white]

I have a 86 Seabreaze and would like to get an awning for it. Can I get any awning or is there a specific kind. Also, where can I get them new and used? Preferably used. Im new to all of this just got my Toyota 10 days ago. Thanks!

[waiter]

Your choices are simple, Rollup or Bag. Prices vary significantly. The most significant issue will be; Do you have an awning rail already installed (most do). Its that long channel rail near the roof line on the passenger side of the MH, Either awning will slide into that rail.

Heres a link to my awning research:

http://toyotamotorho...?showtopic=3743

Check on E-bay / craigs list, I'd use caution if buying a used one. age, hows the canopy, etc.

Search "Bag Awning" -

IMPORTANT - When your assembling the awning, before you put it on the MH, I would sew valcro strips onto the tie straps.

That way, when you stow this thing, you can do it yourself (hold the roll up with one hand, and pull the valcro strap together with the other. Otherwise, you'll need someone to hold the roll up in the bag while you tie the straps together..

I bought one of those folding one step stools from Harbor freight. This serves two purposes; I use it to stand on, and it also makes a neat little table when sitting outside under the canopy. It folds up and we store it under the table bench seat.

http://www.harborfre...form-66911.html

To Stow the awning;

1) Collapse the poles and hinge them into their storage pockets.

2) Roll the awning up by hand right up into the bag.

3) While standing on the step stool, wrap the tie strap around the rolled awning and use the valcro to hold the two ends of the straps together. If you didn't sew the valcro on the straps, you'll need to tie them together in a knot.

The straps hold the rolled awning up inside the bag before you zip the bag closed.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[stamar]

mine is awesome

a and e by dometic ( the rv fridge maker)

all spring loaded goes up or down one person in moments.

stays together in the wind. also its huge.

[Maineah]

The roll up awnings need really strong mounting both top and bottom some thing to consider. The bag awnings not so much the upper moulding is held in many spots and the bottom is the awning posts on the ground.

[stamar]

oh get a roll up certainly

[waiter]

Follow up reading my link to the Bag Awning. It will be a personal decision based on price and convenient. With either awning, wind can be a problem.

The nice thing about the Roll Up, they "roll up" fairly quickly. the bag awning takes just a little long and is less convenient.

As for heavy winds, both awnings are susceptible to damage, but the bag awning is less tolerant of wind than the roll-up.

I made a couple very heavy weight foot pads for my bag awning, If the winds are a little gusty, I put the foot pads down and then use a small strap to secure the awning to the foot pad. You would probably need to do something similar with a roll up.

The foot pads are made of those metal pieces you see on railroad tracks. The track rests on this metal pad and the pad rests on the wooden tie. Weighs about 50 lbs. I welded a 2 inch long x 2 inch wide piece of pipe in the middle of the pad. I also drilled a couple 1/4 inch holes in the pipe so my straps can hook onto the pipe.

I then place this on the ground, and the awning leg rests inside that pipe, I then hook a strap to the pipe and the other end to the top pole on the awning, and then snug it up a little. The Wind would then need to lift these two 50 lb metal plates, it ain't happening. I'll get a photo of the pad/plates net time I set up the awning.

Someone else mentioned the method of mounting the roll up to the MH. The top will mount to the same awning rail, but the bottom will need a strong secure mounting location, not sure where that is on my MH. I'm sure the manufactures installed "hard points" specifically for awning mounting brackets. you would need to know where these are, otherwise the awning will be mounted to a thin piece of fiberglass instead of a nice solid pieced of wood.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Derek up North]

I'm sure the manufactures installed "hard points" specifically for awning mounting brackets.

I wouldn't even count on that!

If I had a MH that had never had an awning installed (i.e. no rail), I'd also consider a free-standing awning. Anything to not add holes (leak points) to the skin!

[Vanman]

We have the dometic on ours, but it's the kind that doesn't need a cover, it has a series of metal plates that completly cover it when rolled up. I think all these type now come with the spring to roll it up. I did buy a 50' rope and 4 tent stakes, cut the rope in half and run it in a V , one on each end of the unrolled tube at the end to the tent stakes and it ain't going anywhere now, but it might be iffy in a strong wind otherwise.

vanman

[stamar]