Awning Advice Please

[AndrewB]

I'm thinking about to order this for my 1981 16' Scamp:

Carefree 981185200 Awning Campout Vinyl Bag Sierra Brown 3.0M (9'-10")

Anybody wanna talk me out of it?

- Andrew

[Gilda]

It largely depends on where you plan to camp as to how useful an attached awning might be to you. Personally, I am glad not to have an awning as we usually camp in spots that barely have room for the trailer and car to park. There is no room to extend an awning. The picnic table, if there is one, is some distance from the trailer. I prefer to have a stand-alone awning that I can put up anywhere. In addition without an attached awning, there is no wind drag nor danger of the awning becoming loose on the road. You can save a ton of money too!

Those who camp in large RV parks can use awnings as there is usually a space next to the trailer parking spot that can accommodate an awning and a large RV carpet to boot!

[Glenn Baglo]

I give up. Where do you camp that you can't extend an awning, but the picnic table, if there is one, is some distance from the table?
I've tried, but I can't picture it.

[Donna D.]

Gilda is correct, picnic tables are seldom close enough for an attached awning to provide shelter over it. But, I still wouldn't be without an attached awning. Provides shade where I want it and protects the door area during a downpour. More important to me, there's no need to schlep one more thing out of the garage and take. I don't recall ever having an issue of not being able to deploy the awning if I wanted it either. However, I typically camp in state parks.

[frank_a]

How would one mount this thing on a curvy egg?!?

Looks kinda interesting to me...

Frank

[AndrewB]

I should have been more clear. I wasn't asking about the merits of having an awning on your camper. My current 13' Burro has an awning and I love it. So I know I want one on the bigger 16' Scamp that I'm working on. I was asking about this particular awning. Quality, installation, etc....?

[frank_a]

While I still wonder how an attached canopy mounts to an egg, it has always been my experience you get what you pay for. Other than that, I can't help you on this one.

I do know Fiamma awnings are highly regarded: Fiamma Inc. - Products

Best of luck to you.

Frank

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by frank_a

How would one mount this thing on a curvy egg?!?

Looks kinda interesting to me...

Frank

On an awning rail. Plenty of folks use bag awnings on eggs.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

On an awning rail. Plenty of folks use bag awnings on eggs.

Well, the rail can't curve right? That's what I mean. I know they mount on a rail, but how do you do that on a curvy egg? Block it out with wood?

Guess I should buy a rail and figure it out. Reinvent the wheel kind of thing.

Frank

[John Linck]

Looks like rails for bag awnings will curve to me. But too much curve will distort the awning shape, though some deft sewing may remedy that.

[Jon in AZ]

Awning rails usually do not extend into the compound curved areas at the corners. Away from the corners, the side-to-roof transition is a simple curve, so the awning rail fits flat. That's also why a 13' trailer with a 10' cabin typically takes a 7-8' awning.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Awning rails usually do not extend into the compound curved areas at the corners. Away from the corners, the side-to-roof transition is a simple curve, so the awning rail fits flat. That's also why a 13' trailer with a 10' cabin typically takes a 7-8' awning.

I think Parkliners are curvier than most other eggs. I've got some long straight edges at home. I'll have to check it out.

Parkliner puts Fiamma awnings on, but they have special engineered metal bracketry for mounting them. I will not deal with the company, and would love to figure out a way to securely mount an awning (like Fiamma) myself.

Thanks,

Frank

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by frank_a

I think Parkliners are curvier than most other eggs. I've got some long straight edges at home. I'll have to check it out.

You could be right, since they have a very different "anti-trolley" roof design. On my Scamp the center raised trolley has a front-to-back arch, but the edges do not.

[Steve L.]

I'm not short but personally, I wouldn't have a bag awning. The crank out feature of the Fiamma is the cat's pajama's.

On the Casitas, it's installed where it is straight fore and aft but on the curve up and down. Casita makes (or has made) aluminum brackets that have a matching curve on the trailer side of the bracket. If there were some fore and aft curve I expect they'd make a shorter bracket for the center to give them a straight line between the brackets. I'd probably stay away from wood shims as a maintenance aggravation.

[frank_a]

Or maybe block it with wood till you got a straight line, then make some brackets out of aluminum from the wood templates?

I would love to see a close pic of the Casita brackets for a Fiamma. Anyone?

Frank

[Steve L.]

Fiama does sell a number of brackets/adapters...
Fiamma Inc. - Products

The ones on page 2 look promising.

I hope to have enough dry weather to wash/wax the trailer this weekend. I'll try to remember to take a photo.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Steve L.

Fiama does sell a number of brackets/adapters...
Fiamma Inc. - Products

The ones on page 2 look promising.

I hope to have enough dry weather to wash/wax the trailer this weekend. I'll try to remember to take a photo.

Thanks Steve, I had never looked. I tried copying a part # off the second page, but can't. It's the $104 one - it looks interesting.

I need to wash ours sometime soon too, but probably not this weekend. Big family Memorial Day party at our place Sunday. Introduce our new grandson (Nolan Maxwell Alguire) and announce the engagement of another son (Billy & Ashlee). Got folks coming from all over the place!

Frank

[frank_a]

I messaged Fiamma about our trailer: "We have a 2012 Parkliner. I know Parkliner sells your awnings on new trailers, but they didn't when we got ours. Do you sell brackets that would allow us to install one of your awnings on our trailer? The body of our 2012 is exactly the same as the newer ones that Parkliner is installing Fiamma awnings on. Thank you."

Their reply: "Parkliner fabricates their own brackets for our awnings. You may want to check with them."

Well, that pretty much leaves me on my own. I still would like to figure this out somehow.

Frank

[tractors1]

I had a Fiamma on my Casita and now have a Carefree on my Escape. The Carefree is a far more rugged design, and quite simple to deploy/store compared to the Fiamma. I'm a semi-retired mechanical engineer.

Charlie Y

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by tractors1

I had a Fiamma on my Casita and now have a Carefree on my Escape. The Carefree is a far more rugged design, and quite simple to deploy/store compared to the Fiamma. I'm a semi-retired mechanical engineer.

Charlie Y

What model Carefree on your Escape Charlie, and did you install it yourself? Curious minds wanna know!

Frank