Awning Rail Height

[Don A]

Hi All!

I am installing an awning rail for a tarp awning not a bag awning and am wondering how high above the door to mount the rail. I realize the awning has to clear the door when it is open. Can the rail be too high? I searched but the info I am finding is for rails using bag awnings. Thanks.

Don

[Frederick L. Simson]

How high do you want to have to reach to get the awning slid into the rail?
Do you mind needing to take a ladder with you when you go camping?
How good are you at sealing the fasteners?

I stored this Burro in my yard 3 years ago for a month.
It has a roll-up awning that has a high mounted rail, but it is permanently attached to the trailer.

[Donna D.]

Tape it to the trailer and remember Frederick's mention of the ladder. Test height for opening the door and the length of your arms

[BCDave]

It just so happens that I have a 1978 Boler 1700 parked right in my driveway. It even has the rail on it for that "Bleeping, censored accursed" tarp-type awning - the kind that when you have used it once you would happily pay big bucks for the privilege of never having to do THAT again!

And yes, if it is gonna be high enough for the door to open, it will be WAY too high to install the awning when you are standing on the ground (maybe on a B13 it would be do-able, but the 1700 is a LOT taller trailer, which needs a step to get & out of it!)

Also, please note that you will need to have TWO people putting the awning into the rail - one to feed it into the end of the rail and one to keep tugging it along.

THEN - when it is installed, and you have the poles in place and tent stakes to hold the poles (sort of) upright, the awning will still sag and catch the door top anyway.....

So, yes, when I sell my Boler, there is an awning included and it is nearly 100% unused!

I'll go measure how high that rail is above the door. Its raining hard right now and I won't be in at all tomorrow, so Thurs I'll go measure the space between the rail and door drip cap and post it for you.

[Pam Garlow]

I have a tarp type awning and I put it in all by my little girlie self. No problem at all. I stand on a small stepstool and just slide it on through. My awning has the plastic edging that's made to slide into the C-channel as opposed to the sleeved-rope style which is for sure a beastie to get through the channel in single-person mode.

[Don A]

Thanks Everybody for all the good info. Somehow it is easy for me to second guess myself and I hate to make a mistake when it involves putting holes in the Boler.
Thanks BC Dave will wait for your measurement and take it from there.

Don

[BCDave]

From the top edge of the alum drip cap to the awning rail is 2 inches. In case your drip cap differs from mine, the rail is 5 inches from the top of the door.