Trillium Canopies

[David Tilston]

I decided to unpack the canopy that came with my recent Trillium 4500 purchase. It appears to be complete, but I am not sure how to use the springs. My guess is that they push aganst the side of the trailer to form a tension structure. There are a number of holes in the poles that I assume are used with a pin of some sort to select the length of the poles.


Why two springs each, one larger then the other?
Why so many length selections? It would seem that this is a fixed length.

[Noreen Bradshaw]

David, I have the same canopy on my 13' Trill. From your third picture, I would say you have the poles pretty well figured out. I put a small bolt in place on the horizontal poles, which works to keep the canopy stretched tight and in place. Mine did not come with any springs or the smaller poles shown in your first picture. The canopy is free-standing, once up, with no guy ropes necessary to hold it in place.

Perhaps the smaller poles go together in some way to help keep the canopy from sagging under a heavy rain and filling with water.

I will go through my pics and see if I can find a pic of the canopy on mine if you think that might help.

[itlives]

Noreen, I'm a new 13' Trillium owner. I don't have a canopy yet but would love to see pictures of it installed. Also, if you have a pic of how it attaches to the rail.
Many thanks -Mike

[Noreen Bradshaw]

Hi itlives, it took me a few minutes to find this picture. The 13' Trillium in the pic has gone to live at my daughter's as I have a 15' 1981 Trillium now.

This picture was taken at the Pinery Provincial Park, on the shores of Lk Huron.

In the picture you can see a cord hanging down from where the canopy attaches to the camper. The top edge of the canopy has this heavy cord and it is pulled through a channel on the camper. Three poles extend horizontally from just under the canopy against the camper, out to the outer edge where they fit into holes in the upright poles and a smaller pole that runs through a channel on the front of the canopy. The front pole is shaped like this --^-- and has holes to receive the horizontal poles coming from the camper. The horizontal poles are what holds the canopy taunt. The top of the three vertical poles also fit into these holes.

I know this is kind of a confusing description .....it's the best I can do.

[Noreen Bradshaw]

Whoops!......forgot the picture......

[itlives]

Thanks! We just got back from our very first outing in the Trillium! It was great!!!!!!!!!! Just an overnight. short run to see how it pulls. And celebrate my wife's b/d.

Good description! I would like to see some pics of the poles if anyone has some. I think I can make it out of PVC. (If I can't find one at a good price)
Thanks again!

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by itlives

Thanks! We just got back from our very first outing in the Trillium! It was great!!!!!!!!!! Just an overnight. short run to see how it pulls. And celebrate my wife's b/d.

Good description! I would like to see some pics of the poles if anyone has some. I think I can make it out of PVC. (If I can't find one at a good price)
Thanks again!

The poles are in the second picture from the first post in the thread.
The top two poles go with the bent piece on the awning. They form the ridge on the side which is furthest from the trailer.

The next group of three go with the other three below. They have pins on the end that fit through the holes in the end of the top two poles and the bent ridge piece. They telescope, and as far as I can tell, the springs go into the larger tubes before the other piece and act as a tension spring to push the ridge poles away from the trailer to make the awning tight.

The last group are the vertical poles that hold up the awning. They telescope as well. The pieces at the end are for length adjustment. There are holes in the end that the springy poles, that push against the trailer, fit through before they go through the two little poles with the bent piece.

I still don't quite get why there are two sets of springs, or how I am supposed to use the multiple holes in the telescoping piece that pushes out from the trailer.

I have thought of making the poles out of fibreglass, but since I have the metal poles, this has been a low priority for me.

[itlives]

Now, I'm just getting to be pain. Is there a picture of the poles from under the set-up awning --- anybody?

Sigh, there's one in every crowd, I'm him....

[Noreen Bradshaw]

Hi Mike, sorry, I don't have a pic of the underside of the awning when it is up.........and with the snow blowing around today, I don't think I want to attempt putting it up to take a pic.

I know trying to visualize what and how the poles work, from our descrption must be confusing. The first time I put mine up, I was amazed at how simple it was and how effective it worked......especially since using this awning means no additional holes in the fiberglass.

[Noreen Bradshaw]

David, the poles I have also have multiple holes in them. I do not have the springs which probably mean you have a softer tension in the poles against the awning & camper. I have put a nut and bolt in the appropriate hole for the length of the awning, and it just wedges against the camper to hold the awning out to meet the vertical poles.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by itlives

Now, I'm just getting to be pain. Is there a picture of the poles from under the set-up awning --- anybody?

Sigh, there's one in every crowd, I'm him....

Sorry to keep giving the same answer.

The third picture in the original post shows the awning flipped over, and my best guess as to how to set it up.

The two small poles and the bent piece are not very visible. They are in sleeves along the front, top edge of the awning. The poles that are at an angle in the picture are the vertical poles laying down. The poles that push against the trailer are shown in three pieces. The two ends of each pole telescope into each other. The spring goes in before the pole. The string of holes in the larger diameter pole are used for length/tension adjustment, (I guess). A pin through the holes would also be required.

The rubber foot end of the telescoping pole goes against the trailer, the pointy end goes through holes in both the vertical support poles, and the end of the two small poles, which connect to the middle bent piece, which also has a hole where it bends for the middle ridge line telescoping pole.

The order of what the telescoping pole goes through first is not clear. I put it through the vertical pole first, then through the smaller poles and centre piece. The tension on the awning holds it all together.

[David Tilston]

I notice that the awning has one half of a zipper all the way around, except the trailer side.

I am assuming that a screen, or add a room walls connect to these.

Where do I get the screen? Do I have to get one made?

[Noreen Bradshaw]

David, funny that you should ask this question re. the zipper. Today I was just reading about the history of the Trillium and was taken to a site that should original documents that would have come with the 'new' Trillium. The brochure showed a screened room that indeed zip to the standing awning. I would love to get my hands on such a screened room. I have my doubts that any have survived this long.

[itlives]

Originally Posted by Noreen Bradshaw

Today I was just reading about the history of the Trillium and was taken to a site that should original documents that would have come with the 'new' Trillium. The brochure showed a screened room that indeed zip to the standing awning. I would love to get my hands on such a screened room. I have my doubts that any have survived this long.

Maybe I would like to know where to find that site, maybe.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by itlives

Maybe I would like to know where to find that site, maybe.

ME TOO!

New docs for the doc centre!

[Noreen Bradshaw]

If I was smart enough I could insert an addy to take you directly to the site where I read the info.........but since I don't know how to do that, I can tell you I simply googled, 'History of Trillium Travel Trailers'. Hope this helps....

[Donna D.]

Looks like it's info available on Bolerama: Trillium Travel Trailers - History

[Noreen Bradshaw]

That's it, Donna. Thanks for helping me out. Someday I'll learn how to do that....

[itlives]

Great! I was just about to call it a night and I go and look up this thread again. Now I'll have to save the site for later reading
Thanks Donna!

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Noreen Bradshaw

The brochure showed a screened room that indeed zip to the standing awning. I would love to get my hands on such a screened room. I have my doubts that any have survived this long.

Dave Baston the "Trillium King" from MI has an original "add a room" for the 4500. I know because I delivered it to him from Ontario. That was before I bought my Trillium.
I'll send him an email with a link to the thread and see if he pipes in. He has not been on the board for a few months