Awnings and railing.

[mensie]

Anyone installed an awning railing? Our boler didn't come with one but I would like to install one to keep it all vintage. What is involved by installing the railing and what to look for?

Also where is a good place to buy an vintage looking awning? Any places to avoid?

[ststefan]

Originally Posted by mensie

Anyone installed an awning railing? Our boler didn't come with one but I would like to install one to keep it all vintage. What is involved by installing the railing and what to look for?

Also where is a good place to buy an vintage looking awning? Any places to avoid?

Try checking with some of your local RV wreckers. We have a couple of them here in the Lower Mainland and I have seen them advertising awnings on Craigslist. This will at least give you an idea of what could be available for awnings.
There are quite a few members on here from Alberta and I'm sure someone will be good enough to show you theirs and how it is attached.

[RV Doctor]

Mensie.
I am in the RV Service business in Calgary and use my good friend Tony who owns Airdrie Canvas.
They can get almost any SunBrella fabric and produce an authentic and original fabric.
As for the Boler, with its rounded body, you would need to install a mill finish (Aluminum Silver) awning rail.
A lot of Boler owners get very touchy about drilling holes in the body for anything!
If you don’t mind having holes, placing the awning rail in place and drilling 1/8” holes. Then seal the rail and rivet to the body with Aluminum or Stainless rivets.
Lastly, run a bead of sealant over the top body to rail line to ensure no moisture ever gets under the rail.

Good LUCK!

[rad]

I went to a vintage trailer show, inquired as to where they acquired there awnings. Marti's Awnings was their answer. martisawnings.com
My Catalina 2500 awning was trashed on my newly purchased older Casita was looking into options for an awning.

[mary and bob]

What's all wrong with your awning Rad? We have one on our Casita that has some issues but have been able to work around them.

[rad]

When I purchased the trailer Initially thought it was just the plastic end caps searched and searched everyone said parts had been discontinued then I found a place that was able to get the item, they said part# had changed so it was hard to locate, happily began the repair only to find the torsion assembly damaged. Lots of bent parts looks like a frustrated operator had forced things. Probably could be repaired, but this retired guy has way to many projects, and just want to take my Casita adventuring. Took the railing off to clean it as it was a silicone glob. Maybe I'll find a place to mount it near my shop and attempt a repair.

[mary and bob]

Another retired guy here, also with too many projects. When we bought our Casita SD17 from friends, the guy said it took him two hours to get the awning back in and suggested we may not want to use it. After a few times we found how to operate it without any trouble. DUH, follow the directions. But by this time the end caps had been broken where the legs hook in. For a quick fix I drilled a couple holes in the case at the ends and use wire ties to hold the legs in place. If I can't find replacement end caps I have a plan to make a retainer piece of aluminum angle. On another note, to put an awning on our 13 foot Uhaul camper I bought a length of aluminum awning rail, riveted it on, and bought a Shademaker bag awning which we are reasonably satisfied with.

[rad]

Maybe sometimes the less mechanically inclined will give up and use the irrational hammer approach, (I have heard they're difficult, but some have no problems), you may have convinced me to look into repairing it.

[John in Santa Cruz]

my Casita has Fiamma awning, annd I recently got endcaps from Fiamma USA, which while they had a horrible tragedy a year or so ago ARE still in business (owner and several other employees including the webmaster were shot by a disgruntled ex-employee).

now, for that vintage Boler, a Fiamma is probably too modern.

and I have to say, the Carefree awning on my new-to-me Escape is a much nicer, sturdier awning, but its like 14x8 feet vs 10x6'.

[mary and bob]

Where did you get the end caps Randal? Are other parts available?

[rad]

In the process of trying to figure it out, should I need to order more parts, seem to misplaced the paperwork, will let you know when I figure it out. Seems I read somewhere Fiamma has some parts, have not verified that.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by rad

In the process of trying to figure it out, should I need to order more parts, seem to misplaced the paperwork, will let you know when I figure it out. Seems I read somewhere Fiamma has some parts, have not verified that.

if you have a Fiamma awning, FiammaUSA has all the parts, but due to some chaos there, its typically easier to order from one of their resellers. I used eurocampers.com ...

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

if you have a Fiamma awning, FiammaUSA has all the parts, but due to some chaos there, its typically easier to order from one of their resellers. I used eurocampers.com ...

Randal has a Catalina 2500, same as ours.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Randal has a Catalina 2500, same as ours.

ah. well, here's a Dometic Catalina 2500 parts list...
https://www.scamptrailers.com/images..._PartsList.pdf

and these guys seem to ahve the parts.
https://www.anyrvparts.com/a-e-domet...parts-10018977

[mary and bob]

John; thanks, the parts list & diagram is the awning I have, and probably what Randal has, but the parts I need are not shown in the other link to a supplier. Looks like a different awning there.

[John in Santa Cruz]

find the part number you're looking for, then try googling Catalina Awning Part XXXXXXX ... if that doesn't come up with anything, and the part number has dots or dashes in it, try it without the dots and dashes.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

find the part number you're looking for, then try googling Catalina Awning Part XXXXXXX ... if that doesn't come up with anything, and the part number has dots or dashes in it, try it without the dots and dashes.

Good idea John, I'll work on that later. Randal mentioned that in his parts search he found that the part numbers had been superseded by different numbers. Waiting on some more info from him. Nothing I need urgently, but would like to obtain a few parts for minor repairs. Thanks for the help.

[Joe Romas]

Just a note here.

It appears people are calling two completely different parts "End Caps".

Here's a link for Fiamma 45plus Horizin parts.
Fiamma Inc. - Online products and spare-part purchase
Over the years Casita has used two diferent ones so get the modle number for your awning.
My outer sticker says Horizon by Dometic but rolled out there's two different stickers visible, Fiamma and Dometic
GET THE EXACT FIAMMA model number before ordering.
Joe

[rad]

Not to worry I got the proper end caps, they're just called end caps, for the Catalina 2500, rh and lh.I have no fiamma or horizon.
Thanks for the info.

[mary and bob]

Same awning here as Randal, a Catalina 2500