Maintenance & Restoration

Steve and Rosemary · 10-12-2013, 04:23 PM

As far as I can tell, there are three options for awnings on our eggs:

1. The roll awnings like Scamp sells
2. Bag awnings like Shade Master sells
3. Rope and pull awnings

I'm deterred by Scamp's price tag and have found a couple of women who making rope and pulls that look great and are affordable. Can any of you comment on style preference? Would a bag awning be better because it can stay on the rail? Are the rails a pain, in general? That is, is the price tag for a roll awning worth it?

**Pam Garlow** · 10-12-2013, 05:10 PM

I bought a Rope and Pole awning because I could choose my material color and pattern. They're totally customizable, even to what style of 'skirt' you want around the perimeter. Its easy enough for me to put up by myself.
Bag awnings have everything in the bag and stay attached like you said. The poles/legs are attached to the front rail, and its also easy for one person to put up. The bag awnings are limited to 4-5 color choices.
The pull out awnings are the most expensive, but are the easiest to open up and use. Again, your color options are limited to 4 or 5 colors.

mary and bob · 10-12-2013, 06:13 PM

Tried a rope & pole awning, switched to a bag awning, can't get a roll out for our trailer.

Carol H · 10-12-2013, 06:23 PM

I have a case awning but I would get a Carefree Fiesta style one if I was buying a new awning. The plus sides of a permanent roll up awning are: Easier for one person to put up and take down (often have to help my friends who have the rope and pole system put theirs up) You dont need a any ropes and poles to put up or put away. Normally the roll ups are more waterproof than the fabric type awnings. As the roll ups are vinyl they are easier to keep clean. Roll up or case awnings are a bit more stable in light wind conditions.

**Pam Garlow** · 10-12-2013, 07:44 PM

The roll up awning is definitely the easiest to put up and take down (although I can put up my rope/pole awning in just a few minutes totally by myself). As for a roll up, if it gets windy, you want to get it rolled up fast. I watched one flip right over a camper a couple years ago. So they all have pros and cons.

Gilda · 10-12-2013, 08:39 PM

We mostly camp under trees and the parking spot is usually some distance from the picnic table. We don't have an attached awning and don't miss it. We do have a 10' x10' stand-alone canopy in a backpack bag. It has served us well when we needed shade AND it fits over a picnic table.

mary and bob · 10-12-2013, 09:05 PM

We usually put our 12 X 12 screen house over the picnic table. If the weather is bad the screen house has flaps to close it in like a tent.

deryk · 10-12-2013, 10:54 PM

Im real happy with my home made rope and pole awning. I got to pick the sunbrella canvas I was going to use and is exactly as long as my trailer...takes me about 15 minutes to set it up alone and when packed up and put away the sleek look of my ParkLiner is back, with no awning or rail on the side of it.

**Pam Garlow** · 10-12-2013, 10:59 PM

Deryk, How are you attaching the awning to the trailer? I forgot

gage · 10-12-2013, 11:00 PM

3. Rope and pole awnings

I know, this is not an EGG. Lets look at the awning. Marti made this for me a couple of years ago and she is currently making one like it for my Burro. Both back and side will have windows with flaps. If all goes to plan and I make it, I'll have it at Lake Casitas. Come take a look at it. I'm over in B49.

deryk · 10-13-2013, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pam Garlow

Deryk, How are you attaching the awning to the trailer? I forgot

Pam, I sewed a sleeve into the trailer end side of the awning and slid a piece of electrical conduit pipe through it with a rope inside the pipe. Use a heavy duty bungy cord on each end down to the trailer frame to keep it nice and tight and when the awning is off you dont even know there is 1 there.

The only thing I do different in photo 1 and 2 is that I moved the bungy to the street side of the ParkLiner vs the curb side cause it offers more resistance.

If it rains I have a piece of pipe with a tennis ball on it that I put in the middle to help it shed light rain. Heavy rain I take it down.

I did add 2 additional pipes across the front of the awning to stiffen it up a bit.

Steve and Rosemary · 10-13-2013, 10:59 AM

So, has anyone had problems with case/roll up mechanisms wearing out or not functioning properly after some time?

The roll ups sound easier to set up and of course, you don't have to find space to store the thing when not in use. Thanks for the feedback. If you think of anything else, please post!

Steve and Rosemary · 10-13-2013, 11:02 AM

Gage, I love your set up and we decided to go with Martin if we end up getting that type of awning. How difficult do the side panels make it to set up? Can you set it up without them? Thanks for sharing the picture.

Steve and Rosemary · 10-13-2013, 11:05 AM

Derek, your setup looks really nice, especially given that you don't have anything up there when the awning is down. Just to confirm, do you have anything going over the top of the trailer and down to the street side or are the two bungies on the ends enough? Also, how do you store the setup when not in use?

Carol H · 10-13-2013, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve and Rosemary

So, has anyone had problems with case/roll up mechanisms wearing out or not functioning properly after some time?
!

Yes which is why I suggested if you where considering one look at the Carefree type not the case awning type such as Dometic sells which I have. The Dometic type case awnings have heavy plastic end caps that have a guide built into them and if the person putting the awning away does not get it just right in getting the legs back up into the case the end caps will bend resulting in an awning that is very hard to put away securely - I learned that when I first got my awning as I had a really hard time getting the legs back up into the case and consulted with someone who know all about them pointed out that someone had forced it closed previously bending the end caps. Replaced the end caps and things got easier but its still is a pain to get the awning set at just the right height to get it to go back into the awning case correctly. Have been known to have to start over with putting it away more times than I care to remember. Also find I often need a little step ladder to get the leverage needed to get the legs parked back into the case.

There are other types of case awning that dont have the plastic end caps but the downside to most of those is the gap between the case and the trailer allows water to run down the side of the trailer on the awning side.

The Carefree style of roll up awning is very different as it does not have a case that the awning goes into and the legs are permanently attached to the trailer. Its also not a fussy about what height etc the awning is at when it starts to roll back up. Can be done easily by one person and no need to use a step stool. There is no gap between the awning and the trailer so no water running down the trailers awning side. The other plus to the Carefree style is you can pull the awning out only part way and firmly lock it in place - that cant be done with a Dometic style case awning.