Final word. A&E has shipped all new hardware and a replacement rolller tube at no charge. Absolutely great to work with, no questions asked, just how can we take care of the problem and keep you satisfied. Really exceptional service.
Hi guys,
This is my first post so I hope I get it right. I have been restoring a 70 Sovereign for 3 years now and I am almost ready for my first outing. I just had a Fiesta (sp) installed complete w/ all new hardware and arms. I have'nt taken delivery from the the RV dealer and have never deployed an awning.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the Fiesta brand? Should I expect awning woes. These posts have me worried.
these posts are not meant to worry you, but merely inform and help. You already made a purchase, and chances are that the awning will give you lots of good times in the shade. I am unfamiliar with the brand you chose, but take a good look and let the dealer explain EXACTLY how it works, and the sequence of putting it in or out. Often the awning troubles are caused by misuse, I guess.
I learned to live with mine, even though it's not perfect. But mine is very old so I can't expect miracles. I put it in if it gets too windy, and I will not leave it out if the trailer must be left for a day or more unattended. I have not seen rain since I bought the trailer, so that's not an issue.
I find the biggest problems being the locking part that secures the awning while you travel, and the feet where they attach to the lower body of the trailer.
Let us know how your new awning works out for you. maybe you can post some pictures of your restored trailer on the airstreamphoto site. I'd love to see it.
My Safari is a 1999 27 ft. with the original A&E awning. When delivered new from the dealer, some deformation was evident in the lower arm brackets (foot supports). While at Jackson Center, I had the technician install new foot supports, drill a hole between the two legs of the foot support, and install an additional fastener. This has prevented the deformation and has kept the awning in alignment. The fastener is a hex head screw like the two existing fasteners on the foot support. I have used my awning many times, since I spend the winters in the Airstream. The only problem I have is that it seems to be more sensitive to the wind than the Zip Dee. I put the awning out and put it up by myself without a hitch.
Good luck with A&E. The brackets on my '99 Safari started to bend two years ago so I started looking for replacements. The only offer by A&E was to suggest a few dealers who might have some still in stock. But no one did. As luck would have it all of the metal parts of the awing assembly were trashed by a sudden and un-forcast storm while we were away from the trailer one day. With no replacement A&E parts to be had, our insurance company replaced the the whole A&E awning and assembly with a ZiP Dee.
Soooo.... what do I do with my broken bracket? Am I forced to remove the awning & replace it with a new brand as the A&E bracket is no longer made? This is not going well for me; my husband is ready to get rid of the trailer & go motel-ing. This is his first trailer & he's not having fun. The grey water tank leaks; there's a leak in the roof (caused by the awning foot being broken?), screens need replacing, weatherseal on the door & windows is shot & now the hot water heater seems not to work properly (it never gets very hot & the shower alternates between warm & cold when set as hot as possible). For a 1999, it seems as though we bought a lemon. Already fixed the refrigerator (new circuit board needed) and the antenna has never worked properly. Get more reception on the rabbit ears.
Anyway, back to my original question: Is there any fix to the broken A&E awning foot?
My Excella has a Zip Dee awning that was replaced in 1999, and the PO gave me a box from Zip Dee labeled "Tropical Room" as I getting ready to leave with my new/old prize.
I finally got around to installing the Tropical Room last week, and I found the instructions and assembly to be very straightforward. At the end of my day off, I admired my "porch" and congratulated myself by unfolding a dinette chair outside and luxuriating in bug-free splendor.
Fast-forward to the next morning at 6:30 a.m. The sound of the front vent closing woke me up, and I thought, "It's raining," rolled over, and went back to sleep. Thunder bounced me out of bed about 7:00, and I wandered to the front of the trailer about half asleep. The first thing I noticed was that right-front vista window, which is supposed to be UNDER the awning wasn't. That just did not look right, so I raised the door shade and found myself looking at awning fabric.
Then a big gust of wind struck from the opposite direction, and the whole shebang, which I theorize was sticking something like straight up, came banging down. This was sort of a boom and a very big splash.
When the storm passed over, I very cautiously opened the door and peeked outside. The attached picture shows that the part that took most of the damage simply bent. There must have been a LOT of weight of water on that awning.
So I called Zip Dee, and after figuring out what the part was called, they shipped it on Friday and I got it on Tuesday. It was a ten minute job to replace the part with a ladder under the awning. The folks at Zip Dee were wonderful about making sure I got the right part, and even though it's for an Airstream the price didn't make me faint. (Maybe I'm becoming hardened...)
The accident also put a bow in the roller. This weekend I plan to entice two of my neighbors into helping. The approved process is to support the roller on two folks' shoulders and have a third guy hang his weight from the high point. That's just high-tech enough for me.
I read all the posts about 1998-9 safari awnings. We have never used the awning on our 1998 25' Safari. Today I read the directions, and excuse my ignorance, but it shows the thing with the "feet" on the ground! (It is the troublesome one attached on the trim piece.) When we bought the trailer in December in northern PA, the owner showed us how to open it, and it clearly was not with feet on the ground. The directions do not seem to fit my awning. Is there anyplace with directions for the "swing out" model? BTW, this is the first of many questions you can expect from me. We restored a'69 Caravel and love it. It being quite simple; we know nothing but want to get at it! Thanks. jac
If you have the Carefree awning, the lower rafter support arms that attach low on your coach should have a release arm in them that allows you to unsnap the arm from the bracket and place it straight up and down. Note that if you use this technique, it is STRONGLY SUGGESTED that the now vertical rafter arms be secured to the ground either with stakes or ground screws and straps because there is no vertical force holding the awning down.
No one is tighter than Me I have been told, however, the good stuff will save you big bucks in the long run 90% of the time. A freak storm bent an arm on my awning and broke the hindge casting that was bolted to the trailer.
Straightened the bent arm on Sunday.
Called Zip Dee on Monday. Part was about $20.00 as I remember.
Had the casting by Thursday.
Installed the casting on Saturday.
What can I say. Zip Dee supports their products and they carry the piece parts at reasonable prices.
Jim
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