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juel · 04-08-2008, 12:07 PM

It seems the more you do the more you want to do. I've posted about the new frig and interior changes. Well now I've moved to the outside. Sometimes I just go out and look at this trailer and dream of being finished and actually using it to camp in. New traveling lock, new screen guard, painted handle, covering the long scratch and painting the rear name again.

**azflycaster** · 04-08-2008, 07:41 PM

looking very nice. Is that a new lock on the door?

HiHoAgRV · 04-08-2008, 09:35 PM

That's an old racecar trick-- cover the dents with a Decal!

My car looked like it had MAJOR sponsorship

Maddie · 04-08-2008, 10:46 PM

Can someone tell me where to find info on how to remove my water tank from a 72 sovereign

juel · 04-08-2008, 11:29 PM

That is a new outside lock for traveling safety on the door just below the original lock. I sanded and painted the original door handle/lock because it really needed it and I'm in way over my head by now. Almost finished with the new vinyl inserts and am planning on maybe painting the Armstrong A/C and installing the blue vinyl insert back on it that I've discovered was original to it. Got the emblem on the street side painted also.

juel · 04-09-2008, 04:52 AM

Maddie...which water tank are you talking about. Fresh or the black water tank?

Alumatube · 04-09-2008, 05:42 AM

Wow, juel, it looks GREAT and makes me ashamed that all I have done to our moho recently is installed the front curtain and vacuumed it!

Nice work, and GREAT inspiration! When it quits raining (ha) I may just get out there and polish the wheels or something.

Susan

juel · 04-09-2008, 05:58 AM

Tell me about the rain. I had a lake in the front yard yesterday morning. Today, tonight and tomorrow they are talking the dreaded "HAIL" and "TORNADOES". Please, someone invent a cushion blanket for my trailers. I'm thinking three or four layers of that large bubble wrap, covered with heavy burlap, then bungees stitched to the burlap to fasten under the back bumper, wheel wells and tongue. You could make it come down as far as you wanted to cover the sides too. It may not stop everything, but it would sure lessen the damages. Someone on this Forum must be handy enough to whip this thing up and make a little money on it. Shipping would be a trick, storage would be interesting too. Maybe instead of bubble wrap you could have something inflatable like an air mattress that would make it more manageable when not in use.

maccamper · 04-17-2008, 06:47 AM

Nice looking paint job! Hopefully you will be having some clearer, drier weather to enjoy all your hard work.

I was admiring your photos and was thinking your awning looked familiar, is it a Carefree? We have one on our '74 and because the hardware is in really rough shape, and because we have only a general idea how it works, we have never tried to open it.

If it is a Carefree, do you by any chance have the manual, or know where a copy of one can be obtained? Thanks either way.

Laird

centennialman · 04-18-2008, 05:42 AM

Nice work! I really like the look of the new decal!

juel · 04-18-2008, 07:53 PM

Maccamper...I've never tried to put the awning out either. I don't know a Carefree from the ZipDee. The hardware is in great shape, but I don't know how it works. No manual.

Steve...thanks for the kind words. That 8" , 18ft long decal is a bugger to apply. It's much better looking than the scratch, but very hard to apply.

overlander63 · 04-18-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccamper

Nice looking paint job! Hopefully you will be having some clearer, drier weather to enjoy all your hard work.

I was admiring your photos and was thinking your awning looked familiar, is it a Carefree? We have one on our '74 and because the hardware is in really rough shape, and because we have only a general idea how it works, we have never tried to open it.

If it is a Carefree, do you by any chance have the manual, or know where a copy of one can be obtained? Thanks either way.

Laird

You can get a manual from A&E, the main difference is the curved arms, which are supposed to be NLA.
And yes, Judy, that is a Carefree (A&E/Dometic, or whatever they're called this month...)

juel · 04-20-2008, 06:35 PM

Well, think we're almost finished with the Sovereign and will be towing down to the lake next week end - I HOPE! Got all the vinyl inserts in and the big blue stripe on the curb and street side. Got the LCD's hooked up to their VCR/DVD's. That gets harder with each new TV. Thanks Overlander63. I might try to get a manual for that awning. I understand you can't get parts for them any longer, but it would be nice to know how to open it. In our restoration we found the center arm under one of the beds in mint condition. Looks as if they never used it.

wahoonc · 04-20-2008, 07:26 PM

Judy,
I have that same awning on one my Airstreams (the '75) quite a few parts are still in common with the newer ones. If you need help or pictures of the bits and pieces just let me know.

Yours is really looking great!

Aaron

juel · 04-20-2008, 07:35 PM

Are there bits and pieces that go with the awning? I don't have any bits or pieces. Right now I'm scared to put it out for fear of not being able to get it back up. Is it hard to do? I emailed Carefree for some instructions. We'll see how that works out. Thanks for the offer. I guess you don't have the actual manual or instruction do you?

overlander63 · 04-20-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juel

Well, think we're almost finished with the Sovereign and will be towing down to the lake next week end - I HOPE! Got all the vinyl inserts in and the big blue stripe on the curb and street side. Got the LCD's hooked up to their VCR/DVD's. That gets harder with each new TV. Thanks Overlander63. I might try to get a manual for that awning. I understand you can't get parts for them any longer, but it would be nice to know how to open it. In our restoration we found the center arm under one of the beds in mint condition. Looks as if they never used it.

To open your awning, you will find a small lever on the roller at the front awning arm. Flip the small lever back. Loosen the small plastic knobs on each awning arm, and unfurl the awning by pulling on the pull located near the center of the awning, on the fabric. You should have found a long rod with a 90 degree bend in the end. Put the end with the 90 degree bend through the loop on the pull, use that to reach the pull . When the awning is unfurled, slide the end braces up to the topof the awning arms, they will latch into place, and tighten the plastic knobs. Unlatch the catches on the arms, and raise the awning to the desired height.
If you don't like whacking your head on the awning arm, you can unlatch the base of the arm from the trailer, and swivel it straight out to the ground, where you can secure it by a couple of large nails through the holes you will find in the base into the ground.

drag'nwagon · 04-20-2008, 07:46 PM

Juel,

I have the same carefree awning on my '74 31'. It is easy to operate and it is easy to adjust the spring if needed. I have the manual for mine if you need a copy send me a PM and I will scan and email to you. We replaced the fabric last year and added the alumigaurd to it, it was very simple to do. You really need two people to open and close as it requires that you go a little slow to give the spring some time to release (open) and regain tension (close). Once you do it twice you will have no problem.

overlander63 · 04-20-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

If you don't like whacking your head on the awning arm, you can unlatch the base of the arm from the trailer, and swivel it straight out to the ground, where you can secure it by a couple of large nails through the holes you will find in the base into the ground.

It looks like you don't have that variant on your awning, but the rest should be about the same.

maccamper · 04-22-2008, 10:35 AM

We recently discovered that forum Member qjktx has put scanned pages of a Carefree manual in his public photo gallery. The manual has a copyright date of 1976, so it should be applicable to several years of our trailers.

I tried to print a copy, but the text was not legible. When I went back and single and then double clicked on the images, they enlarged to a legible size, and printed off nicely. Many kudos and positive Karma to qjktx.

Carefree's customer service service folks also recently shared the following information: if there is a sticker on the awning arm that says" CN3N4, then the old hardware probably cannot be replaced with new. If the arm has a sticker that says "AN3N4", then some of the old hardware can be replaced with new if the arm is smooth and not corrugated.

I do have one question for other Carefree owners: do you have a bracket just above the windows that is about in the center between the arms? I have enclosed a picture of the bracket I took off our trailer. I think it may be associated with the awning since it was installed with the same cheap plated lag screws that were used to fasten the arms to the trailer body. We have no pull down strap on our awning, could this bracket have been for a center arm for the awning (now missing) or to hold down the strap?

Thanks very much for all the helpful instructions that have been posted, they are much appreciated.

Laird

juel · 04-22-2008, 12:06 PM

I have that bracket on my 76 Sovereign. I assumed it was part of the awning and left it there. I also found a center arm stored under one the the twin beds. Looks new. Thanks for the info on the awning manual. I will try to get it.