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till · 09-05-2005, 09:37 AM

What brand do you have on your trailer??
If I don't have an option that fits, let me know here.....

overlander63 · 09-05-2005, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by till

What brand do you have on your trailer??
If I don't have an option that fits, let me know here.....

How about BROKEN?
Can we have that as an option?

Ours is purported to be a Zip Dee, of some description, although all I can be sure of, is it doesn't work.

**azflycaster** · 09-05-2005, 10:21 AM

I would like to get a Zip Dee, but the cost is a bit high. Can someone tell me about the A&E? What are the advantages / disadvantages between the two brands?

driftwood · 09-05-2005, 11:14 AM

My 1985 Sovereign has the original ZipDee.

My 1965 Safari has the original CareFree.

I have had the A&E's on my SOB motor home & personally am partial to the ZipDee's for the Airstreams.

Larry71 · 09-05-2005, 11:16 AM

I just had my awning replaced on our 1971 Safari, it was made by Dometic. I didn't know they made awnings until I got one from my local RV repair shop. It cost about $900 including new hardware and installation.

overlander63 · 09-05-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry71

I just had my awning replaced on our 1971 Safari, it was made by Dometic. I didn't know they made awnings until I got one from my local RV repair shop. It cost about $900 including new hardware and installation.

That is the old A&E awning.
Also, I went out to the trailer, and it seems I was in error. I have a Care-Free like Norm's, but it is still broken...

wahoonc · 09-05-2005, 12:55 PM

Mine is a CareFree, the trailer orginally had ZipDee's on it and some PO changed them out

I will be putting ZipDee's back on it in the future.

azflycaster,
ZipDee stands behind their product! It is a very high quality product and you can buy replacement parts for units 15+ years old...try that with A&E or CareFree.

This is one of those cases where you really get what you pay for

Aaron

silver 67 · 09-07-2005, 08:50 PM

... and we're looking forward to the day that we'll be able to utilize them. Of course, we also have to get all the attendant hardware.

Really want Zip Dee when we're ready, preferrably in aqua stripe. After all, we need to be color coordinated in this business.

Condoluminum · 09-07-2005, 10:00 PM

I'm a fan of ZipDee as well, despite higher pricing.. Their awnings designed for Airstream, they're designed with better components and fabrics, and they stand behind with parts, replacement assistance and even instructions for use and maintenance on their web site... With screw-down retainers, odds of having unit deploy while driving on a highway are very slim.

There are almost 75 fabric patterns and colors available, not just the gray and blue stripey versions most common.. If you're serious, get a color sample booklet, and be amazed...

John McG

somefun · 09-08-2005, 04:59 AM

We have an A&E on ours. I am impressed with the quality (and fit) of the hardware. The vinyl "fabric" is ok. But I suppose ZipDee is the true original Airstream awning.

Boondocker · 09-08-2005, 07:34 AM

I have a dometic, however, it looks pretty sketchy to me and Im afraid to fool with it at this point....

the ponz · 09-08-2005, 07:59 AM

The material on my 18 year old curb side zip dee awning is in good shape, but the stitching is dry rotted and is beginning to break. Besides completly replacing the entire canvas, any suggestions to having the stitching repaired?

tin sista · 09-08-2005, 08:46 AM

Our zip dee awnings are doing fine, just one spot near the top we're watching. We wash ours with the rv awning wash, that's about all besides sweeping it after use. I'd love to hear stiching repair options too Ponz for the day we need to take care of ours.

Uberlanders · 09-09-2005, 07:10 AM

We still need to buy a toilet! The awning comes later. We will be buying a pole awning, want to keep the original look. I want Pacific Blue Fancy, the husband wants something less "Carny".

SafeHarbor · 09-10-2005, 07:14 AM

Well, I've had a full Zip Dee awning with a "Tropical Room" extended through out the summer, and it still looks good. I had a freak early morning thunderstorm that up-ended it and caused some damage back in March, but some friendly support from Zip Dee and an incursion on the old credit card provided replacement parts in a timely manner. I can't say enough about how nice the Zip Dee folks were and how accurate they were in providing the right parts to fix my awning. How many other businesses are ready to support a 26-year-old product? I did not think the replacement parts were too expensive, either. (I need my shade.)

By the way, this is a nice time of year in south Georgia. I haven't turned on the heat or air in the last five days. I have ALL of the windows open on the trailer. It's perfect weather for my tastes. Tonight, just for the heck of it, I'm going to sleep out under the awning on a cot!

overlander64 · 09-10-2005, 08:08 AM

My initial plan after acquiring my '64 Overlander in '95 was to keep it original as possible, and that extended to its original A & E Travel Awn 5000. After five years of the annual struggle to find salvage parts to repair/replace the worn or broken hardware that was no longer available from A & E, I finally went with a new ZipDee patio awning as well as window awnings for both the bathroom and bedroom. Had I replaced the original A & E that first year, I would have saved nearly the cost of the ZipDee patio awning in the five years worth of annual repairs on the A & E.

The past five years with the ZipDee awnings have been a tremendous improvement. The vinyl fabric of the Travel Awn 5000 tended to trap heat next to the trailer in the humid Mississippi River Valley while the fabric utilized in the ZipDee seems to provide a cooler living environment next to the coach. In addition, I have been impressed with both the aesthetics of the ZipDee hardware as well as its smooth functionality -- it is far easier to deploy than my A & E (as a Free Wheeler, I often wished for an extra set of hands with the A & E, but have never felt that way with the ZipDee).

Kevin

Anon · 09-10-2005, 12:36 PM

I had CareFree awnings on the last two Argosys.
The Minuet is the first one that I have had the ZipDee on it.
After replacing ALL of the rusty metal parts and brittle plastic parts on two CareFree awnings I was surprised at how well-built the ZipDee is. Most of the hardware on the ZipDee is stainless steel!
The metal cover has kept the fabric on the ZipDee in near-perfect condition! This awning is the one that came installed on the trailer. I have the original bill of sale for my Minuet and it shows the awning on there. AMAZING!