A&E curved arm attachment

[Safari64]

I have an A&E awning on ’64 Safari that PO had installed at Camping World. OK fine.

The bottom brackets for the arms are held to trailer with ¼” x 3” lag screws…through banana wrap skin into what?? The frame?

Is this really how they are supposed to be attached? Lag screws? No bolt/plate/spacer/nut?

After 16K travel miles (including both ways Alaskan Highway) one screw holding front arm bottom bracket to body sheared the head, the other pulled out, the arm flopped around before I spotted it and broke jalousie window.

Can’t see a way to attach any firmer without pulling banana wrap panel (that’s why they used lag screws, duh).

New A&E kits come with the lag screws.


How have others attached awning bottom brackets to Airstream trailer bodies?

Thanks for help

[RickDavis]

The bracket should attach at or just above floor level where the lag screws go either into the plywood floor or the bottom rail that sits on the floor. I installed mine this way and have had no problems in 6 years

If attachedslightly higher than this a small access hole could be cut in the inside wall to allow a back up plate or big washers and then the hole covered with a blank electrical wall plate

[overlander63]

The newer trailers use Phillips head stainless lag screws, it helps reduce corrosion. And they still just "screw in".

[ticki2]

I replaced all the lag bolts with SS . When the awning is up there should be no forces on the arm except the weight of the arm . The awning spring is holding the awning in the roll up position . When the awning is down the arm is pushing against the trailer so there is not much force there either , and the fitting is sort of locked onto the rub rail . Not sure why you would shear a bolt head with the exception of a strong wind with the awning down. Might want to check if something is bent or out of alignment.

[Safari64]

Thanks for the help. The awning was up, secured, on the road. Now I know how to replace jalousie panes too (easy).


Safari64