Slideout Awnings

by wildcat221 on 4/17/2011, 1:41 pm

Will be taking our Cat to Camping World this coming Saturday to have the Slide Out Awnings installed. Looking forward to seeing how we like them. Also hoping our main awning fabric is there so that can be replaced. I rubbed the awning on the edge of the storage building last fall when we put it in storage and rubbed a whole in it. (passenger side wheels came off of cement slab and tilted camper just enough to rub awning. affraid

) Our insurance sure treated us right so will go ahead with the replcement fabric. Can't wait for the first trip of the year in 3 weeks.

by Admin on 4/17/2011, 2:23 pm

Your gonna love the slideout covers.
Your gonna need to make or find something to put under the main slide to keep it from sagging though. rain will puddle up on them.
Heres a link to a frame I made out of pvc pipe.
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/gallery/DIY-Pic-s-of-repair-s-and-Mod-s/Slideout-Awning-frame-to-stop-sagging-pic_571.htm

A beach ball or something will work to, just might not stay there in high winds. The frame I made will fold up and store flat , less than the size of a beach chair. Just don't forget that what ever you put up there needs to come down before you hit the IN button.

by wildcat221 on 4/17/2011, 5:42 pm

Thanks for the link to your PVC Support, i appreciate it. Mark

by Admin on 4/17/2011, 6:17 pm

Just anything that won't rip a hole in the material but keep it tight and it will drain instead of sag.

by Portagie1968 on 4/18/2011, 4:59 am

Air wedge works great.

by BobnPi on 4/20/2011, 9:39 am

Air wedge works great.

I don't think I know what that is.

by moo2613 on 4/20/2011, 10:32 am

You will love the slide out awnings. Admin has designed a great system, but we never saw the need for any type of support. If water was pooled up, I would just run the slide in a little and the water would run off. The other option is to just wait until you are packing up, but don't stand close to that side!!

by jackattack on 4/20/2011, 12:23 pm

be sure to get the elite model with cover and sweep. Mine works great Jack

by Portagie1968 on 4/20/2011, 12:24 pm

moo2613 wrote:You will love the slide out awnings. Admin has designed a great system, but we never saw the need for any type of support. If water was pooled up, I would just run the slide in a little and the water would run off. The other option is to just wait until you are packing up, but don't stand close to that side!!

Will all that water effect the slide if U leave it on for days? I collect quite a bit.

by Portagie1968 on 4/20/2011, 12:26 pm

BobnPi wrote:
Air wedge works great.

I don't think I know what that is.

Here you go. Check it out. We modified ours a touch. Works better.

https://ssl.perfora.net/www.awningairwedge.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=154daf6b6fb3870/shopdata/index.shopscript

by moo2613 on 4/21/2011, 2:21 am

Dan,
I don't know if the weight of the water would hurt or not. Figure that you may gather 10 gallons at the most, that would only be ~ 80#'s. That is alot less than a family of 4 sitting at the table eating dinner.

by Portagie1968 on 4/21/2011, 4:18 am

You are correct. 2 people sitting in the couch is a lot more. Just as long as that roof will hold 80lbs I guess we is good to go. It should a person should be able to walk on the roof of the side. I am 185 so I think we good to go. Thank you. I never thought of it that way.
worthy

by moo2613 on 4/21/2011, 5:23 am

That is one of the nice things about this forum, I learn so much because everybody looks at things a little different.

by Portagie1968 on 4/21/2011, 9:50 am

Yeppers. So do I. The only thing on my slides I wish i had not gotten is the sky lights. Gottem and they are there to stay.

by wildcat221 on 4/21/2011, 3:53 pm

Dan,
Just curious what you did and how you modified your Airwedge???
Thanks, Mark

by Portagie1968 on 4/22/2011, 4:43 am

Have you got one?

They send you some pieces of plastic to paste on the ends. These U attach the strings to. Were I go it is windy and U have to use these to keep the wedge under the topper. Glue will not hold for me. Using yellow weather stripping glue next.

I went down and bought a brass tire stem. Very carefully took out the valve on the Air Wedge (the one inside the stem). Then I applied yellow weather stripping glue to the AW stem and the brass stem. Then very carefully I screwed in it and let it set for 24 hours. No leaks and works a lot better than what they designed. Tire chuck on air compressor is the only way to fill it. I can send pics if U want.

by wildcat221 on 4/22/2011, 5:31 am

Hi Dan,
I do not have one yet but am seriously considering buying one. (or making one from the pvc) Pictures would be a great help if you time. I appreciate it very much. Our awnings will be installed tomorrow and we're looking forward to it. I like the Airwedge idea because it appears it will work out well with the wind catching or getting under the awning. Thanks again. Mark

by Portagie1968 on 4/22/2011, 8:36 am

I got skylights(wife wanted them and I caved in) so I needed something. PVC frame would not work.

by John&ConnieNeeley on 4/22/2011, 10:39 am

Portagie1968 wrote:Yeppers. So do I. The only thing on my slides I wish i had not gotten is the sky lights. Gottem and they are there to stay.

Know what you mean about the skylights.......had them in our WC 27F, and in Texas of '09 during a major rainstorm overnight, they leaked. I had water coming out of the light fixtures, soaked the carpet and the couch. Warranty repaired the leak but they didnt the couch nor the carpet. On this new 313, I am not exactly thrilled about a skylight in the living room in place of a normal vent. We'll see..

Instead of that wedge, wonder what a el cheapo WalMart air mattress would do?? Might have to check that out....we had the slideout covers placed by the dealer at time of delivery. Nothing worse to bring in a wet topped slideout with all that moisture oooozzzzing out...

by Portagie1968 on 4/22/2011, 11:58 am

The usually problem is the roller. Topper sags behind it. Anything to keep the topper over the roller. Air mattress might work. Cheap way to go. Moisture inside rolled topper as long as it goes out as soon as you get home or to the next park.

by Portagie1968 on 4/25/2011, 5:59 am

Wildcat221 - As requested. I do not have the chrome cap on the stem. Yes there are threads. 2nd picture is blurry but U can see the yellow glue used. Applied glue to valve stem threads and some to the plastic stem then screwed it in carefully. Remember to use something to take out the flap inside the plastic stem. I used a small drill bit me thinks.

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by wildcat221 on 4/25/2011, 8:04 am

Thanks Dan for the photo's. I will be ordering the AirWedge this week. I appreciate all the input from everyone. Mark

by Portagie1968 on 4/25/2011, 12:18 pm

by Scruffy and Tater on 4/25/2011, 3:18 pm

We don't use anything under our slide toppers. We're both so forgetful, we'd forget to remove whatever we had there. If we get an accumulation of rain, Scruffy can do a few things:

1. Use a pole (our sewer hose holder works) and push up on the underside of the topper.

2. Lower the front end of the trailer.

3. Retract the slides (be sure nothing is in the way on the inside).

Tater

by Portagie1968 on 4/26/2011, 4:07 am

wildcat221 wrote:Thanks Dan for the photo's. I will be ordering the AirWedge this week. I appreciate all the input from everyone. Mark

We use the thingy(what ever U call it) that is used to pull out the awning to assist with pulling the AW under the slide out.

by Portagie1968 on 4/26/2011, 4:11 am

Scruffy and Tater wrote:We don't use anything under our slide toppers. We're both so forgetful, we'd forget to remove whatever we had there. If we get an accumulation of rain, Scruffy can do a few things:

1. Use a pole (our sewer hose holder works) and push up on the underside of the topper.

2. Lower the front end of the trailer.

3. Retract the slides (be sure nothing is in the way on the inside).

Tater

When forget the AW or I get caught by surprise I usually do number three. Take my usual shower as 5 gallons of water cascade down. Cool

by ScottandGrace on 4/26/2011, 12:34 pm

It's strange that so many people have problems with the awning sagging and puddling with rain. I installed mine with the fabric held taught or under constant tension and at a bit of an angle while it's deployed. Even in the worst down pours it doesn't puddle. Maybe a lot of these just aren't installed correctly?

by Portagie1968 on 4/26/2011, 2:34 pm

ScottandGrace wrote:It's strange that so many people have problems with the awning sagging and puddling with rain. I installed mine with the fabric held taught or under constant tension and at a bit of an angle while it's deployed. Even in the worst down pours it doesn't puddle. Maybe a lot of these just aren't installed correctly?

Depends on how long the slide is which can cause the tube to bend a little in the middle, how it is installed, how your slide is adjusted, and how the holder is mounted on the trailer for a few. I have that small window above mine so FR did not install the bracket high enough. Is has been moved but 2 late. If they got rid of the window I could get it a little higher. That would be nice. My bedroom slide works fine but again it is a short slide.

by ScottandGrace on 4/27/2011, 11:13 am

That may explain it then. My slide is short ~ only as long as the couch.

by Mopar_Earl on 4/27/2011, 5:21 pm

ScottandGrace wrote:It's strange that so many people have problems with the awning sagging and puddling with rain. I installed mine with the fabric held taught or under constant tension and at a bit of an angle while it's deployed. Even in the worst down pours it doesn't puddle. Maybe a lot of these just aren't installed correctly?

I'd say your angle is helping you. I see a lot of slide out awnings level as can be from the side wall to the slide. If I ever put one on mine, I'd make sure to give it a decent angle for water to run off by mounting the awning rail a little high. Still not sold on them yet

Earl

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