Box Awnings March 12, 2003, 08:02:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19799Hi Folks, It's really interesting to read the various comments on the Box type awning currently used on LD. Yep, our 2001 MB has one also.However, our 1996 Born Free had a deluxe model of the more conventional type RV awning, so I can give you our experiences with both.In comparison, we are disappointed with the Box awning. First, it only reaches out from the coach by a little less than seven feet. The conventional RV awning reaches out eight feet. We have found that makes a real difference to us when we are trying to stay out of the Northwest rain (In Washington, some say that's Oregon mist that missed Oregon). We find the box awning more difficult to stow, usually we have to try two or three times to get the little red safety lock tabs to move into their holes and be visible. And yes, the awning has been 'readjusted' for even stowage retraction per the mfg's special instructions on that point.The "vertical arms" comments in some messages are strange to me, as either type awning allows the use of the outer support arms in the carport position, e.g., vertical to mother earth. Both type awnings have coach body attachment brackets for the 'normal' lower arm attachment.The box awning is typically sold as an awning for use when there is some reason not to use a conventional awning. One of those reasons is price, another is unusual body shape, as on a class B. The box type awning is typically less expensive. Personally, I'd say it is cheaper. Its maid salient feature is that the awning material is well protected when retracted - Just don't put it away wet. (i.e., don't use it in the NW part of the country unless you have reason to wear your sunglasses.) The box type awning is certainly NOT stronger nor is it more capable when deployed in wind gusts than the conventional awning. I've found little difference between the awning types in the time it takes to make a 'panic' -geez, where did that wind come from- retraction.The conventional awning has a wide range of ourdoor rooms available for it, primarily because of its basic feature of end rafters. Those end rafters are part of the box awning outdoor room, which costs a bundle and has one mfg source.The end rafters allow one to add support clamps for the awning material to reduce wind effect. There is nothing like that for the box awning - unless you install part of its outdoor room and kludge something together. One final comment - The box awning installed on the 26.5' MB just is not long enough for us to use conveniently. We have a small table and two folding chairs. By the time we get it set up just aft of the entry door, all the space under the awning is used. Our recommendation for anyone buying a LD is to AT LEAST ask for installation of a longer awning.All in all, the conventional type awning that LD USED to use, with the upgrades that have been made to date by its mfg, would be a much better selection for our LD than what is now installed. Unfortunately, because of its poor utility for us, we'll never wear out our @#$%%%&&*@@ box awning because we've stopped using it.Perhaps we'll find the $1,000 it will cost to put on a conventional awning that has the functionality we like. Then our awning installation will be up to the standard of the rest of our LD.Don MCG 2001 MB W/awning kept in box
Re: Box Awnings Reply #1 – March 13, 2003, 03:00:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19828Quote The box awning is typically sold as an awning for use when there is some reason not to use a conventional awning. One of those reasons is price, another is unusual body shape, as on a class B. The box type awning is typically less expensive. Personally, I'd say it is cheaper. I find this statement curious. Here is a link to a vendor of A&E awnings: http://www.advrv.com/awning.htmI compared 12' awnings. The Horizon is the second most expensive awning on this page, at $699. The only one more expensive is the A&E 8500, which is $510 for the awning and $235 for hardware, only slightly more than Horizon. All the rest are less expensive. So the Horizon doesn't strike me as necessarily "cheap," although I'm sure you can pay much more for other awnings.I've found most awnings problematic in one way or another and completely respect the fact that you don't like the Horizon. It's your motorhome and you should have an awning you like. In fact, one used LD we considered buying was owned by an RV dealer and he had replaced the Horizon awning with a more conventional type, which he prefered.But my sense would be that Lazy Daze has its own reasons for selecting the Horizon. Cost may be a factor, but I'm guessing there are others. Ed Newton, in particular, is very concerned about the exterior profile of the LD and its aerodynamics. Obviously, other manufacturers don't share that concern. I'm guessing he likes the Horizon because it adds the least possible amount of clutter to the exterior of the LD, both aesthetically and aerodynamically, and generally fits in with their minimalist approach (use the minimum solution that gets the job done).Also, LD may see the awning more as simply sheltering the curb side of the coach from sun and rain and less as the roof of an outdoor room. For instance, they don't provide the option of an outdoor stereo or the slideout storage filled with custom coolers and televisions that you see on some larger motorhomes. Personally, I don't see myself using the awning that much and so like the fact that, once put away, it is relatively unobstrusive. We gravitate toward more rustic public campsites where it often isn't convenient to sit by the vehicle. I also admire Fiamma's attempt to do something different in terms of deployment and storage. But, maybe after I use the Horizon I will come to dislike it too, in which case I'll probably figure out a way to replace it.TerryPalo Alto, CA
Re: Box Awnings Reply #2 – March 13, 2003, 08:17:11 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19833Don, Sorry to hear you don't like the box awning!I have to say that I like the LD awning much better than the conventional awning. I've had the other type on other RVs and prefer the box awning. I don't like the whistling the other kind make driving down the road or the chore of keeping the track clean and lubed so they work well. With the box awning that's all protected and easier to maintain. The 1' loss in width from coach to edge doesn't bother me and in some cases is preferable depending on where you camp. We've never had a problem with it in the rain here in Fl.or anywhere else we've used it. I find it no more difficult to stow or deploy and often less so. I rarely have a problem with it locking in place easily for travel. Box awnings are NOT cheaper than the more conventional types! In fact they cost more as another member pointed out. Compare the prices of the A&E awnings in the larger sizes and also in the Catalina 2500 to the Trim Line, the smaller sizes for pop-up trailers and you see the same thing. The box type costs more because it protects the awning better and is more expensive to mfg due to more aluminum being used. No awning should ever be put away wet and they all say that in their manuals. If you have to you should always extend it ASAP to let it dry or they will mildew and stain and that deteriorates them much faster regardless of the type.Some of the most popular A&E awnings don't have the sidebars or rafters that the awning de-flapper or awning saver clamps can be attached to, though many other brands do. But you can use those type devices with tie-down straps and perform the same function either going to the arms if attached to the LD or to the ground. The most popular A&E awnings don't and can't be put in the carport vertical position, though many others they and those other mfgs make can. My mention of the vertical arms was in reference to the screen room add- on rafters. I wasn't referring to the vertical position of the arms that many of the awnings other mfgs offer in the more conventional awning style can be put in.When I mentioned strength of the box awning I was referring to the screen room and the rafters Fiamma makes for it in conjunction with the awning arms. The rafters supplied with all the more conventional types that the sidewalls attach to are like the center rafter that the LD awning uses. The Fiamma Florida Room has much more sturdy rafters with vertical supports for them so you can leave the arms attached to the LD and that makes it stronger. With the conventional types the rafters they supply are what the sidewalls attach to NOT any existing side arms on the models that do have the type parallel to the awning roof. If the walls attached to those they would be a few inches outside of the roof and a lot of good that would do anyone! With those that the bottom side arms can be detached, like the A&E 8500 and 9000 series, you can either have that arm in the carport position or angled to the RV but only have one and not two supports for the sides. With the Fiamma you can keep the side arms angled to the LD and the vertical support supporting the corner and that is stronger! The Fiamma Florida Room costs only a little more than some of the other better made rooms for conventional awnings but the rafters are worth more and they use better quality zippers. It at least sounds from the description like it is better made and based on other Fiamma products it probably is. I haven't seen one in person yet but I have seen many of the others and some are not only cheaper but they are CHEAPLY made! As you mention if you want to keep up with the rest of the LD quality you don't want to use a cheaply made screen room. We've had no problems with the length of the awning on our 26.5MB. I believe they were offering the longer 30' model awning on it as an option when we ordered. I know they do offer an option for a longer awning on some models unless they stopped offering it. We felt the standard one was fine for our use and still do. It's always nice to have a long awning but again they can be a drawback in some situations and I've come across some over the years where the longer awning wasn't usable but a shorter one would have been. We've used a table and chairs under it and had room to spare. I've even pulled the campground picnic table under it before and had room for our folding chairs as well.If you don't like the box awning with the cost differential between your present LD and having gotten another equal size BF that gives you plenty of saved money to remove the box awning and put whatever other type you want on. Even along with a screen room for it and the price of the Michelins you put on in fear of the Firestone Steeltex OEM tires and it still leaves you with money for other things. On top of that you have a better motorhome and still saved a lot of money! Most mfgs don't include an awning so owners can choose any type they want. They do that for other reasons though as well, like making the CCC look better than it will actually be once you add it and other things they don't include standard that LD does. LD has it standard and unfortunately they can't please everyone but I think they made a great choice. It looks better, is more aerodynamic, and has other pros as well. They all have pros and cons and none are perfect or please everyone and that's why there are so many types to choose from."To each his own!"Mike 2001 Teal 26.5MB St Cloud, Fl
Re: Box Awnings Reply #3 – March 14, 2003, 12:15:54 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19853I previously owned a motorhome with a non-box A & E awning that was added after original purchase. I had that awning for over 12 years, [until the rig was sold] and other that periodic lubrication, the hardware seemed to hold up just fine. The fabric had to be replaced that was exposed to the weather in the rolled up position. I simply took the awning off, and took the fabric to a seamstress who would replace the gray portion of the fabric that was always exposed to the weather.Now that I have the box awning, on my 2001 MB, I find it much superior to the other type of awning. I appreciate the fact that everything is weathertight when the awning is enclosed. I also don't miss looking at the ugly support legs always exposed when the awning is rolled up for travel.Last week I met a Baby Daze owner with a rig that was 15 years old, with a 110,000 miles. The box awning was in perfect condition and the fabric still fully serviceable. I believe that the LD factory looks to the quality and durability of the awning, as well as the aesthetics of how it looks when it is not being used. I think they are putting the right awning on their product.If you are going to get the non-box awning, you might want to consider the type that has an aluminum cover that protects the rolled up awning from the sun.
Re: Box Awnings Reply #4 – March 14, 2003, 12:46:48 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19854QuoteI previously owned a motorhome with a non-box A & E awning that was added after original purchase. Bigfoot motorhomes use the box awning. They recess the box into the outside wall. This may solve the problem of water running down between the box and the coach wall. It also makes for a very clean looking installation.Norm
Re: Box Awnings Reply #5 – March 14, 2003, 01:00:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19855Quote from: pedaleasy1949I previously owned a motorhome with a non-box A & E awning that was added after original purchase.Bigfoot motorhomes use the box awning. They recess the box into the outside wall. This may solve the problem of water running down between the box and the coach wall. It also makes for a very clean looking installation. Our '83 developed the water leaking issue eventually, simply because the awning attachment had loosened with time and miles and the sealant was no longer effective. Reseating is just a long-term maintenance item with externally mounted awnings, and completely solves the problem. Here are issues with a permanent awning recess. If you use the awning a lot, odds are one day it will get ripped off its moorings when the weather takes a nasty turn and you happen to not be handy to refurl it at the time. After a few years have passed, the original awning hardware will no longer be available, and you will have a problem with replacement in a custom recess. LD has changed its awnings many times over the years. I also like that the awning box over our door and lounge window rechannel the roof runoff away from those, and even slightly shield them from rain in windless conditions. This with the awning closed up.Steve
Box Awnings Reply #6 – March 13, 2003, 12:58:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19826Hi Don, Thanks for sharing your experience. It's given me more to investigate. I'm in the wanna be state now, and my only experience til now is with rental RVs. All of the brands I've rented to date had the bottom of the awning support legs permanently attatched to the side of the coach and the legs stowed vertically against the wall. I just assumed this was the 'traditional' construction method which would interfer withe the LD window arrangement. Now, after reading your post and a doing a little internet searching, I realize the construction style used by Fiamma isn't unique to them, and, I gather, doesn't require the box enclosure. Could you tell me the manufacturer of the awning you had on your Born Free? Do you have any thoughts on what the issues might be with replacing the awning on an LD, other than cost?I have no idea what I'll end up doing, but I'm trying to build up a store of information before I have to do any decison making.- Gregg Bartle
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Box Awnings Reply #7 – March 13, 2003, 02:41:59 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19827Gregg, The original owner of my LD had the Fiamma awning removed about 1 or 2 years after he bought it. It know has a very large AE awning, 17' or 18' long. I have some photos in the photo section, under "Victor's 91 MB" that shows what it looks like. The vertical supports really don't block the view or anything like that. They also unhook at the bottom attachment point so that you can put the vertical supports on the ground. They also have holes in the feet so that you can anchor it to the ground if need be. The only draw back with the vertical supports, is the one in the rear blocks the big rear storage compartment door. I have to unhook the support from it's mounting point to open the door. Outside of that, it's great. If you want, I can take better pictures of the whole thing to give you a better idea of what it looks like.-Victor
Box Awnings Reply #8 – March 14, 2003, 07:47:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 19863If you use the awning as I do. Replace the LD awning with a quality A&E or Carefree. I always have and ordered my recent LD without the awnig. The awning is the one weak point to a LD in my estimation. It is designed more for looks then utility.Chuck H
Topic: Box Awnings (Read 22 times)
previous topic - next topic
Topic: Box Awnings (Read 22 times)
previous topic - next topic