Awning Replacement

[H. John Kohl]

I have found fabric cracking in about one foot on each end of the main 16' awning.[list=a][*]Do I just replace the material?[*]Do I upgrade to the Electric roll up?


What do you recommend for just replacing the material?

Upgrade to electric awning?[list_to_fix][*]Have you upgraded to the electric? [*]What issues/problems did you have.[*]Would you do it again?

[Capt Kidd]

Our 2011 3400 came with the electric awning which I really didn't think I wanted but now that we have had it for a year or so I like it.

It's very nice to be able to just push a button and have it come in by itself. The only real drawback that I see is that the deflapper I used on the old Montys awning won't work on the new one and I still have to take the awning lights down to bring it in.

I would definitally get the electric awning.

[HOOK]

We love our electric. At night when there is a storm, instead of going out in the rain, all you have to do is push a button and it's closed. We have installed hooks around the bottom of Monty for "party lights" and like it better because there is less glare. The electrics are supposed to automatically drop one end to shed rain, but somehow I have a trust issue. Have had a sudden wind lift awning 3 or more feet with no damage, had it been the old type there would certainly have been damage. There are some replacement fabrics that seem to be much better than original. Larry

[Champ_49]

Have had both John. As in anything theres pro's and con's. The electric pro's is just what others have said here, quick and easy to take down as long as no lights or anything attached to it. Con's are with the manual type you can put them out, stake them down with tie straps (not recommended to tie down electric) and leave them up through most anything. If you stay in places for a good length of time the manual in my eyes is better. But if you travel a lot you don't need to worry about the awning being left out. But with the electric you put it in when you leave because the wind takes it for a ride pretty easy. Without the awning in the summer with the sun coming down its nice to leave out the awning to help keep it cool inside.

My choice will be when the electric goes bad will replace with manual. Just my 2 cents worth.

Dave

[Ozz]

I replaced my fabric with a discontinued color (Brown) from Carefree for around $180.00, I asked them if it was a cheaper material, they said it was the same quality as the factory issue.
We are quite satisfied with it. Sue and I changed it out.
It is no problem for either Sue or I to put awning out and bring it back in, so my vote is just replace the material.
In my opinion, and experience in the South Padre winds, you don't want to leave the awning out in winds even if it is staked down, just too hard on it.

[bw2]

John

I replaced my manual awning with an electric awning with a wind sensor. As those above have stated, it is nice when weather in coming, I can hit the remote button and up it comes. You can and I see many stake the electric awning down and it seems to work. I have as of yet, not done that. We no longer are adding lights to the awning so that is not a problem for me. If you recall from the rally, I am pretty short and I had to have a stool to put the manual awning up and take it down. I had it replaced by Camping World. They had a sale on the awnings and the installation, so I felt I had gotten a pretty good deal. They did a good job and it is still working, 4 years as of now.

[cdaniels]

We have had both also. Would not be without the electric. Usually the hubby is away when a storm is coming and I start looking around the campsite for help with putting it in. Now just hit the button. Never would go back to the manual.

We also use it more often since it only takes hitting a button. Before we did not put it out in the am if we where leaving the campsite or vice versa in the evening. We would do the why put it out if we are only going to have to put it in soon.

[DQDick]

I have to agree with most of what's been said about the electric model. We had manual on all our rigs until the Monty and now we wouldn't go back. No major problems with the manual, but it was hard for Joyce to deal with because she's shorter. The fall rally last year was really the convincer. Get up and it's pouring rain so you put it up from inside then come out and open an umbrella. Woke up in the night when the wind had come in and put it down out of the weather in what I wore to bed. For us it's just worth the money.

[SlickWillie]

I just cleaned our awning, and noticed it will need replaced before long. I have thought about the electric, as I see a neighbor simply hit the switch and roll it up. But, we leave ours out for weeks at a time, so I'm thinking I'll go back with the manual, just replacing the fabric. If we were moving around, I think it would be the electric model.

[nosticks]

Having had both, I'm mixed on electric or manual. My electric is great and will be until it stops working. At that point, I'm not looking toward the manual roll up procedure. It will probably fail in the worst climatic conditions. I can just see me on a step ladder in a wind and rain storm trying to loosen some small screws at the motor end then manually rolling it up with the small strap provided and not falling or getting blown off the ladder.

[mhs4771]

We've had both and love the electric on the Monty. It's staked down right now as we're here til spring. If you put the stakes out far enough they almost line up with the awning slope. The only problem we have had is the newer units have the adjustable arms from lowering one corner and those threaded lock screws are impossible to get tight enough to keep the arms from working there way in. I fixed it the same way I did on our previous 2 TT, extended the arms to max and drilled a hole for a pin. Works for us and still only takes a minute to put up, undo the tie downs, pull the 2 pins, and hit the button.

[winter texan]

John, I agree with OZZ. When we arrive in the RGV, I put my awning out, stake it down good and roll it up 3 months later when we leave. Once we buy another new Montana, just hope I can get the manual awning.

ED