Awning collapse

[Don Horner]

I have a Leisure Travel Free Spirit LSS with a Carefree box awning. Recently, on a trip to Hiawassee, GA, I left the awning open when we went to bed. The skies were clear and I never gave a thought to the awning. About an hour after we went to bed, there was a very heavy downpour that overwhelmed the awning. I heard a CRASH and went outside in the rain with a flashlight.

I found the awning collapsed, the support arms bent into an "L" shape, the ends of the box housing on the roof bent outwards like a banana, one of the articulating arms pulled loose from the track and a rip in the awning material where that arm poked through. Fortunately, there was no body damage or paint scratches.

I managed to get it back into the housing enough to return home, and I'll be heading to the dealer next week to talk about a replacement. I haven't checked yet, but I'm hoping insurance will cover it after the deductible.

I've had awnings on full-size motor homes for years without problems, but I failed to consider how weak the support arms are on this model box awning.

Before I replace it, I'm curious as to whether the Fiamma awning is any better, or if any other awning is stronger and might fit.

The Carefree awning on the LSS model looks like a custom job, painted silver and striped to match the Leisure Travel paint scheme. Standard 13' Carefree box awnings retail at around $1,000 plus installation; I expect that having the custom paint and striping added will add to the botom line. Carefree does sell a much stronger box awning designed for Class A coaches in a 14' length that I think will fit, but the cost is much higher -- almost $4,000 with an automatic wind and rain sensor that retracts the awning. I hate to spend that much, but I also hate the thought of having to retract the awning every evening and every time we leave the coach.

Before I replace it, I'm curious as to whether the Fiamma awning is any better, or if any other awning is stronger and might fit. Does anyone have experience with a stronger awning?

[Zach Woods]

Hello Don -

I have never seen a Carefree awning up close so I can not compare them to others. My Westfalia came with a Fiamma and overall it has gotten the job done. I would not leave it open in very windy conditions but I am pretty sure that as long as I set it up at an angle that would allow the water to drain that it would not allow puddling to the level that there would be a collapse.

I have heard a few other folks say that Fiamma is the awning to go with for small / Class B installations.

You might want to look at Fiamma's materials to see if you can notice any differences in design or construction: http://www.fiammausa.com/PDFs/usa228/usa228_4-5.pdf

Good luck!

[theredtiburon]

Winnebago View-Navion's have A&E versions of Fiamma awnings. According to Fiamma, box awnings are not supposed to be left open in storms. It can stretch the fabric and prevent them from rolling up correctly. It shouldn't be too hard to install the A&E. Camping World carries them and installs them.

Tom 2007 Winnebago View H

[BaywoodBill]

I've known of a whole lot of awnings that have failed in storm conditions. As a result, I am very cautious and will pull up the awning at the slightest hint that more than a little breeze will come along.

I also have a Free Spirit but not the LSS. Mine has a Fiama awning.

[Don Horner]

Well, I went to the dealership for service and met the insurance adjuster there. It's covered, less my deductible. The service tech definitely likes the Fiamma more than the CareFree, and it was $3 less ($965/$968), which made the adjuster happy. He allowed for removal and installation, and painting and striping the new awning to match the LSS paint scheme (the old awning was also painted and striped to match). With tax and delivery charges, the total came to $1989 and I got a check for $1489.

The new awning had to be ordered, of course. The service tech said he might as well remove the old one, because it was bent like a banana and might have come open. That's when we found out that Leisure Travel used generous amounts of 3M 5200 adhesive/sealant to install it. They had to use a heat gun to soften the adhesive, and it still pulled patches of paint off the van. We called the adjuster, he came back out, and authorized the body shop to fill the holes, sand off the remaining adhesive and repaint the 3 spots where the paint pulled off. That will likely add a few hundred dollars to the total, and he will issue me a supplemental check when the total is determined.

The awning is on order now. However, we're leaving Saturday on a cruise for 26 days until Dec 22, so I probably won't be able to get it installed until after Christmas.

I've had motor homes for many years and long ago learned the trick of setting one corner lower to let the water run out. I had one corner of my awning set as low as the cantilever arms on the box awning would allow it to go. When we went to bed, the sky was clear and there was no sign of rain. This storm came up so fast, and dumped so much water in such a short time, I doubt I could have rolled it up quickly enough even if I was sitting under it. It was the vertical arms on the awning that were so flimsy they easily bent and collapsed; it the Fiamma arms are that flimsy, I'm going to have to get some sort of supplemental arms that I can splint to them to add strength. An awning is useless if it can't be used to shelter from rain.

[BMA]

A friend uses a set of bowed ribs that go under the awning and make it bow up some. This helps keep pockets of water from forming durring rain. The issue he has with them is high winds can cuse the awning to flap and them to fall. They really need to be fastened at each end.