Awnings & Add-A-Rooms

[woodenchef]

First post woohoo, what a awesome forum - tons of information :D

I have a 7x14 enclosed trailer with a rear ramp door and a side door. I have been contemplating on 12' awning \ add-a-room for the side and a 7' awning \ add-a-room for the rear. I know they make awning specifics for the rear but the are more for toy haulers, the opening is much larger and don't think the fit would be any good for my particular application.

I have found three makers: trimline, shademaker, and carefree, all these are the bag type awnings. Does anyone own one of these? Do the doors still open when the awning is rolled up and left on track or does it hang to low. Any pros \ cons to any of these or suggestions you can shoot my way before I go out and buy.

I haul a couple ATV's and would like to double the trailer as a sleeper, nothing fancy. It would be nice to lower rear ramp door and have the awning \ add-a-room setup. I would put a air mattress in there for sleeping and at night I would park the ATV's under the side awning.

[jwhite]

What I plan to use myself is a ezup type canopy like you can buy at walmart,I was told that sam's club sells them that has the walls you can add both the solid and screen type > they can also be found on Ebay.
For me I am planning to go to sporting clays events as a vendor and I may not always be able to have my trailer parked in a ideal position to use a awning or may not have the trailer close to use.

This past summer my buddy had a Ezup and we would move it so that we were in the shade the whole time regardless of where the sun was during the day.

I was planning to buy a awning with the add-a-room myself and had a chance to buy a couple on Ebay.
I read on another message board that a few people that had the (Add-A-Room) said they were so hard to put up and take down that they never used them unless they were camping in one spot for a long time but for one weekend they were to much trouble to put up and take down.

I may buy 2 Ezup canopies just in case I want to leave one at 1 location and have 1 at another location or put them together and have a 20x10 shaded area.
I have used these before at craft shows and can put them up and move them by myself.
another thing about the Ezup is at night we can park our golf carts under them and lower them down so they are covered.
The down side is they are very prone to flying off in the wind so you have to have weights or stake them down somehow.
If you wanted to make a screen wall yourself you can buy it in rolls at lowes it comes in 84 inches x 25ft and have it sewn to fit,I bought some myself and I am planing on makeing a screen wall that I can put in place when my rear ramp door is down.
I will also make the walls myself for the canopies if everything works ok.

[bobhenry]

Look closely at the side drip rail ....







Sorry had to find Jeff's pics of his cargo setup

It is a simple plain jane tarp folded over on itsself around a 1/4 fiberglass rod ( survey stakes at a farm store )

He has refined his set up to provide clearance for the side door. I'll go look and be back ........

[woodenchef]

[quote="jwhite"]What I plan to use myself is a ezup type canopy like you can buy at walmart,I was told that sam's club sells them that has the walls you can add both the solid and screen type > they can also be found on Ebay.
For me I am planning to go to sporting clays events as a vendor and I may not always be able to have my trailer parked in a ideal position to use a awning or may not have the trailer close to use.

This past summer my buddy had a Ezup and we would move it so that we were in the shade the whole time regardless of where the sun was during the day.

I was planning to buy a awning with the add-a-room myself and had a chance to buy a couple on Ebay.
I read on another message board that a few people that had the (Add-A-Room) said they were so hard to put up and take down that they never used them unless they were camping in one spot for a long time but for one weekend they were to much trouble to put up and take down.

I may buy 2 Ezup canopies just in case I want to leave one at 1 location and have 1 at another location or put them together and have a 20x10 shaded area.
I have used these before at craft shows and can put them up and move them by myself.
another thing about the Ezup is at night we can park our golf carts under them and lower them down so they are covered.
The down side is they are very prone to flying off in the wind so you have to have weights or stake them down somehow.
If you wanted to make a screen wall yourself you can buy it in rolls at lowes it comes in 84 inches x 25ft and have it sewn to fit,I bought some myself and I am planing on makeing a screen wall that I can put in place when my rear ramp door is down.
I will also make the walls myself for the canopies if everything works ok.[/quote]

I will definitely look into your suggestion, it sounds like a plan and probably a much cheaper one.

[woodenchef]

[quote="bobhenry"]Look closely at the side drip rail ....[/quote]


Yes, I did look at both rear and side and there is not much space maybe 4" tops, the other thing is I would probably have to replace the drip rail with the awning track. The sloped roof already starts above the drip rail and there would be room to screw the awning track above this. Something else to consider and contend with I guess.

I have seen several photos of cargo trailers with them though so it must be doable. I do like the previous posters comments regarding the EZ up, something i will look into as well. I am in Canada so hopefully the Wally's carries them here...

[LShrew]

This is what we use over the ramp. We also put jacks under the ramp and make a porch/deck. Real nice when it rains.

[woodenchef]

That's awesome you can back right into that basically (stand alone unit I assume, not attached in anyway?).

Is it hard to setup for weekend camping and it looks like it has privacy flaps? I would end up putting the air mattress on ramp for summer camping

[nevadatear]

Another direction to consider is a custom awning. I had one made from our tear and absolutely love it. It is a Marti Awning, which many folks on this forum have used (Doug hodder and gage included). It is not cheap, but in the same range as the manufacturers you indicated, and custom made to your specs and color. She makes both rail type and the screw latch type. She specializes in vintage type awnings. I will try to put some pics in my album. Maynot be what you are looking for, but Just another option... http://trailerawning.blogspot.com/

[LShrew]

Yes it is stand alone. I have the mesh screen sides but you can also get the solid for more privacy. It takes about 10 minutes tops to put up and take down. The sides just velcro to the frame. Very easy. The flaps you see are just the screening pulled back so it is easier to get into and out of the trailer. I have had that Easy-up for about 18-20 years and the frame is as solid as when I first got it. The top will probably need replaced soon but we really like it.

[woodenchef]

Thanks for that photo, it very much helps with the other angle. Glad I found this site, so many different idea's and options that did not cross my mind.

[Shadow Catcher]

Talked with Jeff and Mike at Pahaque custom design Monday (trip to San Diego to speak) and have seen what they can and have done. Think I have them convinced to come to Minden for ITG 4, Jeff sees towables as the only growing segment of the RV industry and we talked about a number of ideas.

[woodenchef]

For those with the roll up bag type awnings. Did you fasten the awning rail right on your aluminum roof just before the curvature to gain the height to open and closed door when rolled up? Did you use rivets or SS screws, any procedure I should follow.

Thanks again for all the responses.

Anyone - bump - bump :)