Forum Discussion

Seniorfirsttime's avatar
Aug 06, 2015

Class C awnings

Our new (used) RV has an awning rail but does not have an awning. Can I get some ideas as to the awnings I should consider? I won't be buying the best (most expensive) nor do I want "El Cheap-o". I would like quality for price. Thanks.
  • I'd consider on a manual awning, adding an awning lock, so there is 0 chance it can unfurl while going down the road. There is one for about $35 that needs to be installed, but once placed, it will ensure that the only time the awning unfurls is when you are wanting it to.
  • Thanks. A 14 foot one is currently $770 or $827 depending on whether I get standard duty hardware or heavy duty. That includes shipping. I just watched a video on the 8500 and it looks good.
  • I have the Dometic 8500 on my 26 Q,like yours, and I really like it.

    It is a 19 foot one and covers the whole side,like the factory installed ones. It was $900 installed.
  • Oklahoma. This is our first MH. I don't think I need a power unit, plus I don't want to have to wire it up. A 14 foot manual should be fairly easy to handle, I would think. Dometic 8500 looks promising. Thanks.
  • Have you had an awning previously on a RV? For a higher price, you get more features, like power operation and automatic operation. The least expensive power awning could be a step up in price and down in quality. Check the online catalogs of mainstream awning manufacturers Carefree and Dometic/A&E.

    For a manual awning, I would not recommend anything lower than the Dometic 8500; I've seen cheaper manual awnings, but they are not as well braced. The 9000 series is similar in structure but with acrylic fabric and weather shields, for almost twice the price, overlapping prices of lowest cost vinyl fabric power awnings.

    Carefree makes a vinyl fabric manual awning for about half the price of the Dometic 8500. I've helped people try to recover from wind damage on these, and that experience would keep me from recommending or buying their cheapest, unless you operate in low wind areas. However, Carefree offers a wide range of hand cranked and power awnings, some of them unbraced, that are easier to operate than the manual Dometic.