Help! Need new awning

PPL motorhome in Texas is where I bought mine. They had the cheapest price I could find and thet were helpful in making sure I got the correct one ordered.

Is not this cover by the insurance company? At least must of it well that depends on the deductible.

lkay22 wrote:
I forgot to put one side of the awning lower and surprise-surprise we had a torrential rain overnight and destroyed our awning (rookie move, I know).

Mistake #1 :(

We're told we have the "older style arms" that AE/Dometic made I don't have a model number for our awning as it was thrown away after the rainfall disaster.

Mistake #2. :R

Given the year and model of your trailer there's a good chance you have a Dometic A&E 8500 manual awning - one of the best and still in the current lineup. The key to replacing fabric is to take a pic of the label affixed to it 'cause with that information any dealer can get an exact replacement directly from Dometic. Since you've tossed the fabric look for label on either the roller tube or vertical arms or both ... a production number would ID this awning exactly but so too would a serial number, particularly from the roller tube. The dealer won't have that info but all he has to do is supply it to Dometic tech support and they can tell him the current fabric replacement that would be needed to fit this awning.

A tip ...

Good idea to take pics of any identifying labels on everything you can think of in the trailer, for future reference. With that info any dealer can source the correct replacement parts, without that information it can be a real chore.

thanks for the feedback. the roller tube and everything was lost... the campground was nice enough to remove it for us before I realized they took all the model info too. I'll unhook the arms and look for model information someone inside them to see if they offer any help

I got my replacement awning from Dyers RV: http://www.dyersonline.com/ They have all the parts you need. Good quality awning material too.

lkay22 wrote:
the roller tube and everything was lost...

That's unfortunate as that's the information you'd need ... label on the hardware will only tell you what type it is, whether standard or tall height, and confirm whether it's for an 8500 or not. The good news is you can buy a new roller tube with fabric already installed, the bad news is you'll have to pay a freight charge to have it shipped from Dometic to the dealer as a roller tube has to travel in the back of an 18 wheeler due to it's length. Identifying the hardware will certainly confirm whether it's an 8500 or Sunchaser but you still need to know the length of the awning - to do that, measure between the centre of the left arm and the centre of the right arm. Provide that info to your dealer along with any information you can gather about the hardware so they can in turn ask Dometic for the current replacement roller tube with fabric that will match your hardware. If you can't find any label on the hardware take pics and provide those to your dealer who will then either identify just which hardware kit you have or forward them to Dometic tech service for confirmation.

Don't beat yourself up over it. I know, easy for me to say. But, will not be the first goof, won't be the last.

Is there a master list with your trailer you may have gotten at purchase time, showing all the serial numbers of appliances,tv, awning, etc? I have received these when purchasing new. It could also be posted somewhere in a cabinet door inside.

Maybe if brochures came with the trailer, if bought used, former owner may have written the sn of awning on awning brochure.

Here's a cheaper suggestion.... Get an easy up type canopy or two to use instead of an awning. They are easy for two people to deploy and will hold up to rain and wind gusts if secured properly. I'm beginning to see more and more RV'ers using the pop up type canopies

found a brand new one on craigs list in the box and its electric,$200.bucks take a look you might find one.

My 2008 POPUP model awning has finally got all eaten up by the sun's UV's... Debating on which way to go to replace it...

For now I think I will just get a 10x10 EZ-UP patio tent from WALMART and just move it up close to the trailer so we can walk under if it is raining...

That will let me look longer for something and you can always find a use for the PATIO TENT somewhere when camping...

Roy Ken