JoeTrekker Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Hey, Folks - I'm looking to purchase a 2008 Winnebago View with a manual awning. As a currently single dude, the prospect of a manual awning is far from thrilling to me...too much hassle for a 71 y.o. dude. I'm wondering if any of you have converted your manual awning to a power awning? Have you had good luck with that? Do you recommend Camping World to do the work? And, finally, what has it cost? As an alternative, I guess I could spend $7,000 more and buy a later year View that has a factory-installed power awning, but the 2008 rig I'm considering is in excellent condition, and I'm guessing that I can convert the awning to power for much less than the $7,000 difference. Thoughts anyone? Thanks very much for your advice and help. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimalberta Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 I am not aware of any conversions to an existing manual awning to a power setup. You can however easily have your existing awning replaced with a power awning. It should cost much less than $7000. <p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well. IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 This link to PPL motorhomes sales dept. indicates they sell a conversion kit. The downside is the pricing; ~half the cost of a new Carefree automatic model. 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 You can buy the care free arms on Amazon and do it your self if you have a carefree awning. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 The Carefree electric conversion arms sold on Amazon also fit A&E awning tubes, and at $620 plus labor are less than $7000 by a good margin. Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeTrekker Posted June 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 OMG. Okay, thanks very much everyone. I really misspoke with my original question. As JimAlberta picked up on, I meant to ask if I could replace the existing awning with a power awning, and - if so - the approximate cost. My apologies to all for misleading you with my Doofus miswording. But you've all given me great leads. Thanks so much. Looks like a manual awning can be replaced with an electric awning. Thanks all! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimalberta Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 Well....I learned something new myself. I was not aware that an existing manual awning could be converted to electric......interesting. <p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well. IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 There is currently a new arms set available (white) on ebay. $500 + $40 shipping. If the current awning is in decent shape, I would go that route. Even if the fabric needs replacing you're only looking at another.. what.. $150ish. A complete power awning assembly could easily set your back over a grand (and upward) and would be quite a project doing a full change out. As far as Camping World installation.. wouldn't even consider it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not A Clue Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 I had mine replaced by ShadePro, they came out did the replacement of arms and set up the awning for $1300.00. They have two differnet models one is adjustable and one is not, I have the Eclipse, adjustable and cost more than the traveler model. They did not replace the awning fabric as that was still in good shape. Not sure where you are located. If in their territory of near a rally that they are attending check them out. http://www.shadepro.net/ Linda & RobinBuddee (Cavalier)2009 Fleetwood Fiesta 29'2008 Vue (toad)My blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeTrekker Posted June 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 Hey, Linda & Robin - Great lead. I'll call and chat with them tomorrow. I like the idea that we could possibly meet up at a rally somewhere to do the replacement work. That's a LOT better than hanging out at a repair facility trying to read while the work is being done. Thank you! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsallyh Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 Joe, ShadePro services the Quartzite and Yuma areas during the snowbird season. They have a kiosk in the Arizona Marketplace during the winter in Yuma. Maybe other areas too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 The Carefree electric conversion arms sold on Amazon also fit A&E awning tubes, and at $620 plus labor are less than $7000 by a good margin. Perhaps I misunderstood, is that what the selling dealer charged? That $7,000 figure floored me. A Carefree 15', 12V, automatic Eclipse RV awning is $1,926.25; the 21' Eclipse is $2,066.95. Plus installation of course. 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 Perhaps I misunderstood, is that what the selling dealer charged? That $7,000 figure floored me. A Carefree 15', 12V, automatic Eclipse RV awning is $1,926.25; the 21' Eclipse is $2,066.95. Plus installation of course. The $7,000 figure came from the OP's estimate of what it would cost to upgrade to an RV model that included an electric awning, not what it would cost to install one. Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 I did exactly what you were asking about... Replaced the Manual with Electric The manual was a PITA to deploy and rarely got used, the electric gets used fairly frequently, also makes a good cover for the turf adjacent to the rig when it's raining. No wind sensor. If it's windy power it up, don't leave the awning un attended, you may find it wrapped over your trailer. Cost including different color fabric about 2300 Can$. Never regretted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 The $7,000 figure came from the OP's estimate of what it would cost to upgrade to an RV model that included an electric awning, not what it would cost to install one. AAH! Thanks for enlightening me. Man, getting old is a pain in the keister. 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 AAH! Thanks for enlightening me. Man, getting old is a pain in the keister. At 73, I completely agree with you! Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeTrekker Posted June 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 LMAO, Ray & Dutch. At 71 I'm very quickly learning that I need to step back from my emails and reread them more than once. Too often the thoughts in my brain get scattered by the time they get to my typing fingers and I end up confusing folks. Sorry, guys. Thank you for understanding. LOL. Roger, thanks for your share. I totally agree with everything you said about the manual operation being a PITA as a one-person chore. I actually thought about bringing a beach umbrella to set up in place of dealing with the awning. But then sanity descended upon me and I realized how insane that would look...although the sight might give other folks a ton of much-needed laughter in these sad times. Until January in Quartzite, perhaps I'll use a large golf umbrella and hope the sight produces some laughter. Woo-hoo! Life is good, eh, folks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 On a more serious note which I hadn't planned on bringing up, due to me not wanting to air epic failures is that one time when retracting the awning, the fingers of my right hand were trapped in the awning arm. Not enough to really hurt but enough not to allow me to pull them out no matter how hard I pulled. The long rod with the hook on it that is used to pull the awning down was on the ground out of reach of course. At 7am there wasn't anybody wandering around the park yet and I didn't want to yell for help so I tuffed it out for what seemed an eternity before a couple were spotted some distance away so I waved my left arm to get their attention. They came over and got the pull rod and pulled the awning down enough to allow me to extract my rt hand. No harm done that time. That was the moment a decision was made to scrap the manual and go electric. There is another reason which has turned out to be valuable. If the awnings are left down overnight and the wind kicks up all you need to do is make a dive for the switch and retract the awnings. If they are manual, on go the clothes , go outside, pull up tiedowns etc etc etc. My neighbor had her manual awning tied down, a good wind kicked up pulled out the stakes, flipped the awning up and bent the arm. Now she has a 600$+ bill for parts plus labor. Not all my decisions re the RV work out, this one did. Go electric and don't look back. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBH Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 Carefree also makes a wind sensor system to automatically retract the electric awning. I found mine on e-bay but don't remember off hand any part numbers. It was under a $100 and works great. It also has one touch retract so you don't have to stand there holding the switch. If someone requests I might be able to dig out part numbers. Installed on my Traveler in about two hours. Requires an extra wire/cable assy run from the motor head to the retract switch so a new hole in the side of the rig and figuring out how to run the wire through the inside to the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 I would like the numbers for the auto retract Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I would like the numbers for the auto retract Carefree (SR0093) 12V Direct Response Upgrade Kit Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Thanks Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 For added convenience... Add one of these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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