AFrame attached tent room

[neil.ervin]

I'm posting this info so it will be a part of this thread...........

There are two nice videos on www.youtube.com. one for setup, the other for takedown. very nice but short videos. Search for 'dometic screen room'.

i thought it very interesting when the gal 'steps into' the trailer in order to attach the tent to the wall's edge. It looks like a VERY easy way to attach the tent while I was fussing and fuming trying to do the attachment from the outside of the trailer.

Oh well, dummies do learn the hard way (referring to me!).

[handbuilder]

Sounds like practice will make 'perfect'. I am guessing you just need to develop your own routine and comfort level in putting it up. You are waaaay ahead of me! Mine is still in it's bag, in the shop, in the camp corner with the tents, coolers, lanterns and stuff. ROFL

[DGrissom]

The lady in the video makes it seem so easy!

Attaching the material to the wall is easy. Jo Ann handles the inside apex area. I'm on the outside finishing the Velcro to around 10 inches from the end. In our installation, we bring the corners over the roof "caps" at the base of the roof panel (other have success with under). For some reason it doesn't work well with our A128S.

The hard part to me is the "outside work" assembling the poles in the correct sleeves, etc.

However, as Handbuilder indicated "practice makes perfect". We used to complain some about it and I can quickly and easily put it up by myself now if necessary.

We really enjoy the extra room! It works great for both shade and flying insects. In the cooler weather (during the winter months) it would warm up somewhat with a small heater in it. Last time out we used it without the front door just to give us a little shade and protection from the rain.

If you think you're a "Dummy" scope out some of my old posts about ours from early last year!

[kixonrt66]

I could see where a screen room would be a big advantage if you are having to deal with bugs, especially mosquitoes. It would be very nice to be able to leave the camper door open and not have it filled up with biting mosquitoes and such. Most of the places where we go camping are either dry enough or are at sufficient altitude that mosquitoes are not a problem...a few gnats perhaps, but not mosquitoes. After growing up in Houston I've had a lifetime's worth of mosquitoes, chiggers, ticks and roaches...UUUGGH! I've also had my fill of heat, humidity and crowds. I moved to New Mexico 13 years ago and never looked back. Getting up into the high country is never more than a hour away now and our EZ up serves us well because we do not have to deal with bugs. It's really nice to be able to sit outside the camper in the cool, dry evening air and enjoy a small campfire without bugs. We camped out a lot last summer...I haven't turned the A/C on yet. The furnace yes, not the A/C.

Kix

[handbuilder]

A nice thing with EZ Ups is that like sidewalls, one can purchase screen walls if wanted. I love the sidewalls. They roll up, they zip together to make an enclosed room and they buffer the wind when the desire to be outside hits.

[ko777]

I like my screen room and it is easy for me to setup after using it several times now. I was lucky on most of my trips so far at the end I was able to store it dry. I can imagine the head ache drying it at home. I got a cheap pop up tent http://m.sportsmansguide.com/Product.aspx?a=1157591 but it does not have the sidewalls option. If I know there is rain forecast on the last day of my trip, I will hesitate to put up the screen room. I think it will be much easier to dry up the pop up tents because of less material. Here is the link that looks like yours http://m.costco.ca/.product.10344497...ontent=Default Can you verify if it is as good/similar specs as the EZ brand? On-location deluxe instant canopy is this brand name.
I am eager to put an order but I will wait...
Do you have link of a good EZ Ups deal?

I like to have both options and/or use both in my future trips.

[handbuilder]

Hi Ko777 - I have the actual EZ Up brand canopy but I am familiar with Costcos pop up. I do like it, I think its a little heavier than mine but a great quality plus its Costco! Any problems and you can easily return it!
I think this screen room would work as long as its the same size as the canopy frame. The sides are hook and loop velcro attached to the frame. You can shop around online for them, but did see online at Kmart.com for 47-. Cabelas also sells and sometimes put on sale
Another very affordable screen room I have studied (in use at the dog shows) is the Coleman brand. Putting it up is a breeze! But I havent seen one taken down, I would guess (like anything new) with practice a few times, itd be a cinch! At least that is what I am told by the owners. I really like the Coleman pop up screen room that is a bargain at Costco! May buy one before the season over if I dont get the sidwalls.( I still have my first EZ Up I bought in 1993 - its beat up blueExpress model that DH keeps telling me to trash, but the frame is still good and works for additional shade when extra canopies are needed)

[handbuilder]

Ive seen some great deals on Ebay that include the kick butt sidewalls...just search EZ Up canopy and look out for the knock offs. Look for the logo at the top right corner of the canopy

[ko777]

So many choices, I like the ones that have windows or a screen wall. Thanks for your input HB.
For now I'll use a tarp and my cheap pop up tent this weekend camping. Rain is forecast on my last day, I'll miss not having the screen room up.

[Jsusluvsyou]

We are camping on Tampa bay and the bugs are out. Mosquito netting is a must

[neil.ervin]

Oh boy........Third try for installing AFrame Dometic tent.

*(&(%&^#$#@&%*&()_*(^&$$%#$%$&^^

On the Olympic peninsula we often get light breezes. Breezes that make it very difficult to put the tent up. One of the D ring straps at the bottom of the corner down tubes pulled out. Not sure how I will reattach. Looks like it was secured (?) with a pop rivet. I might drill a hole thru the tube and use an machine eye bolt and nut. Get rid of the D ring thingy!

But more seriously, does the tent get any more stable when fully installed? We do have some winds out here. Before I endure another installation I'd like to know it will withstand the winds of a storm.

Also, someone recommended using 6 1/2' 2x4 under stabilizer jacks to attach tent side bottoms, but really 8' is needed, maybe even a foot longer than 8'. Question was: how to carry 2x4 that is longer than will fit inside the front storage box. Idea.... Cut 2x4 into two pieces, lay two wide sides on ground. screw steel strap hinge onto 1 1/2" side of 2x4 and an eye screw - latch hook onto the other side. This might work...!!!! and keep the 2x4 straight, preventing the 2x4 from flipping up.

Thoughts?

[Pooneil]

I haven't put mine up yet because it won't fit in the tight parking spot. My thoughts for the board was to use a deck board instead of a 2X4 because of the slightly lower stub toe factor. Cut the board in two and put a hinge on one of the broad sides. Place the hinge face down when using so it won't bend upward. I just hate having things underfoot so I need to see just what trouble this all is.

For regular pop up canopies, some people use flower pots filled with concrete anchors. Either turn the pot upside down or use it rightside up filled with plastic flowers, if that is your style.

[ko777]

Originally Posted by neil.ervin

Oh boy........Third try for installing AFrame Dometic tent. *(&(%&^#$#@&%*&()_*(^&$$%#$%$&^^ Thoughts?

Don't give up...I have setup the screen room 6 times and it now only takes me 20 minutes to set it up down from over an hour the first time. I got the pop up type shelter too and I use it to extend the shelter with the screen room. Taking home the screen room wet is my worst nightmare so I listen to the weather forecast if there is rain on the last day of my trip, if rain, I use a 20x15 tarp to replace the screen room...

This is the first time I setup like this and I see setting up the screen room under the tarp may keep it dry, something to try on my next trip.

Just review what I have posted in page 1 of this thread to help with the setup. My setup replaces 10 pegs and the 6.5 ft logs fits perfectly in the front storage, this is enough to secure the bottom of the SR.

I have experience over 20 mph wind but I had trees to secure the 2 front top corners strap of the SR. On a wind storm, I would not set up any tarp or any shelter if I could not secure them on trees. In one of my trip I used my TV to secure the tarp.

Good Luck!

[handbuilder]

ROFL Neil!

I am sorry....but your post sounds like something I might say should I ever try to set mine up! I understand the wind factor - we get some pretty strong gusts that shake the house. Our firsy trip out this year, we had wind gusts up to 50 mph...I couldnt imagine how much stress that would put on my trailer walls if I had the room attached. I just dropped the EZ Up canopy height & crossed my fingers the stakes would hold. I did bungee the center of the canopy to the aquatainer as well as a couple bungees to the large wire dog crates.
We get crazy winds & weather in the NW dont we? Come on, hang in there! You are further along in putting it p than I have ever been! I only read the instructions and looked at the parts and.put it back in the bag. haha

[neil.ervin]

Last trip out it started misting, as it often does on our side of the Olympic National park. So I put my reclining chair inside my shower tent and continued reading my book!

But I would like something larger than a shower tent for heavier rain and also to allow nice neighbors to sit with me and talk about good places to camp. Everything I would want in a tent room is designed into the AFrame Dometic tent but it is such a pain to put it up.

If it is not windy I'll try again while camping with my brother and nephew this week at Lake Kachess, WA.

[neil.ervin]

Success.....................Finally, but worth it.....

It was really nice having the screen room up during the two days of very light rain.

1) I replaced the D-ring strap located at the bottom of both down tubes. Drilled the old rivets out with 3/16" bit. And continued drilling all the way thru the aluminun tube. Inserted 3/16" eye bolt, with washers on both sides of tube, followed with a lock washer and nut. I will be cutting excess length off the eye bolt with a hack saw and then will use a file to dress up the sharp edges.

2) I used an 8" concrete block at the bottom of each down tube, inserting a 24" bungie hook into the eye bolt, wrapping the bungie under and over the concrete block and then back to eye bolt (but hooking the bungie ends together). This made for a secure down tube. Another posting suggested using what looked like a 10 gallon water bottle.

[handbuilder]

WAY TO GO!! CONGRATS ON YOUR SUCCESS!!

Wheres the pictures?

[neil.ervin]

I don't have pictures.........Don't have digital camera and no camera on my cell phone. Life is so difficult without modern conveniences.......