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Old 09-03-2018, 05:38 PM   #1
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2017 Wildcat 29RLX Awning

The awning on the 5th wheel listed in the title leaves much to be desired, mainly because it's very high and basically extends straight out and doesn't really give us much shade.
I was visiting a friend in another 5th wheel and their awning setup seemed very similar to ours, but theirs appeared to come down much further than ours and after comparing them I believe the difference is that theirs has more awning fabric on the roll and subsequently extends further out and down.
I'm thinking all I have to do is buy a new awning of the same width but with more material on the roller tube, so it would extend further. Has anyone done this type of modification to their power awning? Thanks
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Old 09-04-2018, 02:19 PM   #2
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If it's like ours, once you extend the awning, you should be able to fold the bottom 2-piece arm and lower the outer edge a good bit. Just be careful folding the arm, because it's a pinch point if your hand is in the wrong place.
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Old 09-04-2018, 07:32 PM   #3
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If it's like ours, once you extend the awning, you should be able to fold the bottom 2-piece arm and lower the outer edge a good bit. Just be careful folding the arm, because it's a pinch point if your hand is in the wrong place.
Are you talking about the spring loaded slider and knob that allows you to pitch your awning one way or the other? I've slid both sides in in this way and it does bring it down some, but it is still too high to be of much use IMO. I didn't think the awning arms could fold in such a way to make it come down more. I know they fold back against the camper when they close, but I will have to look to see if they fold some other way when I'm camping this weekend. Thanks.
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Old 09-05-2018, 12:36 PM   #4
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I was thinking you had a power awning, but it sounds like you have a manual awning.

You could probably get an awning shade (drape) that slides in the tube and hangs close to the ground.
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Old 09-06-2018, 05:44 AM   #5
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I do have a power awning. The only parts that are manual are tilt adjusters located on each end of the awning.
I've attached a couple of pictures, one of them shows awning rails similar to mine on my friends RV that came down lower due to having more awning fabric I believe and the other is a picture of my awning extended at our last camping trip.
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Old 09-06-2018, 05:49 AM   #6
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Notice in the picture of my Wildcat how the awning basically extends straight out with very little pitch. It is my belief that if I had more awning material on the roll that the awning would be able to come down lower and be more effective as a sun shade and allow the rain to run off better.
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Old 09-06-2018, 06:23 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Cujo7240 View Post
Notice in the picture of my Wildcat how the awning basically extends straight out with very little pitch. It is my belief that if I had more awning material on the roll that the awning would be able to come down lower and be more effective as a sun shade and allow the rain to run off better.


Have you tried bringing it in just a bit? I noticed at the end of your awning the piece that should hang down a few inches doesn’t seem to be there. That usually happens when I’ve put the awning all the way out. If you bring it in, just a little, it should pitch down and the overhang flap should be visible.
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Old 09-06-2018, 07:23 AM   #8
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In your photo the campsite is not very level,,,
so the top of your Wildcat is pretty High !!!
Much higher than our little Sunseeker,,, one step to get in ours !!!
Looks like your best bet would be to add on to the flap ???
GOOD LUCK !!!
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Old 09-06-2018, 07:25 AM   #9
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How about an Easy-Up,,,
would probably cost much less that a new awning !!!
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Old 09-06-2018, 03:07 PM   #10
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You may could have a custom awning made, but RV awnings are a standard 8'.

They do make two different sizes of hardware and it looks like you got the longer set. If you had the shorter set you could lower them down and that would tilt the awning more.
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Old 09-06-2018, 03:41 PM   #11
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Have you tried bringing it in just a bit? I noticed at the end of your awning the piece that should hang down a few inches doesn’t seem to be there. That usually happens when I’ve put the awning all the way out. If you bring it in, just a little, it should pitch down and the overhang flap should be visible.
The flap that you're referring to was just stuck to the top due to moisture and once it dried out it fell down where it was supposed to be. Actually if I let it roll out further it actually comes down further. That is why I feel it the fabric on the roller tube was longer, the awning would come down further.
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Old 09-07-2018, 09:23 AM   #12
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How about an Easy-Up,,,
would probably cost much less that a new awning !!!
I'm considering this option as well, any recommendations? One if my friends has a Coleman version he likes, but I have not owned one of these before, so it would be nice to hear what people like as well as what they don't like.
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Old 09-07-2018, 09:52 AM   #13
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I'm considering this option as well, any recommendations? One if my friends has a Coleman version he likes, but I have not owned one of these before, so it would be nice to hear what people like as well as what they don't like.
Guessing you could find one with The NY Giants logo on it ???
LOL !!!

Would not want to leave one up in heaven wind !!!
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Old 09-07-2018, 01:49 PM   #14
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You may could have a custom awning made, but RV awnings are a standard 8'.

They do make two different sizes of hardware and it looks like you got the longer set. If you had the shorter set you could lower them down and that would tilt the awning more.
I just measured mine and it is only 7-1/2' long, I guess that would make my awning sub-standard then ;-)
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Old 09-07-2018, 02:41 PM   #15
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I just measured mine and it is only 7-1/2' long, I guess that would make my awning sub-standard then ;-)
Not really, there's some ± in the measurement and I'm sure that they count the flap in the measurement.

I still think with the different hardware, it'd be lower. Look at the pictures of your awning and your friends awning and you'll see that your hardware is from the awning rail to the trim on the overhang, and your friends hardware is a few inches lower than the awning rail and the bottom of it is a few inches above the overhang trim.

I'd suggest you do a couple of things. Go to your local dealer and if they have a unit like yours, look at the hardware and also ask them if you can measure the awning fabric with it fully extended.
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Old 09-07-2018, 02:48 PM   #16
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We have the same issue with our Wildcat 29RLX awning. It catches the wind easy but does not provide much shade. It is really the only issue we have with our unit, except cheap furniture.

How did you attach you front stabilizers? I have my sides one attached, but the floor of the front storage area seemed to flimisy to bolt through.
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Old 09-07-2018, 04:06 PM   #17
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We have the same issue with our Wildcat 29RLX awning. It catches the wind easy but does not provide much shade. It is really the only issue we have with our unit, except cheap furniture.

How did you attach you front stabilizers? I have my sides one attached, but the floor of the front storage area seemed to flimisy to bolt through.
The kit comes with stiffener plates and I put one on the inside and one on the inside and it appears to working very well. I'm glad I added these JT StrongArm stabilizers. I still need to install the rear stabilizers, but I need to add a cross member to install them yet, since none exists near the rear stabilizers.
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Old 09-07-2018, 04:16 PM   #18
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They do make two different sizes of hardware and it looks like you got the longer set. If you had the shorter set you could lower them down and that would tilt the awning more.
I'll have to check on the different hardware that are available for this type awning to see if I can correct this awning issue. Sometime I think the engineers that develop these RV's should have to camp in them for a week or so to test their designs!
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Old 09-07-2018, 04:17 PM   #19
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Thanks, we have the BAL stabilizers and we love them too, of the 2 I have installed. I'll just have to make some plates to install the other 2.
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