Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Box Awning Info (Ominstor Carefree Fiamma Box awnings)
| Box Awning Info [message #305579] |
Thu, 18 August 2016 22:29  |
Bruce B
Messages: 4
Registered: July 2016
Location: Minnesota
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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I understand that Ominstor awnings are not available in the US and that some members had them imported some years back. Does anyone know of any other way to get a new Ominstor unit today? Other posts said a similar unit can be found in the Carefree Freedom Roof Mount Box Awning or the Fiamma F65. Has anyone compared the three units and how similar are they in construction, mounting ect., to the Ominstor Also how long was the Ominstor unit members installed on a 26ft coach? I appreciated the help, just bought a 77 Clasco Kingsley 26 and want to put an awning on it but I don't want to go the Zipdee route, don't like the arms hanging off the side of the coach.
Thanks,
Bruce Bisping
Edina, MN
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| Re: [GMCnet] Box Awning Info [message #305580 is a reply to message #305579] |
Thu, 18 August 2016 23:04  |
Rob
Messages: 651
Registered: November 2013
Location: Victoria, BC
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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I had a 5m Fiamma F45 (branded as a Dometic) and hated it. It seemed too complex to function reliably and it seemed to break every other time it was opened. The final straw for me was when I closed it one evening and one of the tension cables cut deeply into one of the aluminum arms. It was slightly dark and by the time I realized it was "tight", the damage was done. I had to dismantle a fair bit in the campground to get it closed. It seemed that every time it broke, parts were $100-$200 and took 2 weeks to get here.
I tore it from the GMC when I returned home.
I'd love to get a nice, simple Zip Dee - but can't really justify the cost. I'd like to find a good used one, but don't actually spend much time searching for one…
Rob
Victoria, BC
76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
On 2016-08-18, at 8:29 PM, Bruce Bisping wrote:
> I understand that Ominstor awnings are not available in the US and that some members had them imported some years back. Does anyone know of any other
> way to get a new Ominstor unit today? Other posts said a similar unit can be found in the Carefree Freedom Roof Mount Box Awning or the Fiamma F65.
> Has anyone compared the three units and how similar are they in construction, mounting ect., to the Ominstor Also how long was the Ominstor unit
> members installed on a 26ft coach? I appreciated the help, just bought a 77 Clasco Kingsley 26 and want to put an awning on it but I don't want to go
> the Zipdee route, don't like the arms hanging off the side of the coach.
> Thanks,
> Bruce Bisping
> Edina, MN
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Rob -
Victoria, BC -
76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
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| Re: [GMCnet] Box Awning Info [message #305589 is a reply to message #305579] |
Fri, 19 August 2016 05:53 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Bruce,
I was the original instigator of the Omnistor importing. I shared your
aversion to awning arms and found the Omnistor on line. I'd found a dealer
in Holland for the Belgian Omnistors and a GMC owner there (now resident in
the US) agreed to guarantee payment for a shipment of, IIRC 5 awnings.
Just as we were about to proceed with that deal, RG Floyd, on Vancouver
Island, managed to get so someone at Carefree of Colorado (where I'd been
rebuffed) to appoint him the N. American distributor for that model of
awning.
Under that program, RGF would assemble orders from GMCers and pass them to
CoC. They would then have the 6500 series hard parts loaded in their
Sea-Land container headed this way, along with the many parts they buy from
Omnistor. Upon arrival, CoC would install US fabric, apparently of higher
quality, certainly much wider variety, and without import duties. They'd
then ship directly to RGF's customers. I don't know how many shipments
were completed, but RGF or CoC ended the program several years ago, as you
noted. I was fortunate to get one of from that first shipment.
IIRC, the awnings were available in 5 and 5.5 meter lengths, either
manually or electrically operated. I've been very happy with mine, but
there have been a few people who experienced wind damage. I NEVER leave
mine deployed without the legs vertically situated, and diagonal corner
tie-down ropes secured. The only improvement I'd like to see to the design
is more horizontal extension from the container before the legs are erected.
Other than direct importation from Europe, I don't know how one would
obtain an Omnistor today with one possible exception: I have seen recently
what appear to be the same awnings on some US-made motorhomes, so
apparently CoC IS importing a few for OEM's. A shrewd operator might be
able to persuade them to sell one, or to enter another agreement similar to
what RGF had.
I'm glad to hear about Rob's sad experience with Fiamma, which I considered
before getting the Omnistor. I'll now quit suggesting that people look at
Fiamma (headquartered in Orlando).
Those two are the only box awnings I'm aware of which have a box profile
which looks good on the GMC; all other are made to mount on the vertical
side wall of a typical "showbox".
Sorry I don't have better news for you; I hope you can work something out.
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL,
Manny Brakes & 1-Ton, Omnistor, etc., etc., etc.
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Thu, Aug 18, 2016 at 11:29 PM, Bruce Bisping
wrote:
> I understand that Ominstor awnings are not available in the US and that
> some members had them imported some years back. Does anyone know of any
> other
> way to get a new Ominstor unit today? Other posts said a similar unit can
> be found in the Carefree Freedom Roof Mount Box Awning or the Fiamma F65.
> Has anyone compared the three units and how similar are they in
> construction, mounting ect., to the Ominstor Also how long was the
> Ominstor unit
> members installed on a 26ft coach? I appreciated the help, just bought a
> 77 Clasco Kingsley 26 and want to put an awning on it but I don't want to go
> the Zipdee route, don't like the arms hanging off the side of the coach.
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Box Awning Info [message #305591 is a reply to message #305579] |
Fri, 19 August 2016 07:17 |
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Jerry Reeves of Cedar Hill, TX recently installed a Fiama 65. The salesman
at first refused to send it to him because he said it wouldn't work. Jerry
finally convinced him that he knew the risk and promised not to return it.
He did order 2 sets of mounting brackets which he slightly modified. The
installation looks very good. He is very happy with it.
Carroll Shelly, of Temple, TX, helped with the install and knows how to
modify the brackets.
(http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6965-fiama-awning.html)
bdub
On Aug 18, 2016 10:30 PM, "Bruce Bisping" wrote:
>
> I understand that Ominstor awnings are not available in the US and that
some members had them imported some years back. Does anyone know of any
other way to get a new Ominstor unit today? Other posts said a similar
unit can be found in the Carefree Freedom Roof Mount Box Awning or the
Fiamma F65.
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bdub
bdub.net
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| Re: Box Awning Info [message #305593 is a reply to message #305579] |
Fri, 19 August 2016 08:25 |
Handyman
Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Omnistore in Belgium, was sold to the big Thule Company, then the former owner started again to make their own awnings under the name of Prostore.
But after a while Dometic sold them out. That was 2014. Nevertheless Prostore is a awning "european style" like Omnistore was, to consider, they are serious and good build awnings. Now to get under the flag and name of Dometic. Quality and make will be about the same.
In origin the family of the name: Brutsaert, were the founders and constructors for both Omnistore and later Prostore awnings and other RV related products like bike-racks etc. You can see that in the B-Style as a trademark:
Since I have a Prostore awning mounted on my Hymer MH, here some pictures:
Here I was washing the awning .... pffffffffffff .... a hell of a job, but she is shining again !!
Info:
http://www.prostorbybrustor.be/EN
Now to be found at:
http://www.dometic.eu/markets/camping-caravanning/
I also had a MH were a Fiamma F-45 was mounted, they were also not that bad.
For all these european style awnings, keep in mind that they are more wind-sensitive (lighter constructed) and must rolled-in at those times.
Daniel
Daniel Jacobs, NL-USA 1977 GMC Eleganza II, Rebuild 455 (2019) 3.55 FD. FiTech and (Modified) FCC, Electric Pump, insulated GasTanks, 100A Alternator, APC, McDash, Schräder Valves + extern Fills, Ceramic Film, TPMS, FlexSteel Seats
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| Re: [GMCnet] Box Awning Info [message #305601 is a reply to message #305589] |
Fri, 19 August 2016 11:18 |
Rob
Messages: 651
Registered: November 2013
Location: Victoria, BC
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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I do wonder if the problems I had with the Fiamma were made worse by the sea air where my GMC lived for a while before I bought it (Florence & Tillamook?, OR).
Lots of the alloy parts had some light corrosion - which I tried to remedy as I went along. But it seemed like every time I had it close to working properly - another part would fail or strip! I eventually had enough. The Fiamma USA guys were not easy to deal with from Canada - I had much better luck dealing with a Fiamma dealer from the UK! Go figure… I was worried I'd spend another $500-$750 and it would still fail each time.
I have friends with Zip Dee's on Airstreams and love how simple they are. I'm not wild about the arms either - but I do like the KISS factor. Just to annoy me further - it sure appears from the sealed holes etc… on my GMC that it *HAD* a Zip Dee at some point in its past.
So - right now, we use a pop-up EZ-UP canopy. It works GREAT! In the meantime, I may use the awning fabric from the Fiamma to make a "slide-in" awning that uses telescoping poles while I wait to buy a Zip Dee (or?)...
Rob
Victoria, BC
76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
On 2016-08-19, at 3:53 AM, Ken Henderson wrote:
> Bruce,
>
> ...
>
> I'm glad to hear about Rob's sad experience with Fiamma, which I considered
> before getting the Omnistor. I'll now quit suggesting that people look at
> Fiamma (headquartered in Orlando).
>
> …
>
> Ken H.
> Americus, GA
> '76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL,
> Manny Brakes & 1-Ton, Omnistor, etc., etc., etc.
> www.gmcwipersetc.com
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Rob -
Victoria, BC -
76 Royale - Rear Twins/Dry Bath
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| Re: [GMCnet] Box Awning Info [message #305605 is a reply to message #305597] |
Fri, 19 August 2016 12:55 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Bruce,
Not being in the market, your note it the first I'd heard of the Freedom
Roof Mount. Looking at it on the web, it looks very similar to our
Omnistor, making me suspect that it's another import. That's reinforced by
their quoting sizes in meters. Which brings up a major problem:
Apparently it's a maximum of 4M-- too short even for a 23', IMHO. As big
a problem is the poor information they offer, including poor photographs,
no technical details, and no profiles. One dealer site does mention
mounting rails for "Sprinter" and "Fiat", for what that's worth.
When searching for the Omnistor, I found numerous profiles of the mounting
rails offered and was able to choose that for the "Dethleffs Premium"
(IIRC) as matching the GMC contours almost exactly. Neither I nor anyone
else I know has found fault with that choice.
Carefree may offer you better information and you might persuade them that
we need longer than 4M.
Ken H.
On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 11:22 AM, Bruce Bisping
wrote:
> Ken,
> Thanks for the post and the info on the omnistor. Do you know anyone who
> has had experience with the Freedom Roof mount unit that Carefree sells?
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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