Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Awning - CAREFREE FREEDOM Roof Mount (Anyone install one ??)
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| Re: Awning - CAREFREE FREEDOM Roof Mount [message #216247 is a reply to message #216236] |
Tue, 30 July 2013 10:00   |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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| SteveW wrote on Tue, 30 July 2013 06:59 |
Greetings all -
This one looks very interesting... available with an electric motor. Deploys "armlessly" and then has legs that pull out from the leading rail. These legs can be secured back on the coach or straight down to the ground.
Anyone have any experience with this contraption ??
http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/carefree/products?action=product&productid=38&categoryid=45
Thanks,
Steve W
Southern California
1973 23'
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Steve,
That looks very similar to the "Omnistor" awning That some of us have. It is a "box" awning. The Omnistor, as I understand it, was imported from Belgium without fabric and Carefree of Colorado then added the fabric. The thing to look out for is whether or not it can be mounted to a curved surface, like the Omnistor. If it can, then it should work on a GMC roof.
IIRC, Ken Henderson was the guy who set up that group buy on the Omnistore awnings. Maybe he knows a little more about them. Jim D (Jade on the net) recently installed a box awning on his 26' coach. I think it was also an Omnistor. Maybe Carefree is importing the same model or manufacturing a similar model.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] Awning - CAREFREE FREEDOM Roof Mount [message #216266 is a reply to message #216247] |
Tue, 30 July 2013 11:52 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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That does, indeed, look like a variant of our Omnistor awnings. For
reference, here's the album of my installation:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g4173-omnistor-installation-on-23.html
Those are dated April 07, so that's when we first started getting them --
mine was one of the first group imported by Carefree of Colorado for
Richard Floyd of Vancouver Is., BC. The background is that I would never
install an awning because I didn't like the look of the arms. Then I found
the Omnistor on line and learned that Carefree had an on-going relationship
with that Belgian company.
I tried to get the Omnistors through CofC without success, so I tried to
find another way. Eventually, Marc Hogenboom put me in touch with a dealer
in Holland and agreed to guarantee payment for them to ship me a group buy
order (15 each, IIRC). Just when I was about ready to place the order,
Richard managed to get through to someone with authority at CofC. He
became the exclusive distributor for N. America of that particular model.
When Richard accumulated enough orders, CofC would have the hardware
included in one of their regular container shipments. When they arrived,
CofC installed American fabric (saving on import duties), which was
available in a much wider variety than in Europe; and, shipped the awnings
directly to the purchasers.
What a blessing that was for me!!! No hassles with getting the correct
items, dealing with import brokers, shippers, etc., etc. THANK YOU,
RICHARD!
I don't know how many awnings he eventually imported, and I think he
stopped several years ago.
With no knowledge other than the posting that started this thread, I
suspect that the recent popularity of van-based motorhomes and other
curved-edge RVs has created a market sufficient to stimulate CofC to import
some model of the Omnistor (there are several, and many different mounting
brackets). I know that Fiamma, an Italian brand, has also introduced an
awning with a similar teardrop profile.
The Omnistor is not a perfect product, but I've had no trouble with mine
and sure wouldn't trade it for any alternative I've seen. I DO ALWAYS tie
it down as soon as I deploy it -- it's not very wind resistant without that
precaution.
Ken H.
On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 8:00 AM, Carl Stouffer <carljr3b@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> SteveW wrote on Tue, 30 July 2013 06:59
> > Greetings all -
> >
> > This one looks very interesting... available with an electric motor.
> Deploys "armlessly" and then has legs that pull out from the leading rail.
> These legs can be secured back on the coach or straight down to the ground.
> >
> > Anyone have any experience with this contraption ??
> >
> >
> http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/carefree/products?action=product&productid=38&categoryid=45
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Steve W
> > Southern California
> > 1973 23'
>
>
>
> Steve,
>
> That looks very similar to the "Omnistor" awning That some of us have. It
> is a "box" awning. The Omnistor, as I understand it, was imported from
> Belgium without fabric and Carefree of Colorado then added the fabric. The
> thing to look out for is whether or not it can be mounted to a curved
> surface, like the Omnistor. If it can, then it should work on a GMC roof.
>
> IIRC, Ken Henderson was the guy who set up that group buy on the Omnistore
> awnings. Maybe he knows a little more about them. Jim D (Jade on the net)
> recently installed a box awning on his 26' coach. I think it was also an
> Omnistor. Maybe Carefree is importing the same model or manufacturing a
> similar model.
> --
> Carl S.
> '75 ex Palm Beach
> Tucson, AZ.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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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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