Custom Cargo Trailer Awning Solution
Serge is a very busy man. His full-time job as a computer networks systems designer and technical trainer with his own company keeps him working very long and hard hours during the week in the city of Montreal and surrounding area. So, when the weekend comes, he can’t wait to enjoy his two favorite pastimes, off-road and trail motorcycling in the spring and summer and moose and deer hunting in the fall. Quebec’s vast and beautiful outdoor areas provide Serge with the ideal locations to pursue his favorite activities.
Since both activities take place in the Great Outdoors, Serge must travel outside the city in his pickup truck and attached NuCamp Cirrus truck camper to enjoy them. To carry his bikes, motorcycle accessories and hunting equipment, Serge tows a specially designed 18-foot V-Nose cargo trailer fitted out to store his gear. It’s even equipped with cool aluminum roof racks for extra storage capacity.
How to Expand the Trailer’s Patio Space
Serge wanted to create a large protected space to relax outdoors at his campsite after a long day of riding or hunting activity. He wanted a larger covered space than would be possible in the relatively short and confined length under the awning install on his truck camper. So, he turned to considering the area beside his trailer and decided he wanted to add a retractable awning to that vehicle. However, to create the maximum space possible, a stock awning length would not work for him – 14 feet was too short and 15 feet would put the anchor brackets off the ends of the trailer. Serge needed something that would mount correctly into the correct places on the trailer’s frame and structure to provide maximum strength when anchoring.
So, he turned to RV Part Shop for a solution, saying: “This trailer is used mainly for off-road and trail motorcycling activities as well as the moose and deer hunting season. It’s a garage by itself with a necessary equipment to maintain motorcycles. During weekend events, it is very useful to have an awning to protect from the sun and sometimes from the rain.”
The RV Awning Solution
Knowing immediately who the best people to turn to were in order to provide Serge with a solution, RV Part Shop commissioned Carefree of Colorado to custom build an awning to Serge’s specifications. A 14-foot, 8-inch solid black vinyl awning with black WeatherGuard and black hardware castings was constructed and supplied with a set of black power Travel’r arms. The color scheme was selected to be compatible with the black exterior of Serge’s trailer. Because the roof height of the cargo trailer was lower than most RVs, travel trailers or motorhomes, RV Part Shop specified the Travel’r adjustable pitch version to allow Serge to adjust the awnings pitch for both ample headroom under his aluminum awning roller when it was extended, as well as to allow for quick water drainage during periods of rain.
The awning was built with an integrated LED light strip, and the package was made complete with the addition of a Carefree Connects Wireless Awning Control System with an Auto Retraction feature. The custom manufacturing took about three weeks, even including the time needed to ship the awning all the way via LTL freight from Carefree’s plant in Colorado to Serge’s home in suburban Montreal.
The Result
LED lights on an awning rail in a driveway in Montreal
Talking about his new awning, Serge said, “It is very handy to only push a button and walk away while the awning opens or closes by itself. This one touch function is available with the Bluetooth option purchased separately from the awning that also allows the awning to close when it detects sudden movements like wind.”
Serge also found the installation to be super easy: “The other thing everyone needs to know, is that it is very easy to install if you are at all technical. In my case, I needed to have a custom length so it could be mounted on the aluminium beams of the trailer. I encourage anyone who wants an electric awning to go forward with a purchase where you can install it yourself. It saved me a lot of money. Don’t forget that there are many colors and fabric types available for this awning from RV Part Shop so you can have it made for your preference.”
“Serge is correct.” added Richard Gastmeier, president of RV Part Shop, “We have many customers who easily install their new or replacement awnings themselves. Carefree makes it easy by including all the mounting brackets and hardware with the purchase the awning arm sets. The only thing we need to add for a complete installation is an awning rail, if required, and sealant to prevent leaking where the brackets are mounted. Carefree also has great installation manuals available online to help make the installation process easy and organized.”
Custom RV Awning Options
If you have an RV configuration that a stock RV awning will not work, a custom awning build could be the right solution for your needs. In addition to having multiple lengths available, custom awnings can be made using any one of over 200 different fabrics, and in multiple hardware colors and configurations.
“We’ve found Carefree to be best-in-class when it comes to creating custom RV awnings.”, said Gastmeier, “They offer the best variety of options, and manufacture and ship quality custom configurations quickly. We also find the overall cost to customers is only minimally more than an equivalent non-custom product, even considering the cost of shipping via LTL Transport from the Denver area across the country or even into Canada where customs brokerage fee costs have to be applied.”
Serge followed up on his previous comments by saying to other potential customers for Carefree awnings, “I hope that you’ll enjoy your future awning as much as I do mine!”
About the Author
Richard Gastmeier is the president of RV Part Shop, a proud reseller of Carefree of Colorado products. The company operates two separate e-commerce RV parts and accessories websites, one for US enthusiasts and the other for Canadian RVers, and ships Carefree products worldwide.