I have received the NX upgrade kit from ZD, and the instructions are not too clear on where to mount the upper brackets to the coach and I want to make sure I mount them in a location up there that has structure underneath, and not just fiberglass.
Question: Anybody got the NX install on their patio awning with awning mounted above the drip rail? Got pix? Anybody know what the structure in the ridge crown is like underneath all that fiberglass?
Thanks, Woody.
Our awning is mounted on the drip rail so I can't completely answer your question. However, keep in mind that in operation the NX arms are in compression and so it's not essential to have structure underneath. Our NX rails are mounted on the vertical side and there is no structure underneath. Operation appears to be fine and I'm not concerned.
On the aft end I mounted the bracket just below the drip edge, in order to accomplish this the arms that came in the NX upgrade had to be cut off about 1 inch. I cut both FWD and AFT to same length. When trying to install mine the arms were to long to fit under the edge, I called Zip Dee, they said that if you have the slider bars most likely the arms have to be cut down.
Thanks for the replies but not helping much. Here's a few pix to help out a bit. ZipDee specifies to mount the arm bracket about 5" above the drip rail, and the arms are pre-bent to make that happen. In the front I'm most likely going to have to cut the cap strip and might have to mount a backing plate inside? Coach hasn't gotten pre-snow-bird bath and as my park doesn't allow washing.
These pictures don't show the arms going above the dripline. I would not want the roller up that high as wind could really do some damage. The arms look like Airstream trailer arms.
NX Hardware Upgrade Kit (http://www.awningsbyzipdee.com/nx-hardware-upgrade-kit.html)
As I mentioned my awning attaches to the drip rail. In the rear I attached the NX bracket just a little below the drip rail and when drilling the holes it didn't feel as if there was structure underneath. On the front (just below the drip rail) I notched the trim strip and bent the bracket to fit the curvature. I didnt seem to find structure underneath the fiberglass there either. The mounts seem to be secure and since the NX rafter arms are in compression when the awning is open I am not concerned. If I begin to notice any issues I will find some way to mount reinforcements inside. Until then I will consider it a non-issue.
I have done some research on the issue of the two different mounting locations of where the awning roller meets the coach.
What I have found is that all of the coaches with ZipDee manual awnings from model year 99' and down are mounted to the drip rail molding.
From 2000 and later, there is a strip of molding that has the same 'c' channel groove as the drip rails mounted about 5" above on the radius. Under the fiberglass is an extruded aluminum profile that forms the crown radius of the roof along each side.
Attached is a drawing of the profile with dimensions of the extruded aluminum channel that forms the structural attachment of the side walls to the roof. If you have looked inside the cabinets up front with the cosmetic trim removed, you can see how far forward the channel extends (up to the end cap seams). This aluminum extrusion is what the mounting channel strip attaches to.
As I write this, I have a 22' piece of the aluminum mounting channel strip duct taped (with the miracle 3M no residue duct tape) to our roof. It has been there since we were at Xtreme earlier this year. I plan on converting our awning to this higher mounting position which will require some additional hardware from ZipDee, but that hardware will be a bit easier to get shipped than the 22' awning rail.
Don
Here are pictures of the high mounting position above the drip rail on a 2000' 2001' U270. These are pictures of Ted & Karen's coach that I took for my own reference. Ted added the NX conversion to his coach. I think he had it done by ZipDee, but not sure. Oops, the pictures I originally posted were from a different coach. I only have pictures of the front of Ted & Karen's coach and they are now replacing the incorrectly labeled pictures.
Don
I had mine installed at a service center here in southern Ohio- Southeast RV. Zip Dee said they are no longer doing installations at the factory- if they did I would have gone there. Being short I still need my 2 step stool to release the lock on the bars so I can roll it up. ;)
FYI- this is 2001 U270.........
From the picture of the locks the NX is only about 2" higher than original on theirs. My original post about wind bothering the awning seems to not be an issue.
See my edited post above. Sorry, the first picturesI posted were of a different coach.
Don,
Do you know why the awning mounting location was raised? I think I'm happy with ours mounted to the drip rail and I'm not aware of any disadvantages of the lower mounting location (unless one isn't careful not to have the awning positioned such that the door brushes against it) and so I'm looking for additional input.
Having to be (more) careful of the door swing with the lower position is my theory as to why the position was changed. Our awning has been repeatedly scored by the door's outer edge (mea Culpa :o ). I understand that some care is still required when the awning is not raised high enough to clear the door swing, but certainly the higher position has to be less susceptible to damage from errant door swings than the drip rail mounting option.
Don
Don, that drawing of the extrusion and the pictures are exactly what I need to provide assurance I will hit some substantial structure and not wires when mounting the brackets. Thanks. Also concur with your analysis that the awning heights were raised to provide more door clearance.
Still haven't heard back from FT tech support yet, but that's exactly the schematic I was looking for them to provide. Will mount the NX this afternoon given that info. Cheers all. Woody.
Here's how I mounted mine. I didn't think about the high mount position when I did mine but it sounds like a great idea.
jor
A friend had his upper mount like Jor's second photo. In that place the screws or rivets (at least the front ones) did not hit the corner extrusion. The screws were pulling out and we added a backer plate behind the fiberglass for reinforcement. I don't think the aluminum extrusion extends forward of the front cap trim strip.
FYI
For anyone that wants to raise the awning above the drip rail, you can buy 46" & 92"sections of awning rail strips off Ebay. They are UPS-able. I have used them several times, the splices cause no issues.
Cheers
Chris
2 @ 46" Gloss White Aluminum Awning Rail Trim Vintage Trailer 1 1/8" RV 39 |... (https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-46-Gloss-White-Aluminum-Awning-Rail-Trim-Vintage-Trailer-1-1-8-RV-39/233355163959?hash=item36550d3937:g:XAkAAOSwGtRXw2P2)
The longer one's have higher shipping fee's
92" Gloss White Aluminum Awning Rail Trim Molding Vintage Trailer 1 1/8" RV... (https://www.ebay.com/itm/92-Gloss-White-Aluminum-Awning-Rail-Trim-Molding-Vintage-Trailer-1-1-8-RV-39/331953693736?hash=item4d49fb6428:g:XAkAAOSwGtRXw2P2)