daverave
Senior Member
I have a 3+ year old Hawk that had a 8' Fiamma F45s awning installed in the Woodland factory. The other day I decided to clean the awning after a few rainy days up in NorCal. So I got the Fiamma installation and usage instructions out to see what the recommendation for cleaning.
Reading the manual I discovered a couple of things that surprised me: one, Fiamma (pg 13) says, "We remind you that the awning is designed to protect from the sun, and not from rain, wind or snow. In these cases, we recommend to roll it up!" I get the wind and snow recommendation, but rain??? Heck that's our primary use of the awning; i.e., sitting outside during minor precipitation events. Other places in the manual they discuss wet awnings so I am assuming that the quoted verbiage was generated by their CYA lawyers.
Secondly, and more importantly, my FWC factory install (front and back ends) was EXACTLY per the "NO" diagram on page 8 of the manual which, of course, I should have no reason to read ;-) I am wondering if mine was a one off or whether FWC routinely installs Fiamma awnings in a manner that is completely contrary to the install manual. See photos.
I spoke to Fiamma and they were surprised also. They said that the install brackets on the truck should be aligned with the mechanisms on the awning as much as possible as that is where the stresses on the awning occur. Over the long haul they felt that it might compromise the integrity of the awning.
The next time we head north on I-5, I plan on stopping by the FWC factory to hear what they have to say but I am curious about others here that have had Fiamma awnings installed by FWC and whether theirs are installed like mine.
Thanks!
Dave
Reading the manual I discovered a couple of things that surprised me: one, Fiamma (pg 13) says, "We remind you that the awning is designed to protect from the sun, and not from rain, wind or snow. In these cases, we recommend to roll it up!" I get the wind and snow recommendation, but rain??? Heck that's our primary use of the awning; i.e., sitting outside during minor precipitation events. Other places in the manual they discuss wet awnings so I am assuming that the quoted verbiage was generated by their CYA lawyers.
Secondly, and more importantly, my FWC factory install (front and back ends) was EXACTLY per the "NO" diagram on page 8 of the manual which, of course, I should have no reason to read ;-) I am wondering if mine was a one off or whether FWC routinely installs Fiamma awnings in a manner that is completely contrary to the install manual. See photos.
I spoke to Fiamma and they were surprised also. They said that the install brackets on the truck should be aligned with the mechanisms on the awning as much as possible as that is where the stresses on the awning occur. Over the long haul they felt that it might compromise the integrity of the awning.
The next time we head north on I-5, I plan on stopping by the FWC factory to hear what they have to say but I am curious about others here that have had Fiamma awnings installed by FWC and whether theirs are installed like mine.
Thanks!
Dave