FWC Fiamma Awning

The 2.6m F45S weighs 20kg without the mounting brackets. The weight is also high up and way off the vehicle centerline, which is the worst place for vehicle handling. We take ours off when we know we won't use it, which is most of the winter season.
 
rando said:
The 2.6m F45S weighs 20kg without the mounting brackets. The weight is also high up and way off the vehicle centerline, which is the worst place for vehicle handling. We take ours off when we know we won't use it, which is most of the winter season.
Click to expand...

I also keep mass low and centered as much possible..but does the vehicle handle that much differently when you remove the 44 lbs during the winter as opposed to when it is on in the summer?

On our Hawk, although not as high up, we have all the weight of the appliances on the opposite side of the F45S...in any event and just my opinion...the awning is valuable and I would not be able to discern any vehicle handling differences with it on or off...

It would be an academic exercise, but it would be interesting to see the side to side weight distribution on the different model configurations...proof of the pudding would still come down to a subjective evaluation of how our individually kitted out FWC affected the handling on our truck of choice.

Just me thinking out loud...Phil
 
I am sure you are right - I don't specifically notice a change in handling due to the awning. But if you keep playing that game you can end up in real trouble - 30lbs here, 50lb there, no individual change makes a noticeable difference but then you end up in a roll over accident.

It is always a trade off. I have a smaller more nimble and more capable truck, but as a result I have watch my weight carefully. One of the ways I deal with this is to remove things I am not using to save weight. I removed the bed pull out and extra cushions (~50lb), and the rear seats from the truck (~100lb) because we don't use them. Instead of two lead acid batteries, we have a lithium battery that saves 70lbs. In the winter we carry chains, which adds about 40lb back in. From about October - April we really don't use the awning here in the rockies/SW as we want the sun and it doesn't rain, so if I know I am going on a trip with a full load, I will take it off. I also try not to fill the water tanks until we are near where we are headed to explore, which saves 200lbs for long highway drives. Again, each of these steps only saves a little weight, but in the end we are about 500lb lighter than if we didn't take these steps, which is noticeable. You have to use your best judgement for your situation.

Sorry for getting so far off topic! The awning is great, particularly in the summer, and is actually one of the best deals amongst the FWC options - you can't buy the awning for what it costs to add it.
 
rando said:
The 2.6m F45S weighs 20kg without the mounting brackets. The weight is also high up and way off the vehicle centerline, which is the worst place for vehicle handling. We take ours off when we know we won't use it, which is most of the winter season.
Click to expand...
I’m getting rid of mine when I’m back home, it’s to much extra weight
 
Otto,

Just to be clear, my point was not that you should get rid of the awning (unless of course you don't use it at all), but as with anything in the truck/camper consider whether you will be using it for that particular season or trip. We only consider removing ours when we know we won't use it for a significant period of time. There is no point carrying around extra weight you know you won't use. We use the awning frequently during the summer, so it stays on for the summer.
 
rando said:
Otto,

Just to be clear, my point was not that you should get rid of the awning (unless of course you don't use it at all), but as with anything in the truck/camper consider whether you will be using it for that particular season or trip. We only consider removing ours when we know we won't use it for a significant period of time. There is no point carrying around extra weight you know you won't use. We use the awning frequently during the summer, so it stays on for the summer.
Click to expand...
i totally understand, but in my case I have a real “overloaded “ issue
 
rando said:
I am sure you are right - I don't specifically notice a change in handling due to the awning. But if you keep playing that game you can end up in real trouble - 30lbs here, 50lb there, no individual change makes a noticeable difference but then you end up in a roll over accident.

It is always a trade off. I have a smaller more nimble and more capable truck, but as a result I have watch my weight carefully. One of the ways I deal with this is to remove things I am not using to save weight. I removed the bed pull out and extra cushions (~50lb), and the rear seats from the truck (~100lb) because we don't use them. Instead of two lead acid batteries, we have a lithium battery that saves 70lbs. In the winter we carry chains, which adds about 40lb back in. From about October - April we really don't use the awning here in the rockies/SW as we want the sun and it doesn't rain, so if I know I am going on a trip with a full load, I will take it off. I also try not to fill the water tanks until we are near where we are headed to explore, which saves 200lbs for long highway drives. Again, each of these steps only saves a little weight, but in the end we are about 500lb lighter than if we didn't take these steps, which is noticeable. You have to use your best judgement for your situation.

Sorry for getting so far off topic! The awning is great, particularly in the summer, and is actually one of the best deals amongst the FWC options - you can't buy the awning for what it costs to add it.
Click to expand...
we really made a mistake or 2 before we left, should have left the 4 jacks at home, 120 lbs, awning another 120 lbs, that alone would have made a huge difference, running with empty water is also 200 lbs, we are learning as we go alone, this group has been VERY helpful!!!!
 
I have to agre with you craig333. 12-14 mpg is not much difference when you look at the lighter and smaller truck market. Not to mention the space lost for going small or trying to take less.
We certainly don’t use our awning every outing, but it sure is a nice accessory when we do.
Thanks g_d we have choices in the life.

Russ
 
It is a trade off. I am sure my Tacoma TRD-OR can go more places with less stress than a 3/4 ton PU, but the trade off is that we have to be very careful about weight. Everyone prioritizes things differently.
 
Hi Rando
I bet that’s right, so glad we all have so many choices, so we can find what fits us best. Would be a bummer if it was one size fits all.

Russ
 
Would be odd thats for sure. While the truck can go most of the places I want it to, there are times I wish I had the Jeep along.

The truck choices I understand. Its the smaller things that make me scratch my head. "You don't want a heater?". Like people say no thanks to bacon. WTF? :)
 
Heh heh, well, if it's any colder than 25 degrees overnight we're not likely to be out in the camper, so our portable micro Coleman SportCat is all the heat we need out here in the desert Southwest. So we specifically didn't go with an installed heater in the shell, but bacon? Do we love bacon? TJ's applewood-smoked, bring it on, yeah baby!
Rico
 
craig333 said:
And thats why I got a 3/4 ton PU. Extra 500lbs of "stuff"? It doesn't care. Not for hauling or towing.
Click to expand...
i wish Toyota made a 3/4 tin, the Tundra is a very good truck, but it’s not quite up to the Hawk fully loaded with 2 adults and water stored, I’m at 2200 lbs or so
 
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