New Trailer and Screen room

[mikehhfx]

Hi All

My first visit to this site.

We just purchased a new 2007 Flagstaff 176LTD.

Also bought an add on screen room.
The screen room is made by Dometic Corp and is called a Trimline Screenroom.

Are all the screenrooms after market products, I assumed that the screenroom would have been made or supplied by Forestriver (Flagstaff) and been made for my trailer. Is this a wrong assumption?

Also we tried putting it up tonight, it seems like a real pain to setup, then there are holes where the walls meet the storage bag at the top corners of the awning, this this normal?

It cames with these Twist connectors that I am supposed to drill into the trailer at the points on the trailer sides, I'm not sure I want to do this , would strips of velcro work at these points?

Anybody have any experience with these screenrooms.

Cheers Mike H

[kwatson51]

Hi, and welcome!

It is not unusual to have the awning, screen room, fridge, heater, converter, potty, stove axles, wheels, and other stuff made by different mfrs.. Looks to me like the only thing that Fleetwood, Startcfraft, Jayco, Viking etc. actually make is the box itself, the roof and maybe the tent, lifter and frame. I wouldn't be concerned. Basically, that's the same thing construction folks do in building a house.

We have the Trimline screen room as well, although it is 6 years old (same as the PUP). It has never been put up as far as I can tell. We are going out this weekend and will try it. I may come back with the same question.

Congrats on the new PUP!

[tlhdoc]

Welcome to PUT.  It would not surprise me if your screen room and awning are made by someone else.  Some of the PU manufacturers make their own awnings and screen rooms (and those need to be installed on the camper too), but some manufacturers don't and buy from an awning company.  Even if the manufacturer does make awnings, some dealers prefer other brands and don't use the manufacturers awning.  I installed my AAR (add a room) on my Fleetwood trailer and there were some hooks and snaps that had to be drilled then screwed into the trailer and awning rail.  Velcro would not keep the room attached.  I am planning on adding more screws to help hold things in place.

[mikehhfx]

Thanks for the responses.  My wife and I used to go tent trailering with our parents, Both parents had tent trailers (We did not know each other) and they were tho old type that was basicly a tent,  on top of a trailer.

I am going to put this togather and make it bug tight. The screen skirt that goes along the bottom of the trailer does not allow for the step, so I am going to cut a slit to slip over the step, then renforce it with someting, maybe sew some canvas on the edges of the slit.

If anybody want to see our travels we will be posting our popup adventures with photos and reviews of the camping sites on our web site.

http://www.sea-novascotia.com


Cheers and talk at ya soon

[hobbystuff]

Woudl like ot hear how this goes- we bought add-a-room for our Fleetwood Sun Valley andI am  DREADING putting up- so many posts on what a pain it is- plus dealer saying ic can be "tricky" argh... :-)

Linda

[tlhdoc]

Woudl like ot hear how this goes- we bought add-a-room for our Fleetwood Sun Valley andI am DREADING putting up- so many posts on what a pain it is- plus dealer saying ic can be "tricky" argh... :-)
 
Linda

My AAR is the Fleetwood one and it really isn't that bad to put up.  If you have to install the hardware hang as much of the AAR as you can before you start drilling.  The other thing I found helpful was to cross out any section of the directions that don't have to do with your trailer.  My directions had information for the Grand Tour and the Destiny line of trailers and reading both would get me confused.  Also if you attach your AAR when the roof is only half way up it is much easier to do than to attach it to the awning, with the awning over your head.  Good luck with the set up and if I can help you out let me know.
 
FYI: I am going camping for 2 weeks and I don't know if I will be online during that time.

[kwatson51]

Well, Mike, I told you I'd get back and share my experience. And what an experience it was! We set up completely, and after relaxing a bit, I figured I'd put up the screen room. Had my buddy help me lug it out of the truck, shuck the case from it and unfold it. Good Lord! that puppy is heavy!
Finally figured out which end was up and which side was the 'inside'.  As others have said, it's easier to do this while the awning is low, but I did it the hard way. Reasoning that the long side was the front and the short sides were the "sides", we commenced to zipping it up. That was pretty tough and took 2 grown men to handle the beast. The ladies were inside tying the straps to the poles and rolling up the flaps to get some air circulation.

Once the zippers were done we attacked the part where the screen room meets the camper body. Figured out the Velcro attachments to the rooof pole covers. Then there were a bunch of grommets, but no place to attach these to. After that there was a long strip which I discovered to be the skirting for the trailer. There was no allowance for the steps, so we engineered around them.

The holes you mentioned do not appear on mine (if I understood you correctly). There were some other items I don't have a clue about. The instructions were somewhat handy, but only general in scope. I did find that I am missing several clips that those grommets hook on to. They would be screwed into the trailer. I don't think I'll do that. It's the first time and probably the last time I'll use it.

The room did come in handly as it kept both families us out of the bugs during our shared dinner. I'm going to get a dinning tent. Anybody wanna buy an A&E screen room?

[mikehhfx]

Well Kwatson

I'm not surprised, We tried ours just in the yard, we are going to keep it, but I think a dining tent is also in order.

I wish the trailer sales people would have told us that this unit was a generic model and not designed for our trailer. I think once it is installed and we get used to it, it will be a great addition to our camping experience. But it will stay in the carry bag unless we are staying in the same spot for 4+ nights. Smaller stays will be with a ( Not yet purchased )dining tent.

I am though still not sold on the idea of drilling holes in the trailer side to put the male grommet holding thingy's in place. As far as the holes left at the top where the screenroom sides meet the top of the awning, that I will have to work on.

Thanks for your update. I'm not sure when we will get out again, it's raining here in Nova Scotia every 2-3 days for the last month and a half. We got out for 1 night so far and bought the trailer on June 20th.

Geezz... Come on sunshine....

Cheers Mike H

Well, Mike, I told you I'd get back and share my experience. And what an experience it was! We set up completely, and after relaxing a bit, I figured I'd put up the screen room. Had my buddy help me lug it out of the truck, shuck the case from it and unfold it. Good Lord! that puppy is heavy!
Finally figured out which end was up and which side was the 'inside'.  As others have said, it's easier to do this while the awning is low, but I did it the hard way. Reasoning that the long side was the front and the short sides were the "sides", we commenced to zipping it up. That was pretty tough and took 2 grown men to handle the beast. The ladies were inside tying the straps to the poles and rolling up the flaps to get some air circulation.

Once the zippers were done we attacked the part where the screen room meets the camper body. Figured out the Velcro attachments to the rooof pole covers. Then there were a bunch of grommets, but no place to attach these to. After that there was a long strip which I discovered to be the skirting for the trailer. There was no allowance for the steps, so we engineered around them.

The holes you mentioned do not appear on mine (if I understood you correctly). There were some other items I don't have a clue about. The instructions were somewhat handy, but only general in scope. I did find that I am missing several clips that those grommets hook on to. They would be screwed into the trailer. I don't think I'll do that. It's the first time and probably the last time I'll use it.

The room did come in handly as it kept both families us out of the bugs during our shared dinner. I'm going to get a dinning tent. Anybody wanna buy an A&E screen room?