Wee Jayco needs TLC

[sandykayak]

The poor thing has been parked in my friend's back yard for 5 years and the exposure has aged her prematurely.  

The Jayco stripes and lettering are peeling off.  Should I scrub/scrape them off?  Doesn't look as if I could glue them as they appear to be crumbling.  Leave it blank?  Call dealer or Jayco for new?  I couldn't apply them properly and get them straight.

Rims are rusting.  Where can I get new ones?  Would a tire dealer such as Firestone (there's one close to me) be able to get them?  Any idea of cost?

Not sure if the tires should be replaced because of the exposure...have not put that many miles on them.  (Don't ask as I don't keep track).  Where would I get tires?

The stitching on the gas cover is disintegrating.  I repaired (stitched by hand) a few months ago, and will do so again.  Not sure if I should try and get a new one (cost?) or go bare.

This one worries me the most.  The stitching of the awning bag is also starting to deteriorate.  I was thinking of getting a heavy duty needle and hand sewing it.

I'd love to get a Colorado Carefree Awning (bag type is cheaper - ab. $250) but with shipping and installation (folks around here charge ab. $90/hour that's quite a chunk for me right now.

Appreciate your input.

[zamboni]

The Carefree awning (Campout model) is incredibly easy to mount.  I mounted one on my 1995 Starcraft in about 30 minutes.  I am not sure about your Jayco - is the siding on it entirely plastic, or is it plywood with a thin plastic coating (which my Starcraft was).

If so, mounting is this easy:
1) Remove old awning (slide bag out of "channel")
2) Slide new bag into channel - right side up.
3) Screw in retaining screw into the "open" end of the channel to prevent awning bag from sliding back out.
4) Pop up camper.  Measure down recommended distance from where the bag is for the "leg catches" that screw onto the camper
5) Screw the catches onto your camper.

Then, unzip & unroll awning.  Extend roof supports, and slip legs into the catches.  Done

[sandykayak]

The Carefree awning (Campout model) is incredibly easy to mount.  I mounted one on my 1995 Starcraft in about 30 minutes.  I am not sure about your Jayco - is the siding on it entirely plastic, or is it plywood with a thin plastic coating (which my Starcraft was).

Thanks for the encouragement.  Not sure what the siding is.  Does it make a difference?

I've saved the instructions.

[mountainrev]

Rims are rusting.  Where can I get new ones?  Would a tire dealer such as Firestone (there's one close to me) be able to get them?  Any idea of cost?

Not sure if the tires should be replaced because of the exposure...have not put that many miles on them.  (Don't ask as I don't keep track).  Where would I get tires?
Appreciate your input.

I'm quite sure you will need to replace the tires.  From the way you describe the rest of the camper, they likely are suffering from dry rot, regardless of how much tread is left.  

I don't know what size tires/rims you have, but often, you can get trailer tires premounted on rims at Wally World, etc.  Otherwise, you can always sand and repaint the rims.  Any tire dealer should be able to get your tires.  You can also order from lots of places on-line.

[zamboni]

Not sure what the siding is.  Does it make a difference?

If your siding is only plastic or fiberglass (ie, no wood underneath), then I am not sure it should be mounted - because the plastic may not be strong enough to hold the awning.

If, however, you have wood plywood under your siding, you should be fine.

Note, this awning has the "legs" that come diagonally back to the camper, just like the "big rigs" - so the wind pushing on the awning means the poles push into the siding on your camper - so it needs to be firm.   The awning can still be set up with the legs NOT on the camper, but going straight down to the ground (and can be staked down).

We usually attached the legs to the camper, so there weren't any poles in the ground for the dogs to wrap their leashes around

******

It looks like Carefree has another popup awning, the SuperSport, that would work for you if you don't have firm, wood sides -- as that has longer "legs" and can attach to the frame.
Supersport:


Campout:

(yet this picture shows it on a Coleman, and they have plastic sides, but it looks like it is attached near the upper part of the side wall).

[wavery]

You might want to consider the A&E Awning. It mounts like the Carefree and is very high quality. I bought mine from this eBay seller. He is now selling them for $175 (Incl S&H). It goes together in 30 minutes.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/A-E-TRIM-LINE-11-AWNING-CAMPER-POP-UP-PICKUP_W0QQitemZ130156734433QQihZ003QQcategoryZ50069QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Check out the pics on my webshots link at the bottom of this post.