[Archived]

As much as I would rather eat bees than own the version Zip Dee you have Chuck, I would go backwards and use the original style manual awning long before I would begin to consider the boxed, roof mounted Zip Dee awning for a couple of reasons.

The first is the boxed version is a powered awning, and while I love its looks it is going to break and we all know nothing ever breaks when it is convenient for us. Having a motor move my awning in and out is impressive but Zip Dee has not gotten high marks for product support or the engineering on their powered awnings. The second reason is dollars. Unless someone has figured a way of creating an external structure to support the cantilevered awning requirements your coach is going to need extensive and expensive work to secure that needed attachment point to the coach structure you will have to access by removing the ceiling on your Liberty.

Get a price from Liberty to see if the cost is worthwhile. You might be able to shop for a better price, but if you do make sure it is someone who is very familiar with how Liberty installs their ceilings because those awnings exert a high load on the structure when extended and I cannot envision how installation can be done without access to the structure of the coach, unless there is an external structure design that will work.

[Archived]

Jon

I value your opinion and while price is always a concern I do not have much choice. You see my Zip Dee was a POS to begin with! It decided to come out while 👻👻 driving down the road. I was able to dismantle all of it and cut it away; gotta do something?

[glen]

Chuck

When I owned my 2003 Liberty XLII single slide, had a similar issue and as John recommended, I exchanged the air/ electric Zip Dee with a manual awning. Best decision I made with ongoing awning issues. I have zip dee boxed now on this coach and they are ok but still not adverse to issues.

Good luck with your decision but the old adage, KIS – keep it simple!! May be best….

[Peter]

Had my zip dee come out driving down the road at 70 right after I purchased coach many years ago. . Didn’t hurt it and still use main. Yep they do strange things when you don’t lock um down. Have 2 that latches down and always make sure they are.

[Peter]

I have had three coaches with zip dee awnings window awnings and manual awninings and one with the auto air awning what a piece of crap so took it off and put another window awning on its the best and use it more than anything so now I have four window awnings and love it

[Rudy]

Thanks everyone for sharing stories. I will be at Jeff’s on Monday for service and will let you know the resolve.

[Archived]

Jeff is likely to offer the most conservative price and since he is fully aware of the costs associated with removing the Liberty ceiling to access the chassis structure you are going to get what it will realistically cost to install the boxed awnings, Zip Dee or Girard. Please post the results of your investigation.

[Larry & Diane]

we had a new H345 with 2 20′ electric Giraud (spelling) awnings with automatic sensors that were supposed to roll them in if the wind picked up. This was back in 2002 when they first came out.

We were at a ball game at Southern Miss and left our awnings out in clear weather with a clear forecast. A cool front came through with a strong but brief breeze, and before the automatic sensors could react, I had two awnings on top of my coach with all support frames destroyed. Since that time, I am ALL MANUAL. to each his own.