Community Forums

Flacon2112 · 11-22-2019, 09:40 AM

I recently (1 month ago) had my Dometic Awning replaced by Shadepro. I had window awnings put on by them the year before and was very pleased with them so I thought I would go ahead and use them to replace the Dometic. Boy was that a mistake! The awning they put on seemed sturdy enough but I too noticed the canopy was too long. I was told by the technician that you must roll it in a bit to tighten it. I found that odd and now my new $1700 awning doesn’t go out as far. I thought surely this was a mistake and called the service number. They sent a tech out the following week and he told me the exact same thing the installation tech told me. So now I have to roll canopy about 8” just to take the slack out. Even so, with the metal cover I was encouraged to opt for, the metal cover is too heavy and causes canopy to droop. Water not pools on my canopy. When bringing this to Shadepro’s attention, I was told that “anyone who tells you that the awnings are for rain and drain are lying to you”. The capacity also leaks all along the seam where the cloth meets that metal cover. I am very very sorry I got this installed. My vinyl Dometic was much better and did indeed work in the rain. Very frustrated... Any suggestions or anyone else had similar problems? Second pic is with awning fully extended.

Jim_HiTek · 11-24-2019, 09:59 AM

I have an appointment with them for two new awning fabric replacements so I'm curious about your issues...

Did you go for the heavy duty fabric? Looking at the picture, that's what it looks like. Or did you have the lighter vinyl fabric installed?

Are you in the Parker, Arizona area?

Flacon2112 · 11-25-2019, 09:53 PM

I got the best they had... update,... I called customer service to give them one more try. The person I spoke to agreed” that is not how it is supposed to be”. They sent a senior tech Ron out the very next day. He immediately assessed the fabric was indeed too long, something about the sent the fabric for a different arm assembly or something... anyway he knew right away. He also noticed that my Alimiguard which protects the fabric on transit appeared to have too many slats (7), I assisted him in removing two which shortened the overall length by approx 5 inches. Works like a chMp and is a proper awning now. Regarding the leaking in the seam, he used a little soap he pulled from his pocket and said that should do it. I was impressed by his knowledge and caring and expressed that to customer service. Great product but when not installed properly is a s-show. Do not let any installers tell you that you have to retract awning and roll up 6” to take out slack... it is nonsense. Other installation issues were also noted and corrected by a guy who knew what he was doing. I will update my comment to reflect it was taken care of.

Jim_HiTek · 11-25-2019, 10:00 PM

That is great to hear. I was just talking with the group here in the RV park earlier this evening and asked them about Shadepro and got a chorus of 'yeas' for and about them.

And then one of the group asked me what length I was looking for, I said 20', he runs home in his golf cart and brings back a brand new Colorado 20' awning and gives it to me. Whoa. That's a $200 awning fabric. Said he didn't need it, couldn't use it, and hadn't been able to sell it. I'll ask Shadepro if I can use it in my A&E awning and I'm sure they'll be honest about it...

Anyway, thanks for your response!

Flacon2112 · 11-26-2019, 04:16 PM

I suspect so. Companies, all companies at at the mercy of there field personnel and only find out there are problems after it’s too late. Is what it is, they seem to be a good company and their assemblies seem to be well made.

PJStough · 11-26-2019, 05:14 PM

A few years ago we bought a Shadepro slide topper cover while in Quartzsite. Never again. It never had enough tension to keep the fabric from sagging and rain collecting on the top. Also, it did not have enough tension to keep from unfurling going down the highway.

I added a couple more rounds of tension and redid the poor job of installation, but still didnt have enough tension to keep from sagging when it rained. I finally took if all and though it away.

Alan_Hepburn · 11-26-2019, 05:32 PM

We just recently had an experience with Shade Pro - we needed to replace the slide topper on our bedroom slide so I went online to the Shade Pro website and ordered an enclosed slide topper. The order sheet on their web site did not have a option to select the size needed, other than the rough size so I entered the exact size (116") in the "NOTES" section. The order was placed and we waiting about 2 weeks to receive an indication that it had shipped. We finally called them and found out that it had not shipped yet, because they were waiting to find out what size we needed - except they never sent an email, text, or phone call looking for that information!
So we gave them the size we needed and they said it would be shipped that day. The next day they called, and said that they don't have a slide topper that is 116", but they do have one that is 117" - I told them that would work and again they said it would be shipped that day.
It did, indeed, ship and our service place received it promptly. When we went to pick up the motorhome we noticed that the slide topper did not have the cover on it that we ordered. The service guys said that it did not come with a cover, but if we would call and have the cover shipped they will install it for no charge.
So, we called Shade Pro again to get the cover and they had us take photos of the topper so they could see what was missing. They agreed that they screwed up and said the cover would be shipped that day.

The cover showed up and we took the motorhome back to the service guys for installation. And, again there was a problem: the cover did not include the hardware needed to attach it to the topper! It took 2 more calls to Shade Pro to get them to agree to ship some hardware. It finally showed up, and they had shipped the WRONG hardware! I ended up downloading the installation manual and found out what hardware was needed, and went to Home Depot - then I finally installed the cover myself.
I must say that Shade Pro Customer Service was great throughout the whole ordeal, and they did give us a 10% discount for our troubles. It was their shipping department that screwed up.
We also found out that Shade Pro doesn't make their own product: they resell Carefree of Colorado products!

Flacon2112 · 11-27-2019, 07:56 PM

My slide topper does same thing, should have had that addressed but had no point of reference and assumed they all do. It was same installer

JJ&QM · 12-05-2019, 10:32 PM

About three years ago, I ordered and had them install new material on my A&E 8500 awning. After a year or so I started getting reddish brown stains on cover material where it was rolled up sitting in the sun. I called customer service, sent them a couple of pictures of the stains. They called me back the next day said they would replace it. With in a week I had new material on my awning. And I am over a hundred miles away from there shop. I am Very Happy with there Customer Service and Installers. I will send all of my business there way. JJu

Jim_HiTek · 12-05-2019, 10:36 PM

Thanks for all the input. I did decide to hire them, they are scheduled to work on both my awnings tomorrow.

Flacon2112 · 12-07-2019, 08:40 AM

The fabric, not the vinyl. As I tried to post update, they sent another tech out, he knew what he was doing and shortened canopy by taking two slats out of metal guard. Very happy now. Do not let any tech tell you “to roll it up a bit to tighten, its BS

Jim_HiTek · 12-07-2019, 10:03 AM

The Shade Pro installer came out yesterday and we soon discovered that he had brought the wrong width awning. While we were talking I mentioned that I hate the A&E design and wished that I had a Colorado instead, but that they didn't make one that would fit my rig.

Well, he says, we have a fix for that. We just shorten the roller tube, everything else stays the same. So now I have that ordered instead of the A&E fabric. I needed to replace my awning fabric anyway, but for just $300 more, I can have what I've wanted since I bought this rig...an entire new Colorado awning assembly, roller tube, arms, brackets and all.

It's my early xmas present to myself. Happy Holidays, everyone! Remember to treat yourself too.

Flacon2112 · 12-08-2019, 08:20 AM

He removed a couple of slats from roller tube, 5 instead of 7? That is what he did on mine to correct the “just roll it up a bit nonsense”. Bet it was Ron, he knows his stuff.