Carefree Enterence
With all the things we do these days and all the people you need to deal with for this or that on your motor coach or RV, it is great when you come across a company that seems to just care. In this case, it is Carefree of Colorado.
Unfortunately for us, but good for you, we had to visit them at their manufacturing plant in Broomfield, CO. I say it that way as we needed to come in for an issue we where having with our very large Paramount Awnings. It was our 21 foot one that had developed an issue closing on one end. However the good news is we were given a tour of the plant once we explained about our travel blog and our readers.
Now please be aware, they are not really a service center, however based on our unique issues, they wanted to see it happening and look to resolve it. Great for them to say the least for then they can learn from issues with a product being out on the road and in the real world experience. They also do not normally give tours, but opened up their plant to us which is why we can bring this to you. So thanks Carefree on both parts.
Time for a Tour
Carefree’s Main Plant
Carefree is a world wide company with dealers and warehousing in the North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Yet made right here in the USA! They work with RV and Coach manufacturers from some of the largest to some of the smallest, “covering” not only your seating area, but also your windows, slides and the ground as well. (Ok, they also do many other things as well including residential.) The main plant is located in Broomfield, CO and covers a great deal of space, but as we have seen, is very efficient right down to how things are marked off on the ground where items are places as they move throughout the factory.
Their flagship RV product is the Paramount Awning and is usually found on higher-end coaches. The good news is that a similar product, based on the technology developed for the Paramount can now be found in a lower priced product for the smaller coaches, class C, and even towables.
New Awnings – No Bars!
The Apex and the Latitude are the names. Where the Paramount is capable of dropping down, these other units are vertical yet they have no drop rails or arms to get in your way. It is a clean look. It is great to have a system that just comes right out from the side of the RV and there is nothing in the way. The achieved look is very clean and elegant.
Air Tables For Ease of Movement
As we moved around the plant it was amazing to see the large sewing tables where fabric is stitched together. They are moved around on air tables, think air hockey, where the panels just float on to the next part of the process. These table are very, very large to say the least as you can clearly see. After all, they have to be able to produce some very large awnings.
Takes a fine eye and smooth motion to make such long stitches.
It is interesting to note that all the stitching is done by hand and is something we really did not expect to see. It is amazing how they can keep the stitching so precise for any slight change in speed or movement can change the stitch gaping and thus make for issues. The ladies we met were pros to say the least. Each of them just zipping along like it was no big deal. Yet when you look at the stitching, you would think it surely had to be done via machine and not by hand.
So I tried it. Lets just say it did not end well. And no, it was not on a production piece, but a sample. So no worries on getting a D&B Original. :)
A new machine they recently put into the works is called a Automatrix Table. This very large table is kind of like a CNC machine for fabrics. While a CNC machine does 3D type work, this is for making precise cuts of patterns down to the smallest of gaps using a very sharp, what looked to be, a razor wheel. But it does much more. It allows for complete awning fabric solutions to be designed and cut at one time, and by that I mean ALL THE PANELS that may be needed for an awning.
The cool part is, it will auto align all the stripes with no operator intervention. This means one person can cut an entire awing. At this time, Carefree has one Automatrix machine and they hope to add three more for increased production demands. Here is a video shows it in action…
One of the products that they make, which I really would love to have on our coach, is a slide topper of all things, called the Ascent (with Slat). Why? Simple…we hate the water pooling on the top of the slide that we get on our coach. Now I have to think some, hummm…most, of you know what we mean.
Ascent mounting with Slat
The Ascent is a different approach to slide toppers. It mounts to the side of the coach with a hard piece called a Slat that folds in and down when the slide comes in making so it is tight and no fabric is exposed when driving or stored. But the best part is that same piece comes out and away from the coach making for a pitch that is needed to shed water. When we build our next coach, we are going to be requesting to see if we can use Ascent awnings, even if they want to use them as a test, we are willing to take the chance.
As we moved on in our tour we were taken into the engineering development center to be shown a new product that is soon to be release. They were ok with us seeing this simple, but kind of great concept, as they had already patented it. It’s called Flex Guard. It is a material that “flexes” into a protective case to cover and protect the awning when closed. Now I know what you are thinking, they already have that. Yes they do, however it is made out of aluminum and is not only costly to manufacture and thus increased consumer cost, but also it can get easily scraped or even bent needing to be replaced.
Flex Guard Out
Flex Guard In
This Flex Guard replaces that aluminum cover and makes for a very tight protective cover when the awing is in and can be sewn/bonded into the fabric that is making up the awning. I can only think based on the lower cost of production, and thus cost to the RV manufacturer, you should for sure, start seeing these on RV’s in the near future and become more and more the “norm”.
Working on our coach.
Working on our coach.
All in all it was a great day we spent with Carefree. From the customer service staff, to the the engineering department and even had the pleasure of meeting the president of the company. And yes, they were able to address the issue with our 21 foot Paramount awning and at the same time, was able to improve on the product design for future productions as well as come up with a fix for anyone else that MAY come across an issue with the awning closing as it should.
So to all at Carefree, we know that the name “Carefree” is to represent the low level of care needed to take care of your products, but we now want to think of you as the “caring” company where we will be “Carefree” about owning your product. So thank you for caring enough to have us to your plant.
Here are all the photos we took on our tour. (Click Show PicLens for best view.)
Looks like they are somewhat copying the Girard design who has been doing this type of slideout awning for at least 8 years……….
I am not sure if Girard is doing smaller versions for RV’s (Class C and trailers) vs just coaches.
We’ve always insisted on Carefree installations – and we’ve always been pleased with their products. Glad to hear they’re innovative! (we hate that initial water dump too…one reason to stay in TX, eh?!) Thanks for the tour!!
You had a better experience than we did with carefree. When our Phaeton was about six month old we were driving east from Las Vegas to Golden, CO. The awning suddenly pulled our while we were driving. I called Carefree and they determined that I failed to turn off the power to the awning. “Didn’t you read the manual,” the curt lady told me. Well that slim manual was in the package of others that came with our RV. I was able to pull the awning in despite the fact that the arms were bent. Later I called Bob Tiffin and complained. He said, “don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.” Sure enough, when we got home and took the rig to a trailer dealer that never heard of Tiffin, Bob gave the owner his credit card. The dealer ordered the parts and made the repair. Big points for Tiffin. Zero for Carefree.
Hi Howard…I have heard of this before, not just with Carefree though. It may be good to note that usually awnings that are powered should have the power auto cut when you turn the key or remove the parking brake. At least that is how it was on our other coach as well as our 45LP Allegro Bus. Not saying that may have been the issue, but I had thought all Phaetons were setup with the auto power to the awning.
But yes, Mr. Tiffin is a wonderful person. Customer service is top and the only way to run a business in this market. He seemed to know that LONG ago. Amazon is another such company who will not let a customer be unhappy.
Hi David,
We have the same coach as yours. I sent the picture of my avalanche tucked up under my back awning as a new carport I had found and you sent a comment back a few months ago.
I’m wondering what problems you were initially having with your 21′ awning that made you stop at Carefree to begin with. The situation I’m experiencing is when I retract both my awning to the closed position the top of the Lead Rail doesn’t fit inside the groove on the Top Cover Assembly.
The back awning Lead Rail ends up underneath the grooved Part of the Top Cover Assembly, therefore sticking when I try opening back up. The Lead Rail on my front awning is hitting the Top Cover Assembly instead of “seating” inside the groove. If I look down the Top Cover Assembly from one end to the other it looks as if the 21′ clearspan is a bit too much for the unsupported center area of the Top Cover Assembly as it is sagging, so there’s no way it will ever seat correctly unless there’s a way to give it a mid span support. I was wondering if this would be familiar to what you’ve been experiencing?
Thankful for any input,
Chris
Hi Chris…Yes, I also had this issue on the 21 foot awning and it can be fixed without issue with round spaces, like a drill bit, put into the bottom edge of the back park of the top cover where it come in contact with the bottom part in the back. The entire top cover is like a hinge if you will. Adding these round spacers will bring that area back UP. They used 3 of the and spaced them with one in the center and then one more on each side about one to one and a half feet out from the center. I THINK it was 3/8th round. And I am not kidding when I say you actually use three 3/8″ drill bits to do it as the spacers.
You remove the two, or is it three, top cover screws on each end and then roll back the top cover like on a hinge. Just bring it back far enough so you can see where the top meets the bottom and place a spacer in that area spaces as mentioned. Then you can close it back down and take a look to see if it moved the top cover up as needed.
Hope this helps and you may care to call Carefree for the right size round drill bit like spacers. But Yes, it can be fixed without much work at all.
I don’t want to undermine your positive experience with Carefree’s great customer service, but I wanted to add my 2 cents worth.
Several years ago, my friend who writes an RV travel blog, highly recommended an RV dealer’s service department. So, when I needed some work done, I went to this dealer. My experience was nothing but disastrous. I was baffled, until I contacted my friend & asked him if he’d mentioned his blog before any work was started on his motor home. Indeed, he had disclosed that information.
Normally, I’m a very positive person, who tries to give the benefit of the doubt in most situations. However, I can’t help wondering if your positive experience was based on your “power” as an RV blogger as opposed to us regular folks.
In my case, I had a very hard time convincing this dealer that the work needed to be re-done…UNTIL I mentioned I had a friend who is an RV blogger. Suddenly, their attitude changed completely & I was treated like royalty. I have to believe this made a difference in the quality of work I received.
I’m not saying this was the case with Carefree, but I have noticed that people in a power position can receive very different treatment than us “civilians.”
I’m delighted you had such a positive experience with Carefree. Hopefully, they treat all their customers like they treated you.
BTW, I’m a new subscriber to your blog & am quite impressed. Lots of great info!
Happy Trails!
Hi Evelyn…
If it helps any, we are not the only ones to have been to Carefree to get something worked on. While they are not a service center, and not setup to be one as they count on their dealers, they do help people in need if you are in the area. If fact, when we looked at Google Maps to look at the area before going in with our coach, Google happened to capture another coach there. :) At the time they offered for us to come to the service center, they were not aware of our blog that we know of. It was when we asked if we could have a tour and why we wanted to take one that they found out.
I think Carefree understands that the RV would, for as big as it is, is small when it comes to talks around a campfire. Like Tiffin, they seem to know that they can live or die by how they handle their customers. (Though most of us do not get a say as to what a manufacturer may choose to use. We still have a voice.)
Not sure any of this helps. All companies can do wrong, thats for sure. But we did have a positive experience from the first contact.
Glad you enjoy our blog. We work hard at it.
thanks for the great insite to Carfree of Colorado.
My Paramount does not close complete., what is the fix for the problem. CareFree did send me a couple if new metal side plates, that didnt correct the problem.
Hi…You need to ask them for the Wedges. You should receive TWO sets. One for each end of the awning. They are little “ramps” that bring the awning up into place before the side end plates engage.
thanks, I will call them on Monday.
Paul…Ask for Sean. He will know what you are asking about.
David, Sean sent me new end brackets that did work.
Can I install the wedges myself??
thanks again.
PLG
Hi Paul…
Sure can. All you need is an Alan Wrench. They come in two pieces, a top and a bottom. The part with the two alan screws goes on the bottom lip of the lead rail. Then when you turn the screws in, it pushes up on the top half to lock it into another grove on the lead rail. Simple!
I put mine at each end. The front end with the wind sensor, I put it right after that, and on the other end I did it at the same position so it looks even.
How to you contact/ call carefree. I cannot fine a phone #
My sensor does not recognize the awning is in and keeps chattering
I would say to start with their web site. http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/ They have a support section etc.