2005 Fun Finder T139 Shadow Cruiser Awning

[usanor2018]

Howdy! We've purchased a 2005 Cruiser RV Fun Finder T139 (Shadow Cruiser) with blue/yellow/gray decals. We've removed the decals and will be applying new ones in red. Question: We're wanting to also replace the awning, since it's also blue and pretty nasty. Does anyone know where we can find one? It appears to be about 12' wide, since the trailer is 13' 9" and it's fairly close to the end of the trailer in front about about 8" from the rear wall. Don't have a manual so no clue (I'm alone at present and can't get up high enough to measure it) what the actual size is. Help??

 

[profdant139]

Welcome to the club, and congratulations on scoring a vintage T-139! As you might guess from my signature, I started out with a T139 (2003) and now have a 2012 X-139.

I think the awning is ten feet. I base that on the fact that I use a ten foot plastic roof gutter to cover the awning when we are at home, to protect it from the sun. (Pro tip -- always remove the gutter before you hit the road. Don't ask how I learned this.)

Best bet is to get up on a ladder and measure the awning. Preferably with someone to steady the ladder.

Is this your first trailer? Where are you located? Where are you going on your first big trip? Be sure to ask lots of questions!!

 

[usanor2018]

Oh, no, we are camping/RV veterans. We started in a 30ft Jayco. Loved the trailer but it became too large for us (me), so we sold that and purchased a Forest River 18ft Wildwood. Junk. Sold that within a few months. Next rig was a Forest River (second mistake) 30ft Georgetown, class A. The unit had everything we thought we needed, however, towing a 20ft enclosed cargo trailer (held my Fiat 500 and electric scooters), 55 total feet was way too much for me to drive. On top of that, even being new, the thing just leaked everywhere! On the drive home from the dealership (MN and we lived in GA at the time), we noticed leaking in the windshield. It rained that first night and it started leaking in the A/C unit on the ceiling. We had the Georgetown for about two years, living in it while doing a total house renovation in MN. One thing after another. It started to grow things that felt like hard little rocks between luan and wallpaper. It looked like a bad, bumpy rash on pretty much every wall. One behind the passenger seat was about a yard long in size. Then a leak developed in the long slide out, in the bedroom. You could see water streaming down the wall, on top of the dresser drawers. The floor began to rot from an unseen leak. It was so upsetting to have invested SO much money on junk. We made the decision to take a loss on the Georgetown and simply get rid of it. We wanted to buy a small, vintage trailer, but didn't want to pay what many were asking to part with theirs. We really only wanted something that had a small kitchenette, a sleeping area and a bathroom. Hubby found the T139 and it was like new inside. He's been working on the exterior decals as all were either so faded or half off. We're changing to decals to the red "FunFinderX" to better match our tow vehicle. Been difficult finding decals to use, but we're not into all the squiggles and splashes of color everywhere. So, after all of that, we're trying to get this thing ready for our first trip, which will be local to test things out. Crossing fingers! Someone told us to stick with the older models since Thor bought them out and the newer ones seemed to have a lot of problems. It's small. Easy to clean. I can drive it as it's shorter than the boat I towed from GA to MN when we moved. LOL That, in a nutshell, is our RV history. Hubby is a Viking, from Norway, (I'm about 50% Norsk) and we always spent our winters in the US, so we just grew to love the traveling.

 

[usanor2018]

We're now located in Flom, MN., a small NW MN farming community. Oddly enough, the Viking's ancestors immigrated from Norway to Minnesota and lived in a neighboring community! My Norwegian great-grandfather immigrated and settled in this area, so lots of family nearby. My folks owned a farmhouse, but dad sold it after mom passed. I knew he loved the house, but after the young couple destroyed the place and abandoned it, we hired an attorney, paid back taxes and got it back in the family. Thus the two-year renovation. We're about 40 minutes NW of Fargo, North Dakota, for reference. First trip more local, to be sure everything works smoothly and then we'll take a few summer trips and find some place to park for the winter, perhaps southern California. Being Vikings, we really miss that salt water.

 

[LJAZ]

Can you open the awning? If so you should be able to get the top edge low enough to measure the width without needing a ladder. If not you could measure between the awning arms and at least get an estimate within a few inches. I would think that there are standard sizes so that you get the closest one.

There's quite of a few places online that sell replacement awning fabric and parts. They can likely help you determine that brand of awning and getting the correct replacement.

 

[profdant139]

usanor, the newer 139 models seem to hold up pretty well, too. On the older ones, there have been a few front window leaks, which are very easy to fix. Just unscrew the window, clean the surfaces, apply butyl tape, and re-install the window.

But if it is not leaking, don't fix it!

 

[usanor2018]

So far so good. Raining today so we'll check.

 

[usanor2018]

We've been able to ascertain that we have 8ft hardware, so it will accommodate a 7.2' wide awning. Found a few that'll match with our new red and black decals, so we're getting there. Raining today, so no decal action. Thanks!

 

[profdant139]

usanor, if you are not getting rain leakage and there is no obvious water damage at the base of the window, you are good to go!!

 

[usanor2018]

We DO have some hard "pimples" (a few) on the front wall above the stove. Not sure what that is? Could it be heat and adhesive from wallpaper?

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

Welcome to FF ownership! We have some things in common: Norwegian ancestors, who settled in as Minnesota farm families, and a 139FF, but mine is a 2012.

I like the rear window in your model. Those seem to have better natural light and ventilation.

I’m in San Diego so if you want any suggestions for camping in Southern California please ask.

 

[APD]

I just replaced our awning fabric on our T139FK.
Ordered on line from RVAwningsMart. 8' Ocean Blue Fade model.
Cost was $136.95 w/free shipping. (get the installation tool, it's about $6 extra and so worth it)
Watched their video and followed their included directions. It took me about two hours and looks/works great! I forgot to take install pics but the video on their website is better anyway.
I can highly recommend.

 

[usanor2018]

Sorry, just seeing this now. Two winters ago, we took the Class A for a 14 state trip, spending much of our time near Santa Barbara and Jalama Beach. Great little state park! A shame you cannot stay for a month or so. Main reason we decided to go small, other than my not liking the idea of driving something 55ft or so, was we really enjoy either boondocking or staying in state parks. We would make reservations for a 60ft spot only to arrive and find it to be closer to 40ft. We never fit anywhere! LOL With something this tiny, we will not have that problem. I love CA and, hubby being a wandering Viking, loves FL. After what is happening in FL during this pandemic (we both just got our second vaccines), I have told him FL is not happening. I lived in CA during the early eighties, working near SFO (San Francisco) for a commercial airline. I just love CA. We have a mutual Norwegian gal pal in Huntington Beach and have been looking for a monthly RV spot anywhere in the area that will get us close to the ocean. Though we are surrounded by lakes here in MN, it's just not the same! We moved from a summer resort "town" on Oslo Fjord, in southeast Norway, to a little village in the middle of the Swedish forest for five years. Neither one of us said much about it, but both REALLY missed those salt water breezes. Back to Norway we went. We sailed 2-4 times daily on good days during the summer, but sold house, boat and cars, when we came to the US. My mother had Alzheimer's and I just needed to be closer. STILL have our household goods in storage in Norway. Ugh. Vikings are explorers for sure. We can't seem to stay put!

 

[usanor2018]

Appreciate the information! I'm finding awnings for just over $80 on up. Think the one we'll likely get is around $113, also an 8'. I'm lucky the Viking is a good DIY type guy, so think we'll get the tool mentioned and be able to get the thing replaced. Looking forward to the transformation, but wish the interior wasn't all blue. Ugh. It's like new, and we bought the rig with a missing seat cushion (not sure what went on with that, but perhaps a mouse settled in one winter and they tossed it). I have two new cushion covers on order and have ordered my replacement high density foam and topping that with a thin layer of memory foam, etc..

 

[usanor2018]

Just FYI, we RV'd for years down in Valdosta and Perry-Warner Robbins (when we lived in Norway/Sweden) before buying a house in McDonough. Bought during the recession, so price for that was less than upgrading to a new rig. After about four years in McDonough, it was off to the foothills in Ellijay where we lived for five years. Loved our home there, but we got the itch and off we went. Cheap living down south, but we're northerners in our hearts.