We got the walk through on our 2010 2551 today.  We had no idea that the awning would be so cumbersome to open and set up.   There are no brackets on the body of the coach.  Is this normal?  What are you supposed to do with the poles to set it up?  What if you are on concrete or asphalt?  Sounds like some of you have gotten brackets.  Where did you get them and how do you decide where to place them?  Does this cause any issues with the door?

I also have a 2010 2551, my factory awning is electric and is completely supported from the side of the RV -- no brackets or poles.  Is yours manual?  The electric is very easy to open and close, just press the switch.  If your is manual, it must have been a special factory order, or replaced by the previous owner?

Unfortunately it's manual and I'm used to the electric.

Barb,

   We had the manual one with our 2008 model.  Brackets did come with the coach but PC did not install them but just gave them to us to either install ourselves or leave off.  We never did install them.    I would call PC and see if they still have any brackets left from the older style (manual) awning.  We did use the awning on the 2008 but very sparingly.  Even though it is suppose to be a very good awning we never got used to it since we were used to the one on our travel trailer. 

Sue

manual awning 's little bit of a pain, but they are cheaper haha....  roll out about 3ft,,, I use a little step ladder, hold the awing in the middle, where the pole support is latched in the middle grasp it and sort of push it toward the end where it attaches to the end, it has a swivel joint at the end ,,, swivel out , release the clasp holding the support place on ground,, do the same for the other support...

now that you have both support poles on the ground  angle one at a time away from RV,,about foot. do both of them,,, roll out awning until angle changes toward the RV about two ft,,  repeat as necessary,,, as you continue out will have to adjust each support pole a little...

roll awing up,,,    reverse,  angle support poles toward RV, may need to adjust the poles couple of inches,, roll in couple ft,,, repeat,, till you get to about 2/3 foot left....  using step ladder close support poles all the way,  foot piece angle away and flat away from you  lift up and push into each corner. until it snaps into the plastic holders in the middle.... roll rest of the way up till you see the red tab on right side of awning  done.

center support-  I use it sometimes... be careful and use your step ladder to put it in place,, easy to break the support brackets for it...

I only use the awning when I am at camp... wind I watch like a hawk, I take it in a night,, I'm just not going to take a chance If I put it up in the morning and we leave awing back in,, also see what everyone else is doing in the campground,,,  awnings  out    awnings in   

When I first got home  with my unit I just practices opening and closing a couple of times,,,  I do it now without the step ladder  however  I always use the step for the center pole,, you can not reach the center spot where the awning is attached unless your about 7'5'' haha    after you do it a few times, it's a piece of cake,, I'm sure does not take me more than 5minutes now  BTW,, I made myself a instruction page from the awning manual which I keep in my RV book,, used it a few times when I first did the awning.
David Sparks
2008 PC 2350
Houston

Thanks for the  lengthy reply.  What a process huh?

I'll show this to my DH.  Not my job!   

We have what you describe as the earlier "Box" awning.  I happen to like it.  Go figure I have to be different all the time.

As others described, our 2007 PC came with the brackets inside the big documentation pouch.  I mounted them myself to the rig.  This way there is no need for ropes and stakes.  But as you suspect, the door will swing into that pole.  I "bunge cord" the door to the pole to keep the door open.

I like the look the box awning offers, lacking those vertical awning tracks.  I also like to open the awning just a foot or two to provide shade and rain protection on that side of our rig.  I assume you can do that with the latest electric awning as well.  With slider windows, rain protection is more an issue.  Being partially open without poles, the door can open and close without interference, and the wind won't play games with the awning either.

The process for fully opening the awning is not as hard as shared higher.  At least not for me at 5'-11" tall.  I open the awning low enough for me to pop the arms out, which is maybe 2/3 open.

Admittedly there is nothing nicer than the push of a button, but I've grown used to my awning buddy.  And when there is a wind driven rain, I can lower the awning quite low (being watchful of the entry door), and even at a steep angle to the rear for water to run off instead of collecting up top.  My point is that the box awning is not "all" bad.  It has little bennies.

Yes, the electric one, as nice as it was on the Winnebago, wouldn't slope like you describe.  How did you decide where to place the brackets?