drive away awning ...

[matt86_wd2]

Hello all i have a mk6 lwb 350 high top that im converting into a camper over the winter months ..

but im thinking on awnings and i have had a caravan porch awning on the rail i put on the van but you cant go out for the day if you wish .. So thats why im thinking on a drve away type . I had one 2 years ago on my old smiley but never tried to drive off and then back onto it and was a cheapish one from riversway .

I am looking into spending money on a decent awing thats around 3mtr square so can sit inside while eating etc . But once your sited and leveled up the van and put up awning thats the easy bit When comes to next day when you drive off and then return how do you drive back on ? as i got a rail fitted but how do you manage it keeping tension on the awning and van in right place ? or is there a better way like i have seen diffrent fixing methods .

matt

[ake]

Hello all i have a mk6 lwb 350 high top that im converting into a camper over the winter months ..

but im thinking on awnings and i have had a caravan porch awning on the rail i put on the van but you cant go out for the day if you wish .. So thats why im thinking on a drve away type . I had one 2 years ago on my old smiley but never tried to drive off and then back onto it and was a cheapish one from riversway .

I am looking into spending money on a decent awing thats around 3mtr square so can sit inside while eating etc . But once your sited and leveled up the van and put up awning thats the easy bit When comes to next day when you drive off and then return how do you drive back on ? as i got a rail fitted but how do you manage it keeping tension on the awning and van in right place ? or is there a better way like i have seen diffrent fixing methods .

matt

I have a driveway awning that I got with the camper. It just ties against the van when parked up, it has a section that pulls tight to seal the gap between van and awning. To drive away you just untie that bit, and close the zips!

[Johnjr]

I have a Mk3 camper with drive away awning which fits into the gutter with a figure 8 strip, simple to unfasten and drive away. Reversing back on can sometimes be an experience as you need to be just the right distance to clip the strip back on again, can be even more fun when when you don't have power steering.

[matt86_wd2]

thanks guys i had a thought once your set up just knock some brightly coloured pegs in the centerline of the wheels so you know where you have to be . With the figure of 8 fastening method does it just clip onto the gutter or does have to slide from one end ?

matt

[GYPSYDOG]

Just an idea for returning back to awning - when you first set up and you are happy with awning
use 2 x brightly coloured pegs in the centerline of the wheels and tie some florescent guide line
between the pegs to give you a nice distance to run your wheel against when returning to pitch
then the awning should fit snug again...

[matt86_wd2]

i had that idea just with a peg is centerline on the left side and get misses to say when im in line .

When u say 2 guyines u mean so your wheel touch the guyline ? or run over it ?

matt

[GYPSYDOG]

So as your wheel touch the guyline...

[matt86_wd2]

Cheers all for your help now im looking what awning to get , i dont want a cheap thing i just want to buy once and be happy rather than thinking oh i wish i bought another one as you think . Il be spending alot of time at the van and sat in the awning .

what about one like this ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-Revolut ... olution+xl

or do i go for a kyham ?

matt

[duvet]

depends if you want the slightly more expensive and heavier ones that cope better with wind (by wind I mean Cornish breezes that can flatten a dome tent)

[matt86_wd2]

well at great dorset 2 years ago the wind took away my gazebo as was camping on a hill !

il have to have a think about it as looked at kyhams and they are nice but rather expensive but is that extra money worth it ?

matt

[sonsalis]

No need to mess around marking out the ground with pegs etc to line up the van when returning to the awning. It would be almost impossible to thread the figure of eight strip against the tension. On returning Just loose off the guy ropes and walk the tent towards the van, connect the strip then walk the tent back to tension the tunnel. Finally replace the guy ropes. Works every time in just minutes. Easy peasey.
The kyham tents work well with this method and are the best I have ever had anyway.

[looneyfitter]

How about a frame tent??

[pedracer]

We use one of the outdoor revolutions on the back of my other van (vwt4, ahem). It's good when set up, but because the frame is comprised of 2 poles, (x shape from above), the poles are silly long, so you need approx an acre of flat ground to wrestle the buggers into place. We used one as a base for a 125cc race bike, and it was good for long weekends, but a bit of a faff if you move site every day.

[matt86_wd2]

i wont be moving everyday , i do steam rallys in the summer so may go out once in the weekend or if a week event 2 or 3 times .

might have a gazeebo if the weather is nice and sunny

matt