Awning rail or not an awning rail?

[peterc]

Hi everybody. Not sure how clear my picture is. We just got rather excited this weekend when we discovered our motorhome had an awning rail already fitted. Looks like part of the original build.

So off we went and purchased ourselves a nice new awning. Although we haven't unpacked it yet I noticed that the awning rail didn't seem to have a start point. Where I would expect it to be is blocked by the bumper.

Am I missing something here or is this not actually an awning rail at all?

All ideas gratefully accepted.

Many thanks.

 

[DanielFord]

I'm not so sure that it's original! The sealant on it looks like it has been done after market (ie very smooth), and what is the gunk at the bottom for? Looks like mastic to stop a leak of some sort.

What's at the other end of the rail?

[edit]
More specific, the sealant going horizontal looks more like factory sealant, whereas the vertical sealant looks like it was done by someone who cared, ie an owner!

 

[tonyidle]

If the rail suits your purpose but there is no entry point it's an easy and unobtrusive job to cut one into the rail.

 

[hilldweller]

not actually an awning rail at all?

Many thanks.

Awnig rails are horizontal. My guess that is a vertical seam cover/joint, inside the "rail" bit are screws covered with a plastic/rubber cover.

 

[peterc]

Thanks all. Danielford i agree that that it looks like the brown stuff was put there to stop a leak. The opposite corner has the same stuff in the same place. I have posted a picture of what is on the other end of the rail.

Hilldweller, the rail is horizontal but it starts vertically until it reaches the top corner of the motorhome and then turns the corner to run horizontal across the top. (See second pic).

Tonyidle, this sounds like a good solution provided that is what the rail is intended for.

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[DanielFord]

@peterc looking at the pics, and you have a very similar van to us, it looks like at some point someone has fitted a rail. The rail has then been disused by a subsequent owner, and mods made to make it unusable.
Iwould go with cutting an entry point, a simple job using a Dremel, or similar

 

[DavidG58]

depending on what it is made from you might get away with bending an opening, do not try if plastic !!

if cut you will almost certainly end up with sharp edges that will tear the canvas as you pull the awning in

if metal something like a wide chisel and a gentle lever should do it

 

[Minxy]

Don't want to upset you but that IMV is not an awning rail but part of the edge capping/covering of the join for the bodywork/rear/roof etc, the below images (which I think is the same as your MH) has it on the opposite side to the hab door ... have you got the same thing on both sides? If so, it's not an awning rail.

 

[peterc]

Many thanks again everybody. Minxy girl, we have a completely different ungrooved trim on the other side.

When we returned our motorhome to storage today we had a little look around at other vans and many were similar to ours in that the access point was blocked. They all had a bit of the metal forced in order to allow access so that looks like the way forward.

Many thanks again for everybody's help. Greatly appreciated.

 

[Minxy]

Many thanks again everybody. Minxy girl, we have a completely different ungrooved trim on the other side.

When we returned our motorhome to storage today we had a little look around at other vans and many were similar to ours in that the access point was blocked. They all had a bit of the metal forced in order to allow access so that looks like the way forward.

Many thanks again for everybody's help. Greatly appreciated.

I'm more than happy to be proved wrong but if that's the case how do you pass the awning piping along the 'zig-zag' bit at the top?

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[peterc]

If you mean the bit in my first picture for danielford, this is not a zig zag bit but the end of, (what I an assuming is awning rail). I appreciate this means the awning will cover half of the side window but I'm guessing that's the way it is.

Taking her in for service and MOT next week so will see what dealer says.

 

[suavecarve]

Got to agree with @Minxy Girl here. (I hate it when she is right more times than she is wrong)

It does look as if it is meant to be an awning rail but there is no start point, and that "zigzag" thing at the top just doesn't make sense.
I ve been racking my singular celled brain and wonder if the "Zigzag" thing is removable so that you can then slide in the awning starting from there. A very strange starting place as you will definitely need a ladder, otherwise, although it looks like an awning rail, I would be loathed to "readjust" the bottom as I think the mastic type stuff is where someone else may have readjusted it previously.

I am looking forward to the definitive answer though

 

[DangerMousy]

I would be tempted to leave well alone and glue a new length of awning rail on to the side of the MH. If that rail is part of the join between body panels, putting pressure on it to bend it to create an entry point may cause the seal to come apart allowing water in.

Awning rail is really cheap and can be glued on to the the side of the MH - it cost us £23 to do ours (that's for the awning rail and Sikaflex to glue it). Its very easy to do and you can position it in the right place too so your awning won't be covering your window

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

it is not an awning rail,as @Minxy Girl has advised it is a joint, the groove/gap is due to an infill rubber missing. The opposite side will look exactly the same if you pulled out the rubber infil strip.An awning will not fit into this gap/groove, your wasting your time and money.
You are comparing the joint with a caravan awning rail which is attached to the caravan all around the side to allow a caravan awning to be threaded through. The van you have does not have a built in awning rail it is a joint with a rubber infil missing

 

[Frazzle]

If it is a awning rail why is it on the other side from the door, surly it should be on the door side.

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[Minxy]

Got to agree with @Minxy Girl here. (I hate it when she is right more times than she is wrong)

I THINK that's a compliment but not sure so just to keep you in your place ...

[To those who are wondering what this is for ... he's got 'hose pipe' envy so I like to tease him with pictures of my collection! ]

 

[peterc]

Thanks all. Frazzle, it is on the door side, the other side doesn't look like this.
jimbohorlicks, many thanks for your views. I shall take these on board along with the views of DM23 and leave well alone.
I shall fit the new awning rail on, (which we did purchase with the awning just in case). Was going to return it but won't be doing so now.

Once again huge thanks to everybody who has contributed to this thread. It was hugely appreciated.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

best if you can forward a picture of the hab door side of your van also-have you got a pull put awning?

 

[Frazzle]

Cant you use the existing wind awning it as 4mm gap on the back to fit one of these below

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/products/kampa-drive-away-kit-6mm-to-4mm.html

 

[peterc]

Jimbohorlicks, the motorhome doesn't have a wind out awning. Also it is in storage at the moment so I can't currently provide the picture you requested. However, I have found one on a website of the same model and year which I can post for the time being to give you a better idea of the overall look on the habitation door side.

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[Frazzle]

Sorry i thought photo above was yours.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Ok you have no pull out awning. if you have purchased the caravan type awning aluminium rail , and you previously had a caravan , the you obviously know what to do with it.
personally I would have gone for a rive away awing or a free standing popup type tent, but everyone to their own.
best of luck

 

[peterc]

Just an update for everybody. Congratulations to those who said not an awning rail. They were all correct. I had this confirmed by Swift who were very helpful indeed after our dealer decided he wasn't sure either.

Going to get one fitted now.

Many thanks to all who responded.

 

[Minxy]

Just an update for everybody. Congratulations to those who said not an awning rail. They were all correct. I had this confirmed by Swift who were very helpful indeed after our dealer decided he wasn't sure either.

Going to get one fitted now.

Many thanks to all who responded.

Ooooo ... now who might they have been .....

 

[Silver-Fox]

I have come a bit late into the fray and would agree its not an awning rail.
Could I suggest it should have some plastic trim pushed into the groove to close of the rail off and give it a finished appearance?

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[TerryL]

I'm with Jimbohorlicks, the infill strip is missing, you should visit your dealer and get it replaced.