Thule Awning Leg Thingamjigs.....

[Graydo]

Hi - our van came with a Thule Omnister awning fitted and a little bag containing two fittings which can be mounted on the side of the van so that the awning legs can be attached to the van rather the ground.

As the van is a panel van conversion, and I can get to the back of where the fixings would need to go, I should be able to get a very firm fixing on the van with stainless M6 bolts and penny washers on the reverse side, and I was also planning to protect the paint work around the fixing using Heli-tape. But before I get out the drill and start punching holes in my nice shiny van I thought I see if anyone had any thoughts on how good / sensible it is to set up an awning in this way.

Just be sure that you can fully open your sliding door when they are attached.
I discounted this idea in my Renault Trafic conversion for this very reason.


Graydo

 

[dosser]

Hi did you somehow tie the feet into the suction clamp or is it just wedged in and if so was the weight of the legs enough tp hold it in. Cant quite see from the photo. Just ordered an awning for our Globecar like that idea especially with the dog moving about outside. ?
Thanks.

I didn't want to drill holes in our PVC so instead used suction clamps with ours ...

View attachment 378594View attachment 378595View attachment 378597View attachment 378605

 

[tjay]

You can purchase roof brackets to fit them from Agent Fiamma ! then your sliding door will open.
Use rivnuts to fit too the roof,silicone c/w rubber washers inside and out will prevent any leaks! did it on my last Mercedes van conversion!!

 

[Minxy]

Hi did you somehow tie the feet into the suction clamp or is it just wedged in and if so was the weight of the legs enough tp hold it in. Cant quite see from the photo. Just ordered an awning for our Globecar like that idea especially with the dog moving about outside. ?
Thanks.

I cut down some old bicycle inner tube which I slotted on the existing feet of the awning legs before I put them in the holders, this was to ensure that if the feet accidentally touched the side of the camper they wouldn't scratch the paintwork but also to help 'wedge' them into the loops on the clamps. In addition I also used some really long and strong flat elastic 'bungee' straps which hooked over the top swivel of the awning legs and went onto a fixing under the camper (chassis loop etc), this ensured that the awning couldn't be lifted and with the legs 'locked' as normal they couldn't shorten either. All in all it was a very secure method of securing the awning.

 

[dosser]

I cut down some old bicycle inner tube which I slotted on the existing feet of the awning legs before I put them in the holders, this was to ensure that if the feet accidentally touched the side of the camper they wouldn't scratch the paintwork but also to help 'wedge' them into the loops on the clamps. In addition I also used some really long and strong flat elastic 'bungee' straps which hooked over the top swivel of the awning legs and went onto a fixing under the camper (chassis loop etc), this ensured that the awning couldn't be lifted and with the legs 'locked' as normal they couldn't shorten either. All in all it was a very secure method of securing the awning.

Thanks for that Mel sounds good ordered the suction clamps today and will give it a try once i get the awning on the van.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Thanks for that Mel sounds good ordered the suction clamps today and will give it a try once i get the awning on the van.

This is what I did before I bought the suckers:

Awning repair.im a pillock.duh

At Chester I had my brand new Thule 6foot awning extended out overnight and it wasn’t secure enough and yes it got damaged. It broke a piece of cast metal and ripped the awning about 5 feet. Is there anywhere that repairs them starting in the northwest manchester area.(I will travel if I need...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Ditcha]

Pinched some ideas from this thread thanks and made these for the grand price of £11.49 which I paid for the aluminium dual suction lifter.

I already had the wall brackets from my awning fittings so never had to purchase them and a couple of hours work.

Just need to try them now ?

 

[Abgs]

Pinched some ideas from this thread thanks and made these for the grand price of £11.49 which I paid for the aluminium dual suction lifter.

I already had the wall brackets from my awning fittings so never had to purchase them and a couple of hours work.

Just need to try them now ?

I shamelessly copied your idea yesterday!

Total cost £11.50 as I also had the plastic brackets that came with the awning.

Not quite as neat a cut as yours - no power cutting tools available, just a hack saw and file to tidy up and then drilled a small starter hole for the self taper screws to go in.

Took about an hour or so.

Picture heavy build thread below ...

 

[sonar]

4pcs Tie Down Anchor Suction Cup Strap Hook For Camping Car Van Roof Top Tent UK | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 4pcs Tie Down Anchor Suction Cup Strap Hook For Camping Car Van Roof Top Tent UK at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Ditcha]

I shamelessly copied your idea yesterday!

Total cost £11.50 as I also had the plastic brackets that came with the awning.

Not quite as neat a cut as yours - no power cutting tools available, just a hack saw and file to tidy up and then drilled a small starter hole for the self taper screws to go in.

Took about an hour or so.

Picture heavy build thread below ...

View attachment 604539
View attachment 604541
View attachment 604543
View attachment 604544
View attachment 604545
View attachment 604546
View attachment 604547
View attachment 604549

Hey I have a copyright on that method

Cracking job

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Northernraider]

Similar to those already mentioned - these suction fixings are what we would choose rather than screw into the bodywork Amazon product ASIN B073FM5RH8
View attachment 378640

View attachment 378641

£97

I've had ones screwed in to bodywork on every van I've had and all have been fine.

 

[Northernraider]

Thanks for the info about the multiAnker it looks really good - I am one of those sad people who has had the misfortune to have had a Thule Omnistor wrapped round my Motorhome roof In high winds! It happened in the early hours of the morning, an unexpected strong, gusty, wind developed without warning and the awning was complety & utterly wrecked. Indeed, the tensioning bar broke into separate pieces, and all we could do was cut the fabric off with a Stanley knife and put all of the broken bits in a skip and then get a complete new one fitted! Which spoilt the end of my holiday; it is a experience which understandbly I have no desire to repeat. So I have ordered a set of these suckers tonight - I note that they say they can each support 70kg - which is certainly very much stronger than tent pegs - thank you!

Those suckers won't stop the awning going over the roof with a bit of wind.

The only thing that will is not leaving the awning out overnight or unattended. They really aren't designed for it..

 

[oldiesontour]

Self drilling self tappers and original brackets with a bit of sealant where hole will be ,quick cheap,easy,secure...I won't be taking the awning of IF I sell the van so holes don't matter.

 

[iandsm]

Stuck mine on with skliflex about 3 years ago still on so hopefully I did it right.

Really interested to hear that as I to don\t wish to drill the body which skiable did you use or do you think a two part epoxy resin glue would as just as well?

 

[Northernraider]

Really interested to hear that as I to don\t wish to drill the body which skiable did you use or do you think a two part epoxy resin glue would as just as well?

I would use sikaflex and stainless screws.. those brackets take a bit of a beating should a gust of wind catch it.

It's not something you would remove from a van again unless replacing a broken bracket.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[oldiesontour]

I would use sikaflex and stainless screws.. those brackets take a bit of a beating should a gust of wind catch it.

It's not something you would remove from a van again unless replacing a broken bracket.

Don't see any advantage using sika alone it would probably make more mess trying to remove it than tiny self tapper hole, which could easily be filled with touch up paint if needed,as the loading is negligible and a sheer load won't take much holding

 

[Shrimp]

Very handy on an Aire where you are not supposed to’camp’ ie some are very fussy which means no doormat, no levelling ramps, to table/chairs and do not leave your step out. You should not have anything other than your tyres touching the ground!!!
Luckily most Aires don’t insist on these rule.
We did get caught out once many years ago, Gendarme knocked on the door early and reprimanded us for ramps, mat and step! Think the bin men shopped us!

 

[Northernraider]

Very handy on an Aire where you are not supposed to’camp’ ie some are very fussy which means no doormat, no levelling ramps, to table/chairs and do not leave your step out. You should not have anything other than your tyres touching the ground!!!
Luckily most Aires don’t insist on these rule.
We did get caught out once many years ago, Gendarme knocked on the door early and reprimanded us for ramps, mat and step! Think the bin men shopped us!

Typical French


Bloody stupid

 

[diane taylor]

How did you secure the feet to the anchor?

 

[diane taylor]

I didn't want to drill holes in our PVC so instead used suction clamps with ours ...

View attachment 378594View attachment 378595View attachment 378597View attachment 378605

How did you secure the feet to the anchor?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

How did you secure the feet to the anchor?

They slotted into the D ring on each of them and I used some long elastic straps, like flat buggies, that hooked to the top of the awning legs and under the MH which ensured the feet stayed put and also ensured the awning wouldn't try to take off in a moderate breeze.

 

[Richard J]

If you have dogs outside on long leads / wires, it's one (or two) less things on the ground for them to wrap around and damage. My dogs are 50kg each, wear thick leather collars with D rings stitched in, but when they see a fox and take off after it the collars are shredded and I have a wire with a D ring on the end. Aluminium awning legs are no challenge at all so best out of the way

It was a rabbit with my Lab. I now put a 4 foot length of 40mm waste pipe around the legs (of the awning, not the lab).

 

[ianto999]

The Swiss do a reassuring expensive magnetic version…