Attaching canopies/awnings

[Tom_B]

I would like to have an awning but can't afford a Fiamma set up right now. I have been looking at a canopy like this http://www.worldofcamping.co.uk/kingcam ... s=nextopia

I want to able to anchor it to the Bongo and was wondering if I could make up brackets that would go under the AFT locking brackets on the sliding door side. Using the roof gutter alone feels a bit insecure as when it gets breezy there can be some forces on a canopy like this.

what does the forum think?

[sotal]

I would say using the brackets is much more secure and gives a little extra headroom.

Our awning has a pocket of material that a metal pole slides through. You have 4 things on the edge of the roof (one strut base and three hooks) Our pole goes infront of three of these and behind the 2nd hook. That alone is sufficient for most weather but we also have a couple of clamps that hold the pole onto the hooks at either end - like that it stood up to a storm with no problems.

[mikeonb4c]

I would like to have an awning but can't afford a Fiamma set up right now. I have been looking at a canopy like this http://www.worldofcamping.co.uk/kingcam ... s=nextopia

I want to able to anchor it to the Bongo and was wondering if I could make up brackets that would go under the AFT locking brackets on the sliding door side. Using the roof gutter alone feels a bit insecure as when it gets breezy there can be some forces on a canopy like this.

what does the forum think?

I have a single length (2.4m?) of figure 8 permanently in place on the gutters on both sides of the Bongo (once on, they don't come off!). With this, I can use any bit of material that has a beading along its length to give a rain proof cover that can just be threaded along the figure 8. Advantage is no poles to store or forget (but see further down this post), most secure and weatherproof attachment, no risk of damage to Bongo from clamps. You could buy some tenting material off ebay, sew in figure 8 beading and 2 eyelets (eyelet kits from ebay), buy two tent poles, tow guys ropes, two stout storm pegs from a camping shop (to support and stay the whole thing). That way you'd have something cheap, very compact to store, and less likely to blow away than the worldofcamping thing. I don't think the head height thing is a deal breaker esp as the pole option hardly increases head height (unless I've misunderstood something - always possible!).

The key is getting hold of that single length of figure 8 strip. Shops won't post it so you need a source somewhere nearby (or a Bongo relay )

[cmm303]

I would say using the brackets is much more secure and gives a little extra headroom.

agreed. To use the gutter you need corded edge to feed into a fig 8. If using a pole the brackets would work. You could try stitching loops to the canopy to secure it directly to the brackets. I have also secured my tarp with guys running over the AFT and a vertical pole or two to maintain height away from the bongo.

[mikeonb4c]

I would say using the brackets is much more secure and gives a little extra headroom.

agreed. To use the gutter you need corded edge to feed into a fig 8. If using a pole the brackets would work. You could try stitching loops to the canopy to secure it directly to the brackets. I have also secured my tarp with guys running over the AFT and a vertical pole or two to maintain height away from the bongo.

I think people who dislike Fig 8 have been grappling with the three short lengths of Fig 8 that are what is normally supplied, and that's a pain. But a single length, permanently on board, changes the game. If you use a pole to hold the awning to the Bongo (which I have done just to try it out, as my old awning had one with it) I seem to recall it had to be threaded through a sewed in slot in the awning tunnel on order for it to hold the awning securely held against the Bongo (rain gutter) by the pole and clamps. And there was no extra height benefit. You'd have to clamp to the 3 metal hoops under the AFT to get that, but I wouldn't have thought that possible with a pole threaded through the awning. But as I say, maybe I'm missing something (not unknown for me!)

[cmm303]

I would say using the brackets is much more secure and gives a little extra headroom.

agreed. To use the gutter you need corded edge to feed into a fig 8. If using a pole the brackets would work. You could try stitching loops to the canopy to secure it directly to the brackets. I have also secured my tarp with guys running over the AFT and a vertical pole or two to maintain height away from the bongo.

I think people who dislike Fig 8 have been grappling with the three short lengths of Fig 8 that are what is normally supplied, and that's a pain. But a single length, permanently on board, changes the game. If you use a pole to hold the awning to the Bongo (which I have done just to try it out, as my old awning had one with it) I seem to recall it had to be threaded through a sewed in slot in the awning tunnel on order for it to hold the awning securely held against the Bongo (rain gutter) by the pole and clamps. And there was no extra height benefit. You'd have to clamp to the 3 metal hoops under the AFT to get that, but I wouldn't have thought that possible with a pole threaded through the awning. But as I say, maybe I'm missing something (not unknown for me!)

my awning has windows in the pole sleeve for securing the pole. One window must line up with the bracket that the pole goes behind so the bracket comes up between the pole and awning.

[mikeonb4c]

my awning has windows in the pole sleeve for securing the pole. One window must line up with the bracket that the pole goes behind so the bracket comes up between the pole and awning.

Aha! Well that would do it nicely Don't think any of mine have had that.

[windywatson]

Hi,

I used to struggle with figure of 8's but gave up with that. As I have experience working with motor homes having worked for Brownhills for a time, I decided to install a strip of awning rail. This was installed just above the gutter directly onto the bodywork about 1.5 inch up. I know many would fear drilling holes into the body work but if done correctly it isn't a problem. Firstly make sure you are using stainless steel self tappers, mark out the holes through the rail and drill pilot holes as required. Then using the stuff that is used professionally, mastic on a roll (grey & very sticky). Stick the mastic to the back of the rail place rail onto roof & screw down. The mastic is very flexible & gives a good seal squashing out around the edges of the rail & more importantly forms a water tight seal around the screws. Mines been on the van for 5 years without any signs of rust etc.
I find it very good as I used to get some leakage around the figure of 8 when it rained and drips that would get the floor area damp/wet just where you would stand getting in & out of the side door. All of that is a thing of the past. Also not an expensive mod to do.

Cheers

[mikeonb4c]

Hi,

I used to struggle with figure of 8's but gave up with that. As I have experience working with motor homes having worked for Brownhills for a time, I decided to install a strip of awning rail. This was installed just above the gutter directly onto the bodywork about 1.5 inch up. I know many would fear drilling holes into the body work but if done correctly it isn't a problem. Firstly make sure you are using stainless steel self tappers, mark out the holes through the rail and drill pilot holes as required. Then using the stuff that is used professionally, mastic on a roll (grey & very sticky). Stick the mastic to the back of the rail place rail onto roof & screw down. The mastic is very flexible & gives a good seal squashing out around the edges of the rail & more importantly forms a water tight seal around the screws. Mines been on the van for 5 years without any signs of rust etc.
I find it very good as I used to get some leakage around the figure of 8 when it rained and drips that would get the floor area damp/wet just where you would stand getting in & out of the side door. All of that is a thing of the past. Also not an expensive mod to do.

Cheers

Excellent advice - essentially the awning channel works the same as a continuous length of Fig 8 i.e. no problem with drips. Principal advantage of Windy's channel is a bit of extra head height. More work to install but has to be the most durable solution.

[idetika]

Here is my home-made canopy, tried and tested for several years now.
I bought a canopy from Decathlon and a length of Kador stip from Ebay, the sort already stitched on awnings.
I sewed it to the canopy, and it is attached using a figure of eight to the Bongo.
It can flap a bit, but never has never detached from the figure of eight, whatever the weather. However, I wouldn't leave it up in very windy weather, I wouldn't trust any canopy if the wind really picked up.

[sotal]

I have a single length (2.4m?) of figure 8 permanently in place on the gutters on both sides of the Bongo (once on, they don't come off!). With this, I can use any bit of material that has a beading along its length to give a rain proof cover that can just be threaded along the figure 8.

Ours is a drive away awning. If you use figure of 8 then how do you slide it on and off? Surely you'd have to take the figure of 8 on and off the gutter each time?

The pole goes quite a bit higher than the gutter, it goes behind/infront of the hook type brackets in the AFT. You lift the roof, attach the pole and put the 2 pegs in for the sides. Job done in a couple of minutes - lifting the roof probably takes the longest.

When attaching to the gutter the material would rub against my head, it also collected water in a puddle in the middle. When attaching with the pole higher up, the water runs off much better, my head doesn't rub on the material, it feels more secure and it is much quicker to attach and detach.

[sotal]

That is the only pic I can find which shows it at all, You can see the orange clip. It doesn't *need* the clips but I put them on to make sure it won't blow off. As you can see the pole is quite a bit higher than the gutter. The pole is threaded into the end of the awning, the pole. I then lift the pole with the material and place it behind the two front brackets, then infront of the back two (at this point it is loose and would just fall off). I then lift just the front end and pull it infront of the front bracket. The bending of the pole at this point gives tension which holds it in place. So it goes infront of the first, behind the second and infront of the last two.


Hopefully that makes sense now, and hopefully you can see that like this it is very secure, it is very quick, it is higher and can be attached and detached without needing to slide anything across which is near on impossible with a drive away awning.

[mikeonb4c]

I have a single length (2.4m?) of figure 8 permanently in place on the gutters on both sides of the Bongo (once on, they don't come off!). With this, I can use any bit of material that has a beading along its length to give a rain proof cover that can just be threaded along the figure 8.

Ours is a drive away awning. If you use figure of 8 then how do you slide it on and off? Surely you'd have to take the figure of 8 on and off the gutter each time?

The pole goes quite a bit higher than the gutter, it goes behind/infront of the hook type brackets in the AFT. You lift the roof, attach the pole and put the 2 pegs in for the sides. Job done in a couple of minutes - lifting the roof probably takes the longest.

When attaching to the gutter the material would rub against my head, it also collected water in a puddle in the middle. When attaching with the pole higher up, the water runs off much better, my head doesn't rub on the material, it feels more secure and it is much quicker to attach and detach.

If its a drive away awning like mine, you drive it off with someone holding the awning beading. Do the reverse when rejoining. I use tent pegs to mark wheel positions I need to return to, though you can buy purpose made marking strips. The method is not really so practical with 3 short lengths of Fig 8 (which is a pain to take off even in short lengths). In the OPs case of course (and with Idetikas) none of that would be necessary as they are not intended as drive away awnings

Pole method is fine and has the plus points you mention, though at 6' I've never been bothered by the lower height. But I was really responding to the OP who said:

I would like to have an awning but can't afford a Fiamma set up right now...Using the roof gutter alone feels a bit insecure as when it gets breezy there can be some forces on a canopy....

I wanted to reassure them that with a 2.4m length of Fig 8 they need not worry about that (as Idetika has said - their setup is what I had in mind). I agree with the OP that wind getting underneath such an awning could pull it free (or tear it) if it was attached by pole and clamps. Wind wouldn't get underneath yours in the same way as it is an enclosure, so pole and clamps should work fine.

I think the puddling issue depends a lot on the design of awning. The usual trick when at risk is to put a pole up in the middle of the tunnel to create a pitched roof. With yours the tunnel section joins to the top of main awning, which is good as it gives it a pitch without needing to do that..

[cmm303]

It's given me an idea for my tarp. I'm going to try rolling the van end a few turns onto a pole and bending the pole between the roof brackets as described. A lot neater than stinging guys over the van.