Figure of 8 technique?

[Yeti]

Hi All,

This subject must have been discussed before but I couldn't' find a specific post (now waiting to be corrected) . When we bought our Bongo it came with a rather large awning. The previous owner had attached it to the van with the 3 lengths of figure of 8 (which came with the awning), he even showed us pictures. However, on our first outing in the van we erected the awning and tried to attach it to the van with the figure of 8 lengths. We failed miserably. Since returning home I have tried to attach the strips to the gutter sans awning and still haven't managed. It may be that I'm being too gentle and don't want to scratch or chip the Bongo. I did manage to get one end of the strip into place but it required some serious force and I wouldn't be comfortable doing that across the three lengths. There's no signs of carnage from previous fight to get them on so I can only assume I'm doing it wrong Am I missing something? Is there a technique to attaching the figure of 8?

I've scoured the interwebs for a video or pictures of how to attach it but the advice seems to be "...just clip to the gutter" and it's always a picture of a VW! I have tried searching the forums too but didn't find anything specific to how to use them.

[janie]

Hi,
I believe some people push them on from one end, however we found that they tended to come off quite easily like this.

We have now attached them by pushing them on (very forcefully). So much so that it's tricky to get them off again - solution - leave them on permanently

Jane

[Bob]

Must admit the heading sounded more interesting than fitting an awning.

I'll get me coat.

[Yeti]

Thanks Janie. I was so wrapped up in getting them on I hadn't even thought of how I would get them off

(Leaving the innuendo door ajar for Bob)

[mikeonb4c]

I have full length single strip of fig 8 permanently on each side of mine. I slide the beading on the awning onto it either before erecting the awning (where this gives me an extra pair of hands since the Bongo holds one end steady) or, as now with my quick erect Khyam motordome, by inserting the beading into the strip as i drive the Bongo into position alongside the erected awning (or sometimes with my partner i lift the awning and move it to achieve the same result).

Single lengths of fig 8 can be picked (but not posted by) some camping equipment shops. Mine came from Camperlands. An advantage of a single strip is no gaps for water to drip through. Looks good also as coach trim, to my eye, plus it never gets left at home

[Tertiary]

We do it slightly differently.. (Story of my life! )

Figure 8 permanently attached to the van, kador strip then another figure 8 for the awning... When we drive away we just pull the kador strip out, tidy the awning and go..

When we come back we slacken the guys on the far end of the awning, position the van, slide in the kador and re-tension the guys.. It works a treat for us. We've found you don't have to be quite so exact positioning the van so consequently it's a lot quicker..

Good point about the single piece though Mike, we do suffer from the occasional drip or two through the join - I'll put it on my Roundtuit list..

[mikeonb4c]

Also, single strip means only one piece needs threading on to. Like the Kador strip idea.