Unhooking figure of eight drive away?

[Dr Fingers]

Dear All

Awaiting our first drive-away, but am puzzled as to how one unhooks for trips out.

I have figure of eight strip on the van (used with a sun canopy), but can't see how we'll disconnect the awning from van.

Obviously easy to fit initially, just slide the beading on awning through the the figure of eight, (same as sun canopy) but once installed and awning pegged down, I assume you can't slide the awning sideways to disconnect it. I have read that you just 'push the figure of eight upwards and it'll pop off the guttering" but the figure of eight on my van is a very tight fit, I can't get it off as it is unless I slide it sideways.

Do I need this Kador stuff,

http://www.camperlands.co.uk/double-edg ... strip.html

or am I missing something? All advice gratefully received

Derek

[levon]

That strip might work if you had another set of figure of 8 to attach to the awning.

We just pull the figure of 8 off, start at one end which is the hard bit then the rest of the strip comes off easily. Getting it back on is hard, and sometimes can take a few goes having gotten completely upset with it!

If you do get some kador strip let us know how it goes.

Levon

[Velocette]

My Figure of eight is in three sections, might make it a bit easier and you can keep it in the roof too.

[Dr Fingers]

Spoken to Vanplus Leisure (supplying the awning) and they suggested a 'connection kit', basically a 2.5m strip of material that stays hooked on to the van with another run of 8's along it's other edge that the awning actually attaches to: apparently this second set of 8's just slide off and away you go, so going with that.


More money..


There's no way I can budge the 8's already on the van (just tried again)

Derek

[francophile1947]

We just pull the figure of 8 off, start at one end which is the hard bit then the rest of the strip comes off easily. Getting it back on is hard, and sometimes can take a few goes having gotten completely upset with it!

I agree - just start at one end

As for getting it back on, unless it was very windy, I rarely used to bother - just hook it over the gutter, but don't pull it down - the pull from the awning kept the figure of eights in place

[PisceanJoy]

I leave mine on van and my awning just pulls out when i want to take it down

[dom_e]

As for getting it back on, unless it was very windy, I rarely used to bother - just hook it over the gutter, but don't pull it down - the pull from the awning kept the figure of eights in place

Ditto on this.

[Terri & colin]

Mine kept coming off in the wind last week, iv got clamps now x

[MarcT77]

Mine kept coming off in the wind last week, iv got clamps now x

Yep mine did that as well,which clamps are you using please?

[blobber]

I use the Kador strip with my Kyham, mainly because I have the plastic trim on the gutter and getting figure of 8 on and of this is a complete pain.

[Terri & colin]

Mine was in with my awning.

[Jillygumbo]

Using a kador strip with a second figure-of-8 makes it easier to drive away once the awning is set up. However, before you do drive away, mark on the ground where your wheels should go for when you come back.

You will also need a second person to feed the kador strip, attached to the awning, through the figure of 8 you left attached to the vehicle, while you drive the vehicle into position.

You may not get as tight a fit as when you put the awning up, but with practice you will get better at this.

The only downside is if some helpful playful person comes along while you're out and moves your ground markers!

[sdsk]

Mine kept coming off in the wind last week, iv got clamps now x

Yep mine did that as well,which clamps are you using please?

We use a pole and clamp kit from Kyham:
http://www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=460

Darron

[MarcT77]

Mine kept coming off in the wind last week, iv got clamps now x

Yep mine did that as well,which clamps are you using please?

We use a pole and clamp kit from Kyham:
http://www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=460

Darron

Thanx Darron

[Rebiam]

The figure of 8 stays on if you keep up the tension. I found an excellent device

http://www.mkmonline.co.uk/shop/product ... 7AodmH4ArA

Tarp clips attach each side of the awning and guy I them down sideways. Keeps the awning tight in the figure of 8, stops any flapping in the tunnel bit and eliminates the area where rain puddles (we used the pole and clamp method until the clamps were pulled off the gutter by the weight of water collecting in the awning tunnel during a heavy downpour one night).

Also means you don't have to be so careful about correct repositioning next to your awning after you have 'driven away'.