Awning woes (1 Viewer)

[Flook]

Any chance of a picture showing how high the legs need to be raised? Also a pic showing the door in relation to the awning when raised to the height you feel is correct.

I will see what I can do later. as for the legs, these have to be raised to at least the height of where the awning is fixed to the van.

 

[maison]

I gave a genuine answer to a genuine question.

Sorry @Badknee .

My post was not directed at your answer. Unfortunately it appeared directly under your post so I understand your comment.

 

[TerryL]

I will see what I can do later. as for the legs, these have to be raised to at least the height of where the awning is fixed to the van.

That can't be right, sounds like it's not fitted correctly. Any chance of a picture or two?

 

[Flook]

I appologise for the quality of the images, I took these on my camera phone (no excuse really). The weather was not good for it was overcast, however you may be able to zoom in on the first one which shows how near the bracket is to the front of the awning, so literally not much room to move the awning across to be enough to clear the door, as you can clearly see in the 2nd and 3rd picture. The 4th one is only to give an idea of the overall length of the awning in relation to the van. Also, if you look at the height of the awning in relation to the top of the van, you may well imagine how high the awning lags would have to go to allow the awning support strut to clear the opening and closing of the door.

Flook

 

[BreweryDave]

All is now clear, and I apologise for my sarcasm! Now that’s what I call bad design!
Yup, it’s gotta be moved, unless you want to fiddle with the legs every time you open or close the door. Daft placement. I feel your pain

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[DavidG58]

I

It does look like it has been mounted rather low, but it is also not obvious if it could be much higher due to the rail

However I also think it is daftly close to the door for no obvious reason, looking at the fixing bracket in this photo it looks like the whole thing will move to the right by about 6-8" that might just make the difference

 

[Flook]

Dave, unfortunately, that would not allow the door to fully open though.

 

[DavidG58]

Dave, unfortunately, that would not allow the door to fully open though.

more photos needed of the actual door catching the awning are needed I think, I cant quite grasp what stops it opening

if it is catching on the awning arm wouldn't moving that further across help at all?

 

[BreweryDave]

David, I think it would still catch on the fabric

 

[hilldweller]

the legs have to be raised very high.

Flook

Define "very high" the awning outer is usually set near 6 feet just like a normal door.

And you don't set both sides the same hight or else water will puddle.

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[Lofty1]

I consider raising the brackets and I think it needs moving over to the right so it allows clear opening if an awning is fitted.

 

[hilldweller]

I appologise for the quality of the images

There is one missing, underneath when open. We can't see where the arms are relative to the door.

But anyway, you are dead right, that is a really crap install.

Don't knock the length too much, you might not need longer, just the right position.

 

[tonyidle]

How far in either direction would you need to move the awning so the arms don't interfere with the door? You can also move the arms themselves if necessary.

 

[rrusty]

Thanks for the info on the email, appreciated.
The awning is on brackets, unfortunately not enough to make any difference if it was moved over.
My ask is genuine, though I do seem to have a weird sense of humour, but not in this instance.
I also found that if I raised the legs of awning very high the door can be opened and closed. Problem here though is, the legs are raised too high.

Now I am wondering, how many of us have this unfortunate issue. A longer awning would fit the bill, the van is 7.2M long, and a short awning has been fitted!!! I must save my pension up to buy the longer version (now that is typical of my humour).

Flook

Can you post a photo with the awning out

 

[rrusty]

Sorry see you have posted photo. Understand now

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[mike mcglynn]

It looks to me like the wrong brackets have been used to fit your awning ,I have never seen one fitted to the side of a van like that .

 

[138go]

With the door that close to the roof they should have fitted the F65 version which fits to the top of the roof. You can move the bar that is hitting the door. It’s only held in place by a bolt at each end. You just have to make sure you move both of them the same distance along. I saw one the other day on a French MH and every time he opened the door the canvas moved up.

 

[Flook]

Unfortunately I cannot open the awning, when I can I will take photo's. As far as opening the door with the awning out with a slight slant, the door will open less than half way.

If it is at all possible, I would like to remove the awning, move all brackets along sufficiently so when the door is open it is well clear of the arm. However, this would mean three beautiful holes in the side of the van that would allow a natural air flow into units etc, which I consider would not endear me to her indoors. Also a slight issue of potential leaks when the weather turns to rain or snow, which it has been known to from time to time, the wet would be soaked up by the foam insulation and would cause a failure when the damp checks are carried out.

The above paragraph is written with my sense of humour that comes out occasionally. A bit like I say to someone "Please tell me, what part of no do you not understand, the N or the O" when they start on something I am not interested in, and, when they do not take the hint I come out with that. All this by the way has nothing to do with this thread, or the price of a pint of milk.

Flook (with a wry smile in my face).

 

[Flook]

Q4, when I bought the van I knew nothing about camping, or motorhoming, except I had driven many vans during the course of my past business. So, I assumed all was fitted as it should have been, and I have not really used the awning until this year, hence my post.

I must point out, I do know of a decent Motor home repairer in Northampton, I am sure he would be willing to move the awning to where I want it, & carry out the repair. However the cost may be more that I am willing to pay, and it not that he needs a new Washing Machine or Dishwasher to pay for the job, otherwise I would have sealed a deal.

Flook

 

[Flook]

I consider raising the brackets and I think it needs moving over to the right so it allows clear opening if an awning is fitted.

Lofty, the brackets cannot be lifted any higher, not wanting to appear rude, have you been reading this post, an awning is fitted, the fitting brackets do not allow the awning the awning to be moved sufficiently to prevent the awning swing arm to be absolutely clear of the habitation door when opened or closed.

Thank you for your input anyway.

Flook

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[TerryL]

As others have said, it now becomes clear what your problem is. Agree that's a poor installation and IMO a visit to the repairer for his opinion would probably be a wise move.

 

[Lofty1]

Lofty, the brackets cannot be lifted any higher, not wanting to appear rude, have you been reading this post, an awning is fitted, the fitting brackets do not allow the awning the awning to be moved sufficiently to prevent the awning swing arm to be absolutely clear of the habitation door when opened or closed.

Thank you for your input anyway.

Flook

Hi have you looked on the fiamma site they have three pages of brackets that would probably raise the awning using the fixings you have, if not any engineering shop could alter your own brackets to meet your requirements, ps while I take no offence your reply did sound quite rude.

 

[gus-lopez]

The only way that can be sorted is
A) as you suggested have a larger one fitted or
B) whilst saving up for the larger one purchase another support bracket & have it fitted by the MH repairer, if you cannot do it yourself, at least the width of the door + the support arm to the right of the door when facing it.
So if the door is 50cm wide (20") approximately, Then the new bracket will be around 22-24" to the right of the door.
Move the awning to the right.

Leave the original , now unused bracket, where it is if you can put up with it. If you can't leave it there anyway for the time being.

If the new support bracket is positioned correctly taking in to account you fitting a longer one all will be in place when you have purchased it & when fitted it will sit correctly on all support brackets.
You can then sell the original shorter one to @ianthebuilder at £1.00/week
If you are happy with the repositioned shorter one you can either leave the redundant bracket where it is or later have it removed & repaired properly by the MH man.

 

[Lenny HB]

Surely when you have an awning fitted you tell the fitter where you want it positioned, we did. And our arms foul the door if the legs aren't high enough doesn't bother us as it's on the side of the van where we wanted it.

 

[Spriddler]

OK. So this may be a wind up.

Unlikely, as the problem he has is in winding it out.

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[DavidG58]

Surely when you have an awning fitted you tell the fitter where you want it positioned, we did. And our arms foul the door if the legs aren't high enough doesn't bother us as it's on the side of the van where we wanted it.

the OP bought this already fitted

 

[DavidG58]

As @gus-lopez suggests, buy a longer one you only need one more bracket to the right to make that work reuse the others

and as he suggests, for now you could move the exiting awning across onto the extra and existing brackets quite cheaply and simply, you will just leave one bracket exposed for a while they are fully weatherproof (or should be, but will make no difference to sealing when exposed or covered by the awning case

 

[tonyidle]

Another solution: Remove all existing brackets. Have cut aluminium plates the same width as the existing brackets but longer by the height you need to raise the awning and drill to match existing. Have the plates bent to lay the awning back towards the roof then drill for the old brackets to fit higher up on the tilted portion. You will end up with your awning positioned as below but with no new holes.

 

[Flook]

Gus, thanks for your ideas. I was thinking along the lines of purchasing another bracket, fitting it further along, sliding the awning along, and leave the first bracket in situ, on the off chance of buying a second hand longer awning, or an ex demo one.

Tony, a decent idea, but I do not want to raise the awning further up in height at this time.

DaveG, thanks for agreeing with the idea from young Gus.

Lenny, it was already fitted, and as I was new to motorhoming and camping at that time, all I knew was It came with an awning.

Lofty, thanks for the info, I will certainly look on the Fiamma site, and look up the bracket I need.

Mike Mc, it is not the wrong brackets, it is just the whole thing was fitted too far over to the left, with no allowance for door clearance. I have seen plenty of vans with the same bracketing, but with plenty of door clearance.

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions, from Peter at Johns Cross to the present. You all have been very helpful, given me plenty to think about, and I hope to be able to meet up with some of you at some future point.

Flook

 

[Minxy]

Not wishing to rain on your parade regarding the suggestion of purchasing an extra bracket to move the awning along BUT .... the awnings themselves only have certain 'reinforced' securing places on their casings where the bracket fixing bolts can be screwed to in order to hold it in place so make sure before you splash out on the extra bracket that if you move the awning along the existing brackets will still bolt into a proper securing area.

This is a problem we had with a previous awning which we wanted to move from a 6.0m PVC to a 6.4m PVC, it simply couldn't be done as the awning 'reinforced' securing places simply would not line up with where the brackets fitted on the roof lugs.

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