Awning fixtures

Jewellbags

Jewellbags

Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Posts
2,117
Likes collected
5,720
Location
Hampshire
Funster No
65,995
MH
Chausson 640 welcome
Exp
Since October 2019
On me Fiamma awning legs it has a diagram whereby the legs fit into clips on the side of the Moho - not into the ground . Surely with a breeze this would rip the bejesus out of the walls of the van .

or am I missing a trick ? By the way I have no fixing clips anyway .
 
It depends on the construction of your van. It isn't so bad for a PVC with the clips right next to the corner, right at the strongest point. If you think it would be too weak for your van, you may be right and it might require reinforcement to use them. However, they are exceptionally convenient, especially if you're on tarmac.
 
The clips supplied are just plastic, so can easily rip out if abused. Most converters choose not to fit them
 
Even with copious storm straps always best to wind it in if gusty or unattended - we learnt our lesson having to jump out of bed at 2am once so never left it out overnight again! Have grabbed the legs of ones taking off on rally & festival camping fields & wound them in for unknown strangers. Have also seen one flip onto a motorhome roof plus photos of awnings that have ripped through the wall of the motorhome but not of the attached legs doing this. Have a look at this thread https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/thule-awning-leg-thingamjigs.217026/ for some other fixing options.
 
I have now ours on 4" square 2mm thick stainless steel plates bolted through the vans skirt. The brackets are available in stronger aluminium.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=133434856202

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I share exactly your concerns and like you dont have the fixings attached to our MH

but a couple of funsters I know do have them and they love and look after their MH’s much more than I do mine, so maybe our fears are unfounded

but they definitely have metal feet and brackets and put away if it gets too flappy 👍
 
Nah sorry , I think the planet has more resilience than the plastic sides of my van . Into the ground they go... thanks all
 
Two on Tour said:
Not on ‎asphalt, concrete, gravel or sand, which is when we plonk our awning legs in our wall brackets. (y)
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Note to self - don’t park on concrete , gravel or sand when it’s very sunny and there’s a breeze .
 
Jewellbags said:
Note to self - don’t park on concrete , gravel or sand when it’s very sunny and there’s a breeze .
Click to expand...

We are probably a bit more adventurous on where we pitch up then. :wink:

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We've got the clips - in fact I had to renew them last year when the plastic broke, through deterioration. The fittings are quite substantial with a through wall bolt, support plate and spacer to avoid crushing the composite wall. Fitted correctly they should be perfectly okay, but.........

Yes they could pull through with enough force, but I'd guess you'd lose the awning first! We never leave the awning out unattended or overnight, nearly lost it one afternoon when we were a little tardy in taking it in as the wind suddenly got up - thanks to all who ran to help!
 
Wombles said:
Even with copious storm straps always best to wind it in if gusty or unattended - we learnt our lesson having to jump out of bed at 2am once so never left it out overnight again! Have grabbed the legs of ones taking off on rally & festival camping fields & wound them in for unknown strangers. Have also seen one flip onto a motorhome roof plus photos of awnings that have ripped through the wall of the motorhome but not of the attached legs doing this. Have a look at this thread https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/thule-awning-leg-thingamjigs.217026/ for some other fixing options.
Click to expand...
we were on a rally where a canopy got thrown back over the roof of a motorhome. That wasn't the worst part, the man in the motorhome was not able to do ladders, so sent his heavily pregnant wife up to sort it...and she fell off.

an ambulance came and took her to hospital, and when she got back, fellow campers had removed the remains of the awning for them. Very lucky that no lasting harm to the mother or baby. But the van needed some serious repairs to the holes ripped in the side
 
4 vans we rented in Australia at different times had the side clips. Used them all the time, even in the wind. No issues whatsoever. 3 of the vans were a make called "Jayco".
Just had a 4mt awning fitted to our van here, no side clips???? but the paperwork shows them.
 
Nearly bought some of these to help me argue that I’m not camping if awning legs don’t touch the ground - would I get away with it though?
 
I have them fitted to my PVC and have just replaced the plastic ones with the aluminium version. For me it’s to stop the dog from getting his tie down kit wrapped round the legs - which he did with annoying frequency!!!
 
Lenny HB said:
But thats what most Aires are.
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No that’s a good point and hadn’t considered that . Are there predefined fixing points on the sides of the van or a case of trial and err pan. I’d be very nervous in drilling the walls
 
Jewellbags said:
No that’s a good point and hadn’t considered that . Are there predefined fixing points on the sides of the van or a case of trial and err pan. I’d be very nervous in drilling the walls
Click to expand...

If you have a look under your van, it is likely that the outer side walls of your van extends passed the floor forming what would normally be called the side skirt.
I fixed our wall brackets onto the side skirt so the fixings do not go through into the hab area above the van floor.
I was concerned about a gust of wind catching the awning and ripping the brackets out so I mounted the brackets on a 4" square 2mm stainless steel plates to spread the loads exerted on the outer van wall and 3" x 5" 2mm plates on the back side on the skirt to stop any chance of the fixings pulling through if a gust gets under the awning trying to pull them out of the side skirt. Along with the aluminium Fiamma wall bracket, I'm pretty happy the awning will stay attached to our van in a freak gust, but we don't take chances if the wind starts to get up and wind our awning in, plus we rarely if ever leave our awning out overnight.

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Two on Tour said:
If you have a look under your van, it is likely that the outer side walls of your van extends passed the floor forming what would normally be called the side skirt.
I fixed our wall brackets onto the side skirt so the fixings do not go through into the hab area above the van floor.
I was concerned about a gust of wind catching the awning and ripping the brackets out so I mounted the brackets on a 4" square 2mm stainless steel plates to spread the loads exerted on the outer van wall and 3" x 5" 2mm plates on the back side on the skirt to stop any chance of the fixings pulling through if a gust gets under the awning trying to pull them out of the side skirt. Along with the aluminium Fiamma wall bracket, I'm pretty happy the awning will stay attached to our van in a freak gust, but we don't take chances if the wind starts to get up and wind our awning in, plus we rarely if ever leave our awning out overnight.
Click to expand...
Beat me to it thanks . Ignore last post
 
Jewellbags said:
No that’s a good point and hadn’t considered that . Are there predefined fixing points on the sides of the van or a case of trial and err pan. I’d be very nervous in drilling the walls
Click to expand...

Just behind the rear fixing point would be our fresh water tank. :unsure:
 
Jewellbags said:
Easy enough to fit ? I assume the stainless plates were sourced / made separately
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Fitting the brackets is no big drama, just careful measuring of where the brackets need to be fitted so the awning legs are in line with the point the legs on the casing and what's on the back side of the side skirt so nothings in the way. I bought the stainless steel sheet off of eBay, and made my own plates to suit what I needed.
 
I fitted the plastic ones to my old B640. They never became an issue. If possible, I would use the tie down strap. If the wind was strong enough to cause the feet to rattle in the housings then it was time to wind in the awning.

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We have a Thule awning and bought the brackets and fixed them on our Hymer. Others have used self tappers, but I drilled through and used stainless steel pan head bolts with spreader washers behind. Also used adhesive/sealer to make sure. I am sure that the little plastic bracket will break long before the spreader plates pull through the sandwich construction wall.

They seem to be a lot stronger than just putting a couple of pegs into the leg's feet to hold down the awning, but, in reality, unless I am only having the awning out for a short time, I also use my storm straps, whether the feet are on the ground or attached to the side of the motorhome.

The main advantage they have is that it makes it easier to have the awning out only a little way, for example in an Aire.
 
I use these heavy duty suction fixings on the side of the motorhome and retain the awning leg fittings in the 'D' loop with R clips.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...a photo as motorhome is currently in storage.
 

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