Drive away awning - am I missing something? (1 Viewer)

Janine

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I've now got a drive-away awning and tried it out for the first time this weekend.

It went up very easily and is perfect for sheltering from the wind and rain ::bigsmile:

The valance feeds into the channel on the front of the wind-out Fiamma awning but how do you then drive away from it??? (Short of driving away while someone holds the awning in place!!)

There are also straps to chuck over the roof of the 'van, which are obviously the best method to use if you want to leave the awning in place, but I'm wondering whether I'm missing something here...
 
Sep 27, 2007
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I've now got a drive-away awning and tried it out for the first time this weekend.

It went up very easily and is perfect for sheltering from the wind and rain ::bigsmile:

The valance feeds into the channel on the front of the wind-out Fiamma awning but how do you then drive away from it??? (Short of driving away while someone holds the awning in place!!)

There are also straps to chuck over the roof of the 'van, which are obviously the best method to use if you want to leave the awning in place, but I'm wondering whether I'm missing something here...

Hi Janine,

What is the make and model of your drive away awning?
 

pappajohn

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Hi Janine,

what you need is a figure 8 connector and joint tape

basically two C shaped tubes connected back to back, one side fits onto the 'valance', the other side fits onto the joiner tape, which is a narrow fabric strip with a bead on both edges.
the other side of the joiner tape slides into the awning rail. (as its nylon fabric it can be left in situ)

when you wish to drive away, simply remove the figure 8 strip and drive away.

tip!!!

place a couple of flattened drink cans behind a front and rear wheel before driving away.
when you return simply drive over the cans and you're aligned back in the same position to reconnect the awning.

the bit in the pic which is connected to the gutter actually slides into the joiner srtrip. Link Removed

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dshague

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there are two sizes to fit in the channel on the wind out awning .6mm 4mm
the strip fits in the channel and the fig eight couples up strip to drive away .
look here at kandor strip Link Removed
if you have a gutter on van then its just a fig eight you want.
 

jhorsf

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Janine is this any use to you

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yVH5H3eLd4&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

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Jaygee32

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I wouldn't leave flattened cans.....some tidy person will pick them up and bin them!:ROFLMAO:
 

dellwood33

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If ramps were required to get the van level, would you leave them in position for your return ? or do you think someone would "Tidy" them up when you were away ::bigsmile:

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pappajohn

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If ramps were required to get the van level, would you leave them in position for your return ? or do you think someone would "Tidy" them up when you were away ::bigsmile:

good point...most certainly they'd go walkabout....maybe a tent peg or two with a bit of ribbon attached then.

I wouldn't leave flattened cans.....some tidy person will pick them up and bin them!:ROFLMAO:

as above

We have one of those.
Works fine with the throw overs secured to plate lifters (Handle type sucker things) stuck to the far side of the van.

i found the same when i had mine...much higher than the awning rail so the door didnt drag across the fabric so much.
 

dellwood33

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I think the throw over fittings would block the solar panels on mine :Smile:

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May 8, 2010
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Hi Janine. We got some figure of 8 strip and webbing at Salop Leisure, last week. Have yet to try out our awning (except on the drive).
 

pappajohn

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just had a thought !

there are two sizes of joiner strip....4mm and 7mm i think.
i bought the larger without realising and it wouldnt fit in the awning rail slot.....but it does fit in the figure 8.

best to measure across the end of the slot before buying.

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dshague

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the F45 Takes the 6mm and the new f65 takes 4mm .
 

harryoxford2

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I had a drive away awning once, i errected it and went into my van for a cuppa and when I came out it was gone..it had driven away....so make sure ya peg em down good and hard as the iccle tinkers are sneaky...
 

scotjimland

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Should be called 'free standing' awnings

You were not missing the point .. in fact you have pointed out something I have always thought .. They should not be called 'drive-away' awnings .. for that they most certainly aren't, they should be called 'free standing' or 'stand alone' awnings..

If you fit an awning rail which is the recommended method and far better than throw over straps they become an attached awning and there is no way you can drive away easily and even less chance of driving back on and attaching it.. more likely you'll end up in the divorce court ... :roflmto:

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Janine

Janine

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You are so right, Jim!

I had thought about just pitching my tent next to the van but I'm sure the Caravan Club must have regulations as to what constitutes an 'awning'.
 

scotjimland

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You are so right, Jim!

I had thought about just pitching my tent next to the van but I'm sure the Caravan Club must have regulations as to what constitutes an 'awning'.

more than likely ... :RollEyes:

private sites rules vary .. some are lax others are real jobsworths with rules.... but then again, if there were no rules you can imagine what some people would erect .. :roflmto:

for summer use a garden gazebo is great .. it can be driven away from .. moved around etc.. but I see some sites now ban gazeboes ..
 

DESCO

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When I used a drive away awning to reposition after first fitting used a piece of thick string pegged just far enough in front to see on driving up to and down the drivers side of the van in an L shape, never had any problems after that, in first time every time.
Hope this is of some use.

Dave .:thumb::thumb:

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John & Joan

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You are so right, Jim!

I had thought about just pitching my tent next to the van but I'm sure the Caravan Club must have regulations as to what constitutes an 'awning'.

DEFRA/Natural England guidance

Children’s "pup-tents" may be erected alongside the parents’ unit and should be considered as part of the unit for spacing purposes. No other tents to be errected within 6 metres of a caravan.
 

scotjimland

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DEFRA/Natural England guidance

Children’s "pup-tents" may be erected alongside the parents’ unit and should be considered as part of the unit for spacing purposes. No other tents to be errected within 6 metres of a caravan.

I guess Spain hasn't heard of DERFA guidance, or any other safety rules come to think of it ... :roflmto:
 

John & Joan

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I guess Spain hasn't heard of DERFA guidance, or any other safety rules come to think of it ... :roflmto:

Quite correct Jim We are not allowed to think for ourselves in the UK.

The spacing issues arose from fires in caravan that were made of wood covered in painted hardboard, with open gas fires or wood burners and not today's modern metal skinned or fibreglass boxes with flame retarding materials everywhere. DEFRA have not moved on in their guidance from the early 1960s

DEFRA/Natural England guidance, even gives a diagram how to station rows of different units and spacings with/without awnings and different door positions. It insists that tents and caravan are not intermixed on site but are kept separate. The only consession is a "childrens pup tent".

These rules are drawn up by DEFRA's legal department in conjunction with the Big Clubs and ACCEO. They are then imposed on the rest of us without any consultation.

I am on site in Spain at the moment and they have no regard for spacing, or of fire breaks between units. I have been on a commercial UK site that show the same disregard to DEFRA's standards

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MikeandCarolyn

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If you fit an awning rail which is the recommended method and far better than throw over straps they become an attached awning and there is no way you can drive away easily and even less chance of driving back on and attaching it.. more likely you'll end up in the divorce court ... :roflmto:

Using the Fiamma figure of eight fixing kit thingy it is actually quite an easy thing to disconnect,drive away then return and connect up again so long as you are not too fussy about how closely it butts up against the van ::bigsmile:
The main hassle is if you have to take it down when it's wet to move on-wrestling wet material is not much fun-and then, of course, it has to put up again whilst wet in order to dry it out.
We now only use ours (same model) if we know we'll be on same site for a few days and the weather is set fair. And as most of our trips since we got it have been to France where we use Aires that's not very often.

Mike.

ps-we're only 6 mtrs long-makes it easier I know :)
 

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