Integrated awning tie down straps

by groundhog Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:17 pm

The Worcester in common with some other county models has the Thule/Omnistor integrated awning, I would like to get some tie down straps but the fittings vary ..... what do any of you use on this type of awning please?
Thanks
David

by Paulmold Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:49 pm

I have the standard Fiamma awning (not integrated) but I thought they all have a similar design whereas you feed the tie-down straps over the wound-out arms and secured to the ground. Not sure what you mean by 'fittings vary'. I have one of these tie-down kits..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiamma-Tie-Down-Kit-Plus-Yellow-Annexe-Wind-Storm-Strap-Fits-Up-to-6m-Awnings-/281665209809?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item41948e05d1

by groundhog Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:57 pm

Thanks Paul for the quick reply!

There is a system which fits in to the channel that runs along inside the awning but it seems as though there are different sized channels.

I find it hard to check because I am not even certain which model of awning I have in the first place!

by PLOUGHLIN Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:48 pm

Buy these, fit all Omnister awnings. http://www.theomnistorcentre.co.uk/omnistor-awnings/omnistor-awning-accessories/awning-tie-down-straps.html

by Gromit Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:44 pm

The one Paul has is very effective, and has a strong spring to absord any very strong gusts - a bit like shock cord. My only concern is in the pegging out, which has to be at some distance from the awning legs so it can present a trip hazard, specially at night.

I've made my own from a length of yellow polypropylene webbing, which hooks over the ends of the awning rail, and can be pegged down right next to the legs using a screw in dog lead ground anchor. I incorporated a short length of very strong shock cord which keeps the tension firm, and so far they have worked very well and create no trip hazard.

Webbing - plus a slection of fixtures and fittings you might need. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Benristraps-25mm-Polypropylene-Webbing-Metre/dp/B00FKTUK60

Dog lead ground anchor. http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=120&pf_id=66259&utm_source=ShoppingFeed&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKEAjwwtOsBRDdjZTbvYvTlzcSJADOY0DRU5OgL6IRiu6vCR_aLQhHJJ-Kg3Yov1ufAnSKmay-5hoCHD7w_wcB

Apologies for long URLs. (TinyURL seems not to be working for some reason?)

Hope this helps

Dave

by Askit Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:58 pm

I got this on a recommendation elsewhere, not used it yet but it looks and feels ok. Had to order it though.

Halfords kit

Nice to have a bit of choice, or as in my case, it all adds to the confusion snigger

by groundhog Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:58 pm

Thanks everyone for the replies.

by Pete Taylor Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:57 pm

Gromit wrote:The one Paul has is very effective, and has a strong spring to absord any very strong gusts - a bit like shock cord. My only concern is in the pegging out, which has to be at some distance from the awning legs so it can present a trip hazard, specially at night.

Hope this helps

Dave

Actually you can peg the straps down right up to the awning legs if you want: I usually go about a foot from the leg. Just tighten the straps, which are far too long. The Omnistor top fittings are particularly good and easy to fit.

by stoneb Mon Jul 06, 2015 9:45 pm

Personally, I never bother with a tie down starp. If it's too windy, I wind my roll out awning back in! Saves weight, less kit to carry or tangle up with other "essentials" ! I'm on a winner here!

However, in common with most makes of roll out awning, my Omnistor's support legs have 2 holes in the plate that contacts the ground. Into these 2 holes I drive a ground peg (8" nail with a plastic 'T' shaped lug).

Best wishes, Barry.

by Pete Taylor Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:24 pm

stoneb wrote:Personally, I never bother with a tie down starp. If it's too windy, I wind my roll out awning back in! Saves weight, less kit to carry or tangle up with other "essentials" ! I'm on a winner here!

However, in common with most makes of roll out awning, my Omnistor's support legs have 2 holes in the plate that contacts the ground. Into these 2 holes I drive a ground peg (8" nail with a plastic 'T' shaped lug).

Best wishes, Barry.

Do you wind it in every night? The kit weighs nothing and takes up next to no space.

There is a plate available which slips over the foot, it's about 6" square and allows four of those excellent rock pegs to be put in- dead solid. We had a sudden "whirl-wind" in France last week; it would have been impossible to get the awning in- Dutch bloke over the way returned to find a mangled Fiamma, he had pegged it down with two bits of string but nothing thro' the feet. Fortunately I'd tied ours down and fitted the rafter, which stops the whole thing being forced towards the van even when strapped down. We had a similar "blow" here at home yesterday; calm one moment then chaos for ten minutes- leaves and branches everywhere, thunder and lightning, then dead calm and brilliant sunshine. Being a dinghy sailor I never underestimate the power of the wind... splash. quick_run

by stoneb Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:46 pm

Excellent reply Peter, and I agree with the points you raise - all relevant - especially the sudden gust statements. I though I'd stir up a few comments/thoughts by my post.

In truth, I rarely use my roll out awning for it's original intended use, except for fitting a full tent drive away type awning to Winnie's side.

And, yes, I do have the unused full strap tie down kit somewhere-abouts. Tried to sell it a few times at MH boot sales, but nobody wants to buy it even if I offer it for as little as £1.00 !!!

We'll get even more comments now, I expect!

by Askit Tue Jul 07, 2015 8:51 am

Ok, how about 99p snigger

(only kidding, bought one just in case)

by inspiredron Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:04 pm

I use the holes in the feet with two pegs angled in at right angles to each other. However, I was glad to have spring tensioned straps in a strong blow near Narbonne this year. The advantage of the strap, pulled out at about 45 degrees to the ground is that it tensions the canvas and stops it flapping as much. The noise difference is enormous. If you pull the rafter straight down to the leg then you wont tension the material at all and in strong gusts the arms do fold in quite a bit in the absence of the straps.

by Wingrider8368 Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:46 pm

I use the Fiamma tie down kit on ours whenever I set it up. I also use the rafter every time, but I copied the idea of bigger feet by cutting an oblong shape in the centre of some thick Perspex, itself cut into an oblong, to take the foot without it pulling back out. Then drilled a hole big enough to take a tent peg in each corner. A pair of yellow ratchet straps pulling sideways completes my arrangements.

by daisy mae Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:00 pm

I had a tie down kit when I had my awning out last, hasn`t been out since, as I cannot manage it on my own, wouldn`t have had it out, without with using the kit. seen too many come to grief,

Was thinking of having a canopy that will thread through the awning channel, at the front end of the Fiamma awning, has anyone done this?, I could just about reach to use one of those.

Sorry if this has gone off topic,

by meanchris Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:38 pm

What is this "rafter" that you mention, I know it not? confused3

by inspiredron Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:53 pm

meanchris wrote:What is this "rafter" that you mention, I know it not?

The front of the awning that has a leg at each end, two folding sprung bracing struts back to the van and the fabric running up to the van.

by meanchris Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:04 pm

inspiredron wrote:
meanchris wrote:What is this "rafter" that you mention, I know it not?
The front of the awning that has a leg at each end, two folding sprung bracing struts back to the van and the fabric running up to the van.

I googled it and found, as I suspected, that it appears to be a pole that stretches between the middle back and front of the awning. The bloke we went to France with had one on his Burstner van, like a very thin telescope with a spring inside (or a pogo stick) hugegrins

We don't appear to have anywhere to fit one on our old Omnistor awning, and it drives me nuts, either flapping around because it's too loose with the hinged arms fully extended, or it creaks against the bottom edge of the casing if I wind it back a little to tension it.
I ran some WD40 soaked into a wad of bog paper along the edge of the casing one dark and windy night when it kept me awake, that seemed to cure it, good job the locals didn't catch me on the roof of the van at 2am in my underkecks eh? hugegrins

by inspiredron Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:01 am

Sorry, I used the wrong word - I don't mean a bracing pole. I meant the front frame of the awning.

by Pete Taylor Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:55 am

inspiredron wrote:
The front of the awning that has a leg at each end, two folding sprung bracing struts back to the van and the fabric running up to the van.

Yes indeed! But that is supplied as part of the awning... these are not not the rafters!!! hugegrins

Lots of images here:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=omnistor+rafter&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=s_GcVebGGKGpyQOoq4bwCw&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=1066

Omnistor (Thule) make two types, curved and straight. The end fitting kits, which came with ours, seemed to have parts for every awning except our version, quick e-mail to Omnistor and one arrived by return, no cost.

If you are really keen you can fit three rafters, one at each end, for which the fittings are already in place and one in the middle, for which you need to fit the end kits. I normally fit to the middle but it will go on either end, if required.

Fiamma have a similar system for their awnings too.

by Pete Taylor Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:59 am

meanchris wrote:
inspiredron wrote:
meanchris wrote:What is this "rafter" that you mention, I know it not?
The front of the awning that has a leg at each end, two folding sprung bracing struts back to the van and the fabric running up to the van.

I googled it and found, as I suspected, that it appears to be a pole that stretches between the middle back and front of the awning. The bloke we went to France with had one on his Burstner van, like a very thin telescope with a spring inside (or a pogo stick)

We don't appear to have anywhere to fit one on our old Omnistor awning, and it drives me nuts, either flapping around because it's too loose with the hinged arms fully extended, or it creaks against the bottom edge of the casing if I wind it back a little to tension it.
I ran some WD40 soaked into a wad of bog paper along the edge of the casing one dark and windy night when it kept me awake, that seemed to cure it, good job the locals didn't catch me on the roof of the van at 2am in my underkecks eh?

If you e-mail Omnistor I bet they can fix you up with a fitting kit. Can you post a photo of the inside end of your awning front rail, where the rafter would fit and I should be able to tell you if the fitting is already there- it's not obvious if you don't know what you are looking for!

by meanchris Wed Jul 08, 2015 12:19 pm

Thanks Pete, I can't do that at the moment, because it's raining heavily here. :(

The problem is exacerbated by the design of the Executive IMHO, in that, to get the awning and arms to clear the top of the hab door, the awning has to be set very high and this means that the fabric always rubs on the underside lip of the awning housing, which makes it creak as the van body moves.
The only way to avoid this is to release the tension on the fabric by winding it out another half inch or so, which then results in it flapping up and down in the wind.

I'm not sure that adding rafters would help, because the height of the door relative to the awning casing is the problem.

The trick with a smear of WD40 along the lip of the casing cured the problem for us, the casing lip was also pretty gritty and grimy which can't have helped.

I'll hold my horses on buying rafters at the moment I think.

by groundhog Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:27 pm

Stoneb - I would have bought that from you..... except I have now ordered one from omnistor! That's life winks

Integrated awning tie down straps

Integrated awning tie down straps

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