Auto - Sleeper awning straps

its time to buy awning straps for our 2011 Broadway Auto-sleeper. What straps are best?

There are universal ones that go from floor to arm to arm to floor in one continual run or you can get specific ones to the make of awning as they slide into channel or hook to rings on top of legs, so we need to know the make of your awning, Thule, Dometic, Fiamma, Omnistor (same as Thule) or Proctor.

I had a Fiamma set that came with the van. The 2 stakes that come with the kit are thin pressed steel affairs and were already smashed to pieces ! Probably fine if trying to hammer into grass but introduce a stone and .... I replaced both with stakes made from 30mm heavy gauge angle iron figuring if they have not bent in 20+ years they wont now!

I just use a couple of cheap nylon guy robes attached to a ring which I hook around the top of each pole.  I have plenty of stout pegs from my caravan awning days.  I am considering buying a G2 semi-translucent Sun Blocker front screen or something like that which when pegged out at an angle could replace the guys and provide a small amount of protection from the elements.  Does anyone have experience of one?

I had a continuous  one the length  of the awning kept in place by a spring which was not infallible.   I now use rachet types which are more controlable but you might need three to spread the force.  Just make sure they fit the end stay on the awning.

Our Nuevo came with a Thule awning, so in the inevitable enthusiasm of a brand new van, I bought a Thule tie-down kit. Of course it fits perfectly, and I thought that the springs next to the two (very solid metal) pegs will help absorb gust shocks. But whilst it seems fine, we rarely put out the awning, and despite the tie-down kit I'm wary of leaving the awning unattended, having seen disasters abroad.

Cymro

I agree with Cymro.  Whilst I usually put my cheap guys out because I've got them, if I thought they were really needed or something more substantial was required, I would put the awning away.

Agreed with both above. We do use the awning in the appropriate places (not on aires for example) but never if windy and if it gets windy, in it goes. Wouldn't even think of leaving it out when away from van, or overnight (I am talking re extending canopy type rather than a full room)

Thanks for your help on the awning question, I’ll order a kit. 

Tomorrow I’ll start on the water inlet problem with some questions.

As an aside- there are all sorts of "rock pegs" on the market, some of them no good. I've been using these:
 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-BIVVY-TENT-CAMPING-SCREW-PEGS-GROUND-SHEET-STAKES-FISHING/164135459949?hash=item26373c5c6d:g:TxkAAOSwZBhehymd
for around ten years; never bent one, never had one pull out; bashed the bejasus out of them with a hefty hammer and they still are pristine. They also come out easily by "unscrewing" them from even the hardest surface.

Thanks Pete just ordered them.

Also just ordered some awning straps and tension rafters for my Thule Awning.

Appreciate the advice about taking in the awning the it is too windy - however, what does 'too windy' mean. The instructions in the awning literature is a bit vague to say the least. It would be nice to have a more precise number to go off - for example in km or mph, or even a category on the Beaufort Scale......

Any thoughts what 'too windy' means in numbers?

gpilky wrote:Also just ordered some awning straps and tension rafters for my Thule Awning.

Appreciate the advice about taking in the awning the it is too windy - however, what does 'too windy' mean. The instructions in the awning literature is a bit vague to say the least. It would be nice to have a more precise number to go off - for example in km or mph, or even a category on the Beaufort Scale......

Any thoughts what 'too windy' means in numbers?

No numbers but if the awning's flapping and the habitation door won't stay open, I reckon it's probably too windy.  50% of the time we don't use ours because of the wind or threat of wind.  Its nice to have it out but on the Nuevo I find it doesn't provide that much protection.  We are on a sunny pitch now where we find the trees and sides of the van provide more shade than the awning.  This is partly why I have been considering a sun screen that attaches to the awning.  The Broadway awnings will be bigger and probably more effective.

We never leave our van for more than a short while - eg to go to the loo or wash the dishes - without closing the awning. We never leave it up overnight either.

We have been camped next to vans on two occasions when the vans have been left unattended and the wind has got up. We managed to wind one awning in but the other one was damaged before we could do anything.

We never leave the roof-light open if we are going to be away as well. Clear sky so go out for a meal. Have main course and heavens open. Roof-light open but luckily all the water went onto the carpet between the seats so the bed did not get wet. Carpet dried in the sun later on.

Caraman wrote:

gpilky wrote:Also just ordered some awning straps and tension rafters for my Thule Awning.

Appreciate the advice about taking in the awning the it is too windy - however, what does 'too windy' mean. The instructions in the awning literature is a bit vague to say the least. It would be nice to have a more precise number to go off - for example in km or mph, or even a category on the Beaufort Scale......

Any thoughts what 'too windy' means in numbers?

No numbers but if the awning's flapping and the habitation door won't stay open, I reckon it's probably too windy.  50% of the time we don't use ours because of the wind or threat of wind.  Its nice to have it out but on the Nuevo I find it doesn't provide that much protection.  We are on a sunny pitch now where we find the trees and sides of the van provide more shade than the awning.  This is partly why I have been considering a sun screen that attaches to the awning.  The Broadway awnings will be bigger and probably more effective.

Thanks for the reply. Still new to this and learning as we go. The first time out with my awning up the wind got up and the flaming was really noisy. Read the instructions and found out I should wind it back to put some tension in the fabric   . This time out I tightened it a bit and we had a much better sleep!

I'm also looking at a side panel. These have a rafter that is supposed to help with stability of the awning too. This weekend we had gusts up to 20 km/hr and it was as steady as a rock without the rafters and using para cord guy ropes.

pstallwood wrote:We never leave our van for more than a short while - eg to go to the loo or wash the dishes - without closing the awning. We never leave it up overnight either.

We have been camped next to vans on two occasions when the vans have been left unattended and the wind has got up. We managed to wind one awning in but the other one was damaged before we could do anything.

We never leave the roof-light open if we are going to be away as well. Clear sky so go out for a meal. Have main course and heavens open. Roof-light open but luckily all the water went onto the carpet between the seats so the bed did not get wet. Carpet dried in the sun later on.

I was wondering about the roof light too - thought a high wind could do much damage to these if they were wide open..... Always close these when I'm out. I do like to keep the awning up though, especially on grass as it provides some shelter when getting back from walks with wet clothes & dogs. Ground is dryer too....