Awning connector

Hi can anyone help, I know there has been a lot of chat about driveaway awnings, and we think we now know the type we want but, we have no connector on our Duetto I.e. no fiamma sun canopy, J rail or C rail.

So how do we attach a driveaway awning? Do we have to fit a J or C rail or will a figure of eight connector fit to our gutter? Any help would be appreciated. 

Depending on model of awning, some come with straps that you throw over the roof and attach to ground on the other side. You can also get models that attach by suckers on the end of straps to your high top. Don't think  figure of 8's would work on your gutter if you mean the black wide gutter. When we first bought our van it had a C rail screwed onto the black gutter and the salesman advised us to have it changed to a J rail. Quite honestly, although figure of 8's work on the J rail they are much more secure on a C rail (we have a C rail above the back doors so I'd tried it)

Thanks Paul, the straps sound good but as I wife would be the one doing it, and her being vertically challenged it could end up great entertainment for the campsite :) I think perhaps like you said the C connector is a good option, I have heard that the J rail can come undone in wind. Cheers 

Yes our sunshade attaches by figure of 8's to the J rail and if the wind lifts it, it can come off so we have to make sure that the front edge is quite a bit lower than the rail so that it sort of pulls down on the rail if you can see what I mean.

I think the idea with the straps is that you tie a ball to them and chuck them over the roof.

Hi, our awning tunnel is so wide that the channel on the wind out awning is too low - the tunnel just sags and the sides don't lie properly against the van. We are just about to have a rail fitted higher up and have been advised to have an 'R' rail as it will be more secure and fix to van better. Having it done on Tuesday so will let you k now how it goes and have a go at uploading a photo.

Cheers, Denise

I had the same trouble with my Trophy - deep black plastic surround. But the 8 rail fits into it.  I added to it each end by putting on one of those large clips one sees on market traders stall  awnings which hold them down . I.e. clip it on to the gutter to encompass each end of the awning .

I have a C rail  the one with the upright flange fitted on  the black gutter on  a Topaz,  works a treat, have used the screws holes where the gutter was screwed, needed the stainless screws though to make a neater job, rather than the original black ones, I use it for a sun canopy threading the 6mm beading through, for a drive away awning I have the figure of 8 plus the kador with 6mm beading both sides, then just undo the kador when driving off.

I've had a rail fitted to the Fiamma lid (my Fiamma is small older one) and the tunnel on awning is too wide. So the tip about putting extra clips onto the gutter either side is helpful - thank you.

Small tip for petite folk chucking awning ropes over the van - use collapsible lightweight clothes prop to guide rope over. Go to front and back to tease ropes over roof, then you can lose the prop and slide ropes to correct position. Mind the windows!