AdriaWin Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 There is mention of this sunshade by Outdoor Revolution in this months MMM letters. It does look interesting but all the adverts on web show it attached to caravans. One picture ive seen shows it attached to the waterchannel on the side of a VW van . According to the article in MMM Andy uses Easi-Canopi attached to his Ducato based van - which does not have a water channel or awning rail . So my question is - does anyone know how to attach it to a Ducato PVC - how does Andy do it ? or any MMM staff/contributers know ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike H Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 It slides into the channel on the edge of a wind out awning. Wind out the awning, slide sunshade edge in and wind awning back in. Then erect and peg out. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 There's one here. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Outdoor-Revolution-Easi-Canopi-motorhome-caravan-/270971832592?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item3f172e0910 £5.50 at the moment and 5 days to go. Might be worth a punt if you want one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 If you look on page 45 of June MMM you can see that Andy does not have a rollout awning. I suspect he has has screwed an aluminium channel to the side of the van as we did with our 1990 VW. The X250 does not have a rain channel but when there is one a plastic figure of eight strip can be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 AdriaWin..I don't know how Andy S' fixed his..but if a van doesn't have a gutter,nor a windout awning,then throwover straps are the next option(..although our "old" EasiCanopy doesn't have any eyelets/fixings,so you'd need to use a few of the "Clingon" type type fixings : http://www.clingons.co.uk/ (..or you could just punch some eyelets in...). If it was me and I intended to get a fair bit of use out of it,I'd be looking at fixing a length of tidy,one-piece awning rail too a length of *sturdy* aluminium angle..and then fastening that to the roof using the existing Fiat "roof rack" fixings(..which I *assume* are there? :$ ). (..abmittedly..you *would* require a step of sorts to reach it though... :$ ) I fixed a rail to the underside of the Fiamma' on our previous van in this way and it worked well..and looked neat... Edit: I think Bob' may be right.. looking again at the picture in the April issue(Your letters, p17),it does appear to show an awning or J rail of sorts(..where as the June photo doesn't show it as well..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdriaWin Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Andy - are you out there? I need your advice. Thanks to everyone else - I dont fancy fixing an aluminium channel to the edge of the ducato roof, but would it be possible to use epoxy resin to fix a caravan type awning channel along the edge ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 No, I agree..I wouldn't be drilling the actual van either.... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 That was in 1990. I am sure Sikaflex produce a suitable glue nowadays to avoid any screws. From the April picture it looks as though Andy has a far more sophisticated and steamlined awning rail than our strip of aluminium channel. But I suspect it is ten times the price such is the price of progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Bob..Sorry :$ , my "..I wouldn't be drilling the van.." comment,wasn't aimed at what you'd done.. (..more at the thought of doing it to a "newish" van like Andy's X250....) I know the likes of Reimo used to market a "plastic" drip/awning rail(not plastic..but you get what I mean). There's this, as an "example": http://www.fishbrain.biz/acatalog/awning-attachments.html I'm still not sure I'd choose Sikaflexing a rail onto the body work,until I'd fully explored utilising any existing fixings on the roof... Even if it meant looking at adapting a pair of the "No drilling" type Fiamma awning mounting brackets and using those to carry a tidy tube/angle section(to which the awing rail could be fixed). I suppose a similar but more expensive route, would be to fit a roof rail set...and then fix an awning rail the one(or both?) sides of that..? At least by using the existing fixings..it could be put back to "original". ;-) Blimey! 8-) ..I've only just noticed the price of that Reimo awning rail...best part of 200 quid!?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdriaWin Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yes I found the Reimo rail on web and choked at the price. Any more suggestions ? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Just wondering if the "figure of 8 " plastic extrusion used for drive away awnings could fit the roof trim of the van. ? I did think about using the rain channel on our m/home butI felt the plastic would be too brittle with the "figure of 8" slid alongit. I did not want to use the J rail. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdriaWin Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Newish Ducatos dont have roof trim or a rain channel and we dont have a pull out awning to attach to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 AdriaWin - 2012-05-09 5:34 PM Newish Ducatos dont have roof trim or a rain channel and we dont have a pull out awning to attach to. Does it have any roof rack fixing bolts on the roof? (...it's those, that I've been witterin' on about.. :$ ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 We will have to coax Andy out of "Forum Retirement" to give the definitive answer if only by way of a PM. As a matter of interest apart from Andy's absence has anyone seen any recent posts from Nick Euroserve or Clive Mott-Gotobed? I am wondering whether MMM contributors are absent as a directive from on high in the Warners empire? Perhaps Health and Safety??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyStothert Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Greetings all, This thread has been pointed out to me by the MMM staff to clarify, and no, there hasn't been any directive by 'management' to keep us off the forum. Being an offensive self opinionated thick northerner means that I'm not really best suited to intelligent two-way discussion so I stay away from forums, friends, relatives and neighbours. Life'a a lot easier that way. The sunshade on our van is affixed to it via a standard awning rail which has been carefully screwed to the body with plenty of sealant and with stainless steel screws. There have been no problems whatsoever in the four years it has been used, and no leaks. The canopy itself is fine for shade in reasonable weather but soon gets its knickers in a twist if the wind gets up. I hope this clears things up. And a fine summer to you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdriaWin Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Thank you Andy , I`ll look at fixing an awning rail to van with sealant/epoxy resin, but not sure about drilling into side/top of van. From a grateful Yorkshireman ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 AdriaWin - 2012-05-09 10:23 PM Thank you Andy , I`ll look at fixing an awning rail to van with sealant/epoxy resin, but not sure about drilling into side/top of van. From a grateful Yorkshireman ! Rather than an epoxy-resin adhesive, it would be preferable to use a suitable structural-bonding adhesive product from, say, the SIKA or Loctite range. Epoxy resin sets hard and you really need something that will retain a degree of flexibility, particularly if you are planning to avoid using any 'mechanical' fixings to attach the rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'll just chip in one last time her... Adria'...Not the same,I know but this is what I did on our previous van..and if your van "does" have fixings near the edge of the roof..then I can see of no reason why doing something *similar* could not be looked into.. :-S Okay,as already said,you'd probably need something to stand on(..we used a small folding step,which also doubled as a small table). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Thanks Andy for coming out of "Forum Retirement" and clarifying the position. On our 1990 VW the rail was fitted in a similar manner to the fibreglass hightop with shortish stainless screws and sealant and had no trouble in twelve years of ownership. If it is just glued to the van its success depends on how well the paint is bonded to the metalwork. On our 2002 Ducato the roof paint could be peeled off with masking tape!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunarmike Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 The Easi-Canopi is currently (10 May 2012) available on eBay from Simply-Camping, Leeds at £69.99, with free delivery. I have just purchased one for my camper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundowner Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Good to see you back Andy, if only for a fleeting visit. You have been missed, the forum has been quite boring without you. It is still good though, to read your articles in the MMM, both interesting and amusing. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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