ips Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 On our way back from bude on Fri going to call at high bridge dealership in Weston super mare to look at drive away awning cos sick to death of useless in wind fiamma canopy. Sun camp aspect is top of list has anyone any comments good or bad or alternative drive away reccomendation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 You mean one of these? ;-)..............downsides... its heavy, takes a good hour to put up.......plus sides.....because its old style it's quite solid when up, it doesn't sweat like Fiamma's do when you add the PVC front & sides.....not to mention no need to take take the whole thing down when you want to go of pitch.... *-) We only use ours when on site for more than a week with tugger friends, but it'll be very useful when we start long terming in the winter months :D There's a couple of ways to attach it, I prefer to chuck guy's over the top of the van rather than faff about with the figure of 8 thingy.......Although our favourite set up is with the awning on the far side of the pitch with the Fiamma wound out to meet it with windbreaks either side to enclose everything............makes CC wardens stare and mutter (lol) (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Nope not one of them the one we have seen is a dome type job and is drive away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 ips - 2012-06-06 5:48 PM Nope not one of them the one we have seen is a dome type job and is drive away Is it a Suncamp? :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Yes suncanp aspect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Hi ips I've seen this type of Sunncamp awnings 'in the flesh' and they do 'wiggle' a bit in the wind because the structure isn't that taught especially when not attached to the motorhome. We wouldn't change our Outdoor Revolution awning, we had the 'Square' one originally which measured 2.4m x 2.4m but have now changed to the next size up, the XL which is 3.0m x 3.0m, only because we found it a little bit on the small size once the dog beds were in it, otherwise the smaller Square was great. It was very easy to put up and stable especially since it has additiona storm straps on it so you can really get it nice and taught, even when not attached to the 'van. Have a good look at the quality as the Sunncamp range tends to be at the cheaper end of the market and the Outdoor Revolution ones towards the higher quality end. OR Square OR XL Both of ours were secondhand so we saved a heck of a lot of money, the first one hadn't been used at all, the second had been put up once! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Thanks Mel Will check em out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 One sun camp awning purchased from high bridge never been before seems a very good dealer / shop. Not put it up obviously cos its blowing a gale here in Weston super mare. Will use it next weekend in northumberland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Can you post back after you have used it to let us know how it is. Thinking of buying one to use in Spain overwinter. Thanks Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 No problem Will use it for 3 Poss 4 days next weekend so Will post a review on Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Had a trial run the other evening and it seems quite easy to erect, will have to play about with the method of attaching to van to decide what works best ie throw ropes over the roof or use figure of eight thingie onto fiama. Anyway full report to follow next week after using this weekend. Main reason for post is that in the bag are some clamps and we have no idea what they are for the manual reads as follows "fixing clamps and locating bar included" any ideas what they are for ? also got a pole that threads through a pocket under the awning beading so not sure if this pole is supposed to be fitted when connected to fiama and or when ropes go over roof either way not too sure of the reason for it as seems to serve no purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 ips Take a look at this. It might help? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 chris - 2012-06-13 9:36 AM ips Take a look at this. It might help? Chris Chris Thanks but no it didnt its a different style to ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 UPDATE for Chris and anyone else who may be interested. Seems a very good product for the money (£169) would have liked the front door / window to have double zip and poles so you could open it as a "canopy" or open top half only but hey what do you want for £169 Assembly was relatively easy but I have had easier erections .......... with tents / awnings :-D Prob get better at it when done a few times. I think the main thing to get right is were to position it on van in relation to the door. We chose the throw guys over the roof method however we had to extend them as they werent long enough, we also had a prob getting the "tunnel" section roof tight enough to avoid a big puddle forming (it rained a lot) but we are working on a different method next time and may even try the figure eight thingie but I dont think it will work because of the height of van and fiamma, the trouble with this type of "non van specific" awning is that they are made to fit a wide variety of vans so some presumably fit some better than others. CONCLUSION very pleased with it considering the price. still dont know what the brackets are for or if pole is supposed to be used with over roof method hope to get the roof pudddle problem sorted by trying a few things poss making horizontal poles or straps to take the sag out of the roof. I think that although it fits our size van it would prob fit a lower ie PVC better Will post pic tommorow forgot to bring my usb thingie to office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 does any one know of an awning that is not as heavy and difficult to erect as the pelmets style one. with stronger (better frame poles) then the tunnel type as most are flimsy and I cant see it withstanding Spanish winter wind or rain...... Dont mind what style, tunnel, what have you.. light weight and strength more important edit: just followed Mel's link and they do a Pro Carbon version which looks stronger and may be good enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 Judge we looked at the Kampa ones which looked really good however mrs ips was adamant that we required a drive away even though prob only need to drive away once a year. :-S http://shop.highbridgecaravans.co.uk/2011-kampa-motor-rally-390-l-lightweight-motor-annex-pale-gold/p21352 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Thanks but I need a drive away as well as its really for 6-8 week stays in Spain, I wont be taking it touring. The pro carbon version of Mel's looks best bet at the moment but it is pricey..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 No prob Be interested in what you end up getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 ips.. For a sturdy and secure means of fastening the awning,perhaps consider fastening an additional awning rail to the underside of the Fiamma windout(..it's what I did with our previous van...) This: Edit:Oh!..that didn't work,for some reason? :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I'll try again... Nope!.(..strange...as it's an image I've posted in the past... :-S ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Last try... Edit: Oh bother!.. for some reason it's taking ages to load(..and it's STILL try to load now, in the seperate tab I have open? :-S ) Oh well,if you a photo of what I did,pm me and I'll try and email it you... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 you dont have to keep posting? you can go back into a post to add/remove photos? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Oh yeah :$ (lol) (lol) I've no idea why it's not loading.. (..It's most odd,as the image I'm trying to put on,is one that I've already resized and posted a while back... :-S ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8LEY Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 We're into our fourth season with an Aspect driveaway awning and have been very pleased with it and how it's performed in all sorts of weathers. Originally, we had it on a PVC and used the guy ropes over the top method with the ropes looped back around the ends of the van-side pole. I also attached a guy to the centre of the pole (where the threading window is) to get tension across the whole of the link roof. With a sliding door on the van it was easy to position one edge of the awning adjacent the door handle. Now we have a coachbuilt, the awning attaches to the van canopy rail and is much easier to assemble. I wind the canopy out until the rail is accessible from the ground (had to use step ladders before to reach a fixed rail), attach the awning and wind the canopy back until the link is tensioned. Using the canopy rail also means the awning is located correctly for the door, if you start at the forward edge of the canopy, of course. The canopy rail is at 2.8m AFFL, in the stored position. Hope you get as much service from yours as we've had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I'd be careful about putting too much strain on the windout latches(..after all,they were only designed to keep the thing closed...not to take any tension put upon it by a seperate awning..) Our current van has an Omnistor windout,which means I can't carry out the mod' that I did with our previous Fiamma...but instead,once we've got our porch awning(or Easicanopi)attached and wound back in,I secure the ends with a pair of small luggage straps...this helps take any strain.. (..and No!..I'm not going to try and load a photo of it... (lol) (lol) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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