I have about 20 average size and 4, 20 X 20 angle iron for sand.. I carry axe/ hammer..
Have a few screw is I use on hard clay.. Hardly used them much YET..
Leaving for the big lap in a few days..
One Ryobi 18V cordless rattle gun and 250mm gal coach bolts with a washer beneath. Making up a few home made extended models as well.
PS: If you want to make your Extended models, I use a steel fencing picket to support the cut coach bolt while welding the extension in the centre and just grind them smooth.
The Head just hangs over the end of the picket. To easy.
Jim
-- Edited by Hey Jim on Friday 12th of February 2016 07:39:52 AM
I use the coach bolt option with a Makita 240v drill - just got to remember to angle the coach bolt. If you're at the Opal CP at Lightning ridge make use of the high power, Makita impoact drill to make a pilot hole for whatever you plan to use to hold your awning down.
thanks guys
might take a look at the coach screws and washers
they seam to be the go
there are plastic ones on ebay that i was looking at but they work out to be about $6.00 each
im sure i could buy 3 or 4 coach screws for that , and they are steel
all good
thanks once again
I have a large bag of the bloody things .. Can't help myself .. just keep on picking them up & making 'new & improved' versions.
I prefer stainless steel ones made from old oven racks. I have them in various lengths & thicknesses.
My current favorites are the long coach bolts/screws that I got from a specialist screw stockist. They are much longer than the Bunnings ones. I bang them in with the back of the axe & screw them out with an old battery drill & home made extension socket that I use to wind down the corner steadies. Olley46 kindly sent me a couple of excellent brackets that he made from aluminum to attach the guy ropes. Much better than the modified washers that I previously used.
I think that I'll borrow a welder & extend a few with a length of reo rod or even better with a long suitable hex head bolt out of my junk box.
I even made up a few spade shaped ones for using in sand. Never used so I don't know how good they are.
Before I started using the coach screw pegs I would always 'double peg' the guy ropes at either end of the awning roller. Two guy ropes at 90 degrees to each other at both ends, They were angle pegged with 2 long pegs each at 90 degrees to each other. One guy rope at each end attached by a strap around the roller & the other clipped into a SS saddle bolted to the awning bracket. A bit overdone perhaps but that's the way I am.
I use old engine valves as pegs to hold the shade cloth ground cover in position.
In my opinion it is essential to use some sort of 'spring' in all guy ropes & tie downs. For the awning I purchase springs from camping stores. For all others I make up rubber bands from old inner tubes. I just twist them up to adjust their length & attach them to the peg via the eyelets in the annex walls etc. You won't tear out the eyelets in the annex walls using this method. I have seen some people using ratchet tie down straps as guy ropes, but unless you twist them they make terrible bull roarer type noises in the wind.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 12th of February 2016 10:28:30 AM
I adhere to the KISS principal, still use a hammer similar to this and the same steel pegs I've been using for the past 30 years, the method has yet to fail me.
A hammer costs little, does not need recharging and wont fail.
Call me a Luddite if you like, however the less gear I have to carry and maintain the better I like it.
..... I have seen some people using ratchet tie down straps as guy ropes, but unless you twist them they make terrible bull roarer type noises in the wind.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 12th of February 2016 10:28:30 AM
Several people in our club use the ratchet tie downs to secure their awnings. While I haven't heard any of them mention 'bull roarer' rumblings I'll pass on that tip to them.
(I had similar rumblings from our hold down straps on the door mirrors, particularly when there was a side on wind. The solution was to slip a small piece of foam under the strap.)
A couple of months ago I posted photos of the coach bolts I was using and also the 'modified' washers that the trace springs are fastened onto.
Like others I have been using a cordless drill to drive the screws in and extract them - they come straight out no matter how long they have been in the ground. In fact, for the last seventeen trips I have not carried either a hammer or straight pegs!
For the last three trips I have been using a 240V rattle gun - it is amazing how fast those screws go in. And come out faster. (Yes I know - it won't work at free camping sites. But SWMBO will never consider free camping!)
Last January I was at the Goulburn River Caravan Park in Seymour and put four screws down to secure the awning and a man came over, looked at the screw heads and commented: "That's cheating!" To each their own I guess.
The following week I was in the Barwon River Caravan Park in Geelong and our next door neighbour glanced down at the hex heads and said "Those are going to be hard to get out." But a quick demo had him saying that he was going to look into getting them for himself.
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Friday 12th of February 2016 02:13:48 PM
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 13th of February 2016 01:06:12 PM
..... I have seen some people using ratchet tie down straps as guy ropes, but unless you twist them they make terrible bull roarer type noises in the wind.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 12th of February 2016 10:28:30 AM
Several people in our club use the ratchet tie downs to secure their awnings. While I haven't heard any of them mention 'bull roarer' rumblings I'll pass on that tip to them.
(I had similar rumblings from our hold down straps on the door mirrors, particularly when there was a side on wind. The solution was to slip a small piece of foam under the strap.)
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Friday 12th of February 2016 02:13:48 PM
I use fabric strap to secure my kayaks to the roof. They used to roar madly until I used the twist approach that I got from a kayaking site. Of course that speed of the vehicle may be a factor.
We use very thick nylon ropes & large strong pegs belted in to secure our awning. If it gets too rough we bring our roll out awning in. We've seen quite a few awnings ''go west'' particularly the flimsy Fiamia & Proster types. We've been camping for over 40 years & nothing beats decent pegs & ropes. There are a lot of newly retired people getting around that have never camped in their lives before. They're the ones that make all the mistakes & provide our entertainment!
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 12th of February 2016 07:01:02 PM
__________________
Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
Ha ha all good doug
Thanks to all the answer so stay tuned and I'll let you know after this trip away
Cod fishing next weekend
Wife's chemo for the next 4 weeks and then a bit of "our" time away for 6 weeks
Thanks everyone
One Ryobi 18V cordless rattle gun and 250mm gal coach bolts with a washer beneath. Making up a few home made extended models as well.
PS: If you want to make your Extended models, I use a steel fencing picket to support the cut coach bolt while welding the extension in the centre and just grind them smooth.
The Head just hangs over the end of the picket. To easy.
Jim
-- Edited by Hey Jim on Friday 12th of February 2016 07:39:52 AM
I have plenty of coach screws being an old lineworker . But find them wanting in sandy soil . I quietly use them on ashfelt etc and Hamer over when finished ., I often set up in motor racing, drag strip areas ., having plenty of options is nice . Extra pegs for guy ropes helps big time if wind comes up . What gets me if you prepare for the wind it NEVER gets windy ., Rocks in sand is my enemy .. Grrr!!
Yes, putting BOLTS into the ground would be a bit hard Lance Olley46. But I think that Jim Littledick is the only one using them.
Anyway, I definitely use SCREWS with a pointy end.
Incidentally, the Americans call them Lag Screws.
By the way, next time you see a circus anywhere have a look at what they use to peg down their tents; being axles from cars and trucks. I presume they have some sort of machines to pull the axles out of the ground when they move on.
Yes, putting BOLTS into the ground would be a bit hard Lance Olley46. But I think that Jim Littledick is the only one using them.
Anyway, I definitely use SCREWS with a pointy end.
Incidentally, the Americans call them Lag Screws.
By the way, next time you see a circus anywhere have a look at what they use to peg down their tents; being axles from cars and trucks. I presume they have some sort of machines to pull the axles out of the ground when they move on.
Murray
Unless the wrong terminology is being used my coach bolts hex head do have a point. So Screw or bolt by name, works the same regardless .
Yes, putting BOLTS into the ground would be a bit hard Lance Olley46. But I think that Jim Littledick is the only one using them.
Anyway, I definitely use SCREWS with a pointy end.
Incidentally, the Americans call them Lag Screws.
By the way, next time you see a circus anywhere have a look at what they use to peg down their tents; being axles from cars and trucks. I presume they have some sort of machines to pull the axles out of the ground when they move on.
Murray
Unless the wrong terminology is being used my coach bolts hex head do have a point. So Screw or bolt by name, works the same regardless .
Dick.
Hi Dick,
I agree with you X 2.
I have been using coach bolts (Screws) for 30 plus years. Some here just get screwed, or are brain dead. Just ignore silly OLD farts. They are not worth the time.
