Install caravan annex - sail track and buttons

Lukeis · Member

Install caravan annex - sail track and buttons

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Sail track is available from aluminium suppliers. There are 2 sizes, so make sure you get the right one. It is probably about $30 for a 6m length.
What does it need to be attached to?
Normally, it can probably be glued directly to the van. This is a much better solution to screws which can cause leaks or stress concentrations. The adhesive of choice for this is Sikaflex 11FC. Roughen both surfaces to be glued with coarse paper and then clean with metho. The sail track needs to be spaced a mm or 2 off the van side so the Sikaflex remains flexible. Use some thin spacers under the sail track to do this. Double sided foam tape is a good way as it holds the sail track in position until the Sikaflex sets (over night).
Whole job done in an hour for under $50.
Cheers,
Peter

Long Weekend · Guru

Bunnings also have sail track, although in short lengths and plain aluminium (not white). But cheaper than other places. Look in the metals section. Just but the lengths together to slide the annex bolt rope through.

I screwed the sail track onto the side of our van but put sealant under for waterproofing to stop water from seeping into the screw holes and not for holding purposes. Several years ago so cannot remember what type of sealant it was now.

The snap fasteners can be tricky to position accurately - a millimetre out and it is hard to fit the skirt. Not an impossible job, just be very accurate with measuring.

You can get the female snaps professionally done for maybe a dollar or so each at canvas and tent places, or you can buy a kit and do them yourself - just position the snap on the base and belt the tool with a hammer. The male half can be screwed onto the side of the van with ordinary self tappers.

Don't forget to 'bell' out the ends of the sale track and round off the sharp points so that the annex rope can feed into it easily.

Murray

Lukeis · Member

Thanks Murray and Peter Murray, how did you make sure the self tapping screws didnt hit any wiring? I presume you couldnt make sure you hit a wall support because the sailtrack has to go in the right spot for the wall regardless? Or perhaps the awning is already mounted in the right spot so directly below that would be ok?

Lukeis · Member

Thanks Murray and Peter Murray, how did you make sure the self tapping screws didnt hit any wiring? I presume you couldnt make sure you hit a wall support because the sailtrack has to go in the right spot for the wall regardless? Or perhaps the awning is already mounted in the right spot so directly below that would be ok?

2weis · Senior Member

normally the skirt is only held on with press studs
the sail track is used for where the roll out awning is fitted to the top of the van
Brian

Long Weekend · Guru

By the way, there are two types of sail tracks. The first is, for want of a better word, 'P' type. The other is flat with the channel running down the middle.
The 'P' can be fitted on TOP of the van edge with the track pointing down.
The flat one is fitted just below the van roof and also vertically for the annex end walls.
When I fitted the top track to our Freedom I used short screws about 20mm long. Pretty sure that there would be no wiring along the top edge of the van roof.
The vertical tracks used screws about 10mm long. That size is used on plastic sided vans - I think that manufacturers of metal vans actually use pop rivets.

As for not hitting buried wiring - in fact I did just that when fitting a towel rail to the side of our Freedom and using screws about 30mm long. Luckily, when drilling I was connected directly to the house power, then when setting up on our next trip the circuit breaker did its job and tripped continuously. The problem was revealed when I took the van in to have it fixed.

It goes without saying that I used up a lifetime's worth of lottery tickets that time.

As Brian says the skirt is held in place with press studs. A second hand annex will probably already have them fitted, all you have to do is maybe relocate some then screw the male half onto the side of the van using short screws.

Murray

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 29th of June 2019 04:41:25 PM

blaze · Guru

the easy way to mark your existing press studs is to put a smear of dark colored grease on the part in the canvas and carefully press that against the opposing surface, this leaves a nice little mark to locate the other half
cheers
blaze

Lukeis · Member

Thanks all. The annex should arrive tomorrow, Ive ordered the double flange sail track from road tech marine it comes in 6m lengths in white so that will be ample to do both the vertical pieces. I will find the correct male press studs once it arrives and I can measure the existing ones. The van is metal/alloy sides, so maybe pop rivet is the way, I saw a photo of a fibreglass van which is also pop rivet so Ill have a better look before I start