What do you use to secure the ropes on an awning for bad weather.

iana · Guru

What do you use to secure the ropes on an awning for bad weather.

Baz421 · Guru

I roll up awning if that bad,,, otherwise just 2 pegs and if sandy ground I have the special sand pegs (2 sizes) the yellow ones,,, they are excellent.

Meredith · Senior Member

We have both normal pegs and fairly large screw in ones which we put in with our battery drill, depends on the ground. But if the weather is going to be bad we take the awning in, have seen 3 vans lose their awnings over the years. One of these was really well tied down, and all that meant was half the caravan wall came away just before the ropes did, resulting in huge amounts of damage.

Sarge9 · Senior Member

I bought some 8 inch coach screws from the big green shed, because they didnt have 10 inch. I start them in with a smack with the hammer then chase them with a hand brace & 18mm socket. I have not had them pull out at all. I did make a sort of a washer with a slot in it to make hooking the ropes into easier... just some scrap aluminium I had. But I too roll up the awning if there are serious strong wind warnings.

Sarge

MarkAC · Veteran Member

These days, I don't use pegs at all due to many past problems . Guy ropes are a trip hazard for me and those nearby and the pegs invariably pull or loosen.

I use a round alum hook that clips over the roller of the awning. I attach a ratchet strap to one end and the other hooks back to the van sub frame.

it keeps the frame of the awning taut as well as taking the flap from the actual awning material.

remember that a triangle is stronger than a square.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I use both like you Ian. I use whatever is best for each situation. So far both have been good and surprised how good the 250mm screws actually are. I find the screws a lot easier as I use my cordless drill. I also use shorter ones in the matt under the awning now.

I changed from ropes though three years ago to the ratchet tie down straps and find then great. I don't actually have a ratchet though, more like a pull through buckle situation. I usually run with minimum of three per corner of awning. Sometimes four and one in the middle of the roller. So far all good and have been caught out in some very strong winds. Being Solo and many times not many people around it is too late to roll the awning up as way too dangerous in strong winds.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

littledick · Senior Member

My invention. The guy rope spring fits into the aluminium bracket slot. 2 ropes and 2 brackets per end.

Star head 250mm long screws. Shorter ones for side and end screens.

works for me.

Dick

kesa32 · Senior Member

I use coach bolts from screwpegs au with heavy sprung tie downs and heavy tent posts with u tops to help support the awning ( fiamma ) arms / rafters , the tent posts have flat plate feet which are screwed to the ground loosely to allow a bit of up and down movement to work with the springs
Also use sunbuster shade walls and grasshopper de flap kit all around and this also helps a lot

Over the top of the lot length ways l run 3 heavy sprung storm straps , again secured with angled 300mm coach bolts , all this doesn't take long with a portable drill and rattle gun and pretty well has made the flimsy fiamma really secure ....... but yes agree with everyone about not setting it up if it's going horrendous weather

I too have a concrete drill to pre drill with , but as we are only part time travellers , haven't found the need to use it yet

To simplify l just use the 300mm mainly , and 200mm coach bolts if the grounds ultra hard and there's not likely of terrible weather ,,,,the tent posts are wood screwed loosely to the ground and the u tops taped to the awning arms/ rafters with electrical tape so they don't fall away with vertical movement ,,,, this helps with any fierce down movement of the awning , the storm straps etc deal with the uplift etc

-- Edited by kesa32 on Friday 5th of July 2019 02:25:29 PM

-- Edited by kesa32 on Friday 5th of July 2019 02:29:03 PM

dazz49 · Senior Member

I use short star pickets ( black ) on an angle. They won't pull out. Green shed stock. And half the price of the fancy stuff from the camping shops cheers. Daz

dazz49 · Senior Member

I use short star pickets ( black ) on an angle. They won't pull out. Green shed stock. And half the price of the fancy stuff from the camping shops cheers. Daz

JayDee · Guru

I may have to have a look at some of the ideas mentioned.

When we were Green Lake 50 klms to the west of Shepparton, the wind coming off the lake was that strong that we had 8 Guy ropes holding the awning in place.

Doug, you can relate to that.

But the Green Lake is a super free camp.

Would always drop in if we are in that region.

Jay&Dee

Greg 1 · Guru

I use 300mm x 9mm tent pegs with a point ground on them in most cases. If the ground is sand or fairly loose a peg made from 25 x 25 gal angle iron about 350 long with a hook for the rope welded in the v of the angle. I have had the awning out in some absolute gales with no issues.

iana · Guru

I'm trying to cut down on the stuff I carry, its my gut feeling that the 300 x 9 mm will to all that's required. I'll ditch the big (Dog lead tie down) screw in types, the Aldi coach screws, and the very short standard ones I have. Thankyou for all the replies.

Santa · Guru

Meredith wrote:
We have both normal pegs and fairly large screw in ones which we put in with our battery drill, depends on the ground. But if the weather is going to be bad we take the awning in, have seen 3 vans lose their awnings over the years. One of these was really well tied down, and all that meant was half the caravan wall came away just before the ropes did, resulting in huge amounts of damage.

We do similar Meredith, most awnings are not designed to handle strong winds.

Regardless of conditions we run a guy rope from either end secured by a hammer in tent peg, never had a problem.

We camped at Ingomar in the North of SA a few months back and saw a fellow camper in a five wheeler detach an expensive awning and dump it in the scrub, the wind had destroyed it, he thought he was unobserved, we were sitting up on a hill watching with binoculars, went down and investigated after he had gone, what a mess., the rafters were quite heavy, regardless the wind destroyed them.

Cupie · Guru

I use two rope guys at each end with their (essential) springs attached to extra long coach bolts, every time I roll out the awning.

Where I expect a strong wind event I roll in the awning unless the full annex is in place. In that case I add an extra peg at each anchor point but at an angle to the coach bolt/screw.

The screws/pegs are driven in at an angle of about 45 degrees (or 90 degrees to the guy ropes), with the guy ropes as long as possible (within reason) but at about 45 degrees to the roller.

At each end, one guy rope is positioned at 90 degrees to the awning roller and is tied to the roller with a clove hitch. The other guy is clipped to a saddle on the awning arm in line with the roller.

The awning 'legs' are always left attached to the side of the van maintaining that triangular strength.

-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 8th of July 2019 12:40:16 AM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I have two 20mm X20 mm angle iron about 350mm long with flat plate welded to top and ring just under for rope . Other end has angle or point cut . Drive into ground use rope with truckies hitch. Dont have issues . Use it to hold it down more than pulling on it so pegs are quite close to awning .

Santa · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
I have two 20mm X20 mm angle iron about 350mm long with flat plate welded to top and ring just under for rope . Other end has angle or point cut . Drive into ground use rope with truckies hitch. Dont have issues . Use it to hold it down more than pulling on it so pegs are quite close to awning .

Yep, we do similar, as you say you don't need the ropes tight, just enough to hold if a gust comes through. smile

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yes we have those springs . A good Hamer never goes a miss . We have Hamer / axe in one . Great tool . Helps pulling pegs out too . Well worth it . Many tools in one . Even a shovel at times to dig trench keeping wafter away . https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F291595883510

-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Tuesday 9th of July 2019 05:20:14 AM

iana · Guru

While I agree with everyone about a tri-angle being a strong structure, I have wondered if having the struts forming a triangle is the way to go. Set up like that, with any side wind to the van, there should be movement, you now have a lever 2 meters long with guy ropes attached vis springs but never the less, trying to resist that movement, so the structure must be getting stressed.
While staying at Port Elliot show grounds, I spoke to a couple who had both the struts bent, and had to cut off the awning in order to pack up and get moving.
It could be that by having the struts set as posts to the ground, then we have each point hinged, and the caravan is allowed free movement because of wind force. The awning is still secured by ropes, and would be just as strong.

Brings to mind the fable about the Oak and willow tree.

I will say that at the moment I set the awning up with the struts as a triangle, but have put thought towards the post idea.

PS My initial post heading was miss-leading, it should have read how do you secure the awning, as I do bring it in when bad weather is pending, however there are times when privacy screens are set up, or one is away from the van that means the awning stays up.

Cupie · Guru

IMO it becomes quite a complex engineering problem to determine the best set up with such a range of variables including direction of the wind WRT the van/awning.

In any case I think that the use of suitable 'shock cord' or springs is an essential component.

Should the event be so severe as to pull off the side of the van as suggested then I suppose that the awning would have been destroyed in any case. In both situations the cost to the owner would be the same insurance policy excess.

I'm not smart enough to draw a computer based diagram of my set up that explains the role of the various triangles at play. Perhaps one day I'll take a photo of my set up.

-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 9th of July 2019 11:58:32 AM

Mike Harding · Guru

Cupie wrote:
In any case I think that the use of suitable 'shock cord' or springs is an essential component.

Double absolutely!

Edit:

I use a couple of ocky straps attached to guy ropes for this purpose but if the winds are very gusty I also attach a further two guy ropes which have slack in them, the idea being that the ocky straps take the initial hit but if the wind gust becomes much stronger the slack guys begin to take the strain instead of leaving it all to the ocky straps. I also loosen the friction screws in the rafter arms so they no longer play any role in the system.

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Tuesday 9th of July 2019 01:02:57 PM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

We pull it up also on windy days . The privacy screen seems to assist in stability. Plus depending direction of wind it keeps air from getting under awning . Often lowering and tensioning guy ropes accordingly.

Ge · Senior Member

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
We pull it up also on windy days . The privacy screen seems to assist in stability. Plus depending direction of wind it keeps air from getting under awning . Often lowering and tensioning guy ropes accordingly.

Geez Paul your grandson in your pic must be getting heavy for you to hold and he must have grown some. LOL.

Good luck Ge.

jeepnudger · Senior Member

I use double ropes on each end of extended roll out awning , plus i run a strap over roll out awning midway down awning attachinng it around end bars to keep awning extended then i rope each end to the ground . This strap stops awning lifting from wind getting underneath, I also have anti flap clamps on each end of awning. I find it reassuring to spend that extra time getting setup to know that we can go out feeling relaxed that your awning is not going to decorate some elses van or modify your van . I do also find that the draft cover along van helps to reduce wind coming under van and lifting awning, plus of cause end and side covers around awning and them being pegged down also strengthens your roll out awning. I have been through some nasty east coast lows with all the above in place , ideas on the different pegs would add further firmness to yr van.

jeepnudger · Senior Member

I use double ropes on each end of extended roll out awning , plus i run a strap over roll out awning midway down awning attachinng it around end bars to keep awning extended then i rope each end to the ground . This strap stops awning lifting from wind getting underneath, I also have anti flap clamps on each end of awning. I find it reassuring to spend that extra time getting setup to know that we can go out feeling relaxed that your awning is not going to decorate some elses van or modify your van . I do also find that the draft cover along van helps to reduce wind coming under van and lifting awning, plus of cause end and side covers around awning and them being pegged down also strengthens your roll out awning. I have been through some nasty east coast lows with all the above in place , ideas on the different pegs would add further firmness to yr van.