Excellent inexpensive awning

[dleverton]

I just bought a lovely awning and used it last weekend.
Attachment 87446
It was $149.95 plus $23.51 expedited delivery from Dr.Bjorns Auto
contact@drbjornsauto.com
Cobble Hill B.C.
250-929-2277
It took me about 15 minutes to make the mount out of a standard door hinge which slides into the awning rail and a piece of metal or wood strapping.
Attachment 87447
Sides and front with door are also available for another $150


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Doug L

[dleverton]

Sorry, here are the pictures.





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Doug L

[EllPea in CA]

That door-hinge hack is pretty awesome. I'd give it a try if I only had an awning rail!

[dleverton]

If I didn't have an awning rail, I would permanently fasten the other piece of the hinge to the trailer and use a pin to connect the two hinge sections. Poor mans awning rail.


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Doug L

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by dleverton

If I didn't have an awning rail, I would permanently fasten the other piece of the hinge to the trailer and use a pin to connect the two hinge sections. Poor mans awning rail.


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Doug L

That's a smart idea too, but I can't imagine living with those pieces of metal screwed onto my trailer. I think I'm going to either try Norm's method (with Command hooks), or the heavy-duty suction cups that Busdepot sells to attach their awnings.

LP

[Pete in NJ]

Nice find!

[dleverton]

Hey LP
Can you point me to Norms idea.
Thx
Doug


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Doug L

[EllPea in CA]

Doug, I wish I could, but my navigation skills in this board are not that great. But if you make a post and ask him, or PM him, I'm sure he'll fill us in!

LP

[RogerDat]

One can purchase awning track. For sale at many places. Aluminum or colored plastic.

Don't have a link handy but West Marine carries it for one.

[Jon in AZ]

If I were attaching an awning to an awning track, I think I would want the stress spread out evenly over the entire length. The hinge attachment appears to concentrate the stress. They make a product that can be sewn along the edge of the awning and slid into the awning rail. That's how I would do it.

See posts #6-11 here: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...eal-70344.html

[dleverton]

Hey Jon
I would agree, but the BusDepot awning has a complete metal frame, and it is the frame you are connecting to the awning track with the hinge, not the awning itself. I use 3 hinges and the fabric would tear off its frame long before the hinges or awning rail would fail.
Doug


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Doug L

[RogerDat]

the three hinges look like they are spreading the load across the same awning rail attachment. Might be a bit more concentrated but not like using 3 hinges directly to the trailer shell.

I would look into creating some sort of sheer or break away point between the hinges and the awning frame. Better to have the top blow off than to have the frame or attachment points get torn up. Plastic bolts or something that could be easily replaced but is designed to fail without allowing the rest of the arrangement sustaining damage.

Just a thought.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by dleverton

Hey Jon
...the BusDepot awning has a complete metal frame, and it is the frame you are connecting to the awning track with the hinge, not the awning itself. I use 3 hinges and the fabric would tear off its frame long before the hinges or awning rail would fail...

I took a closer look… I get it now. Now the ideas about bypassing an awning rail altogether make more sense as well. Thanks for taking the time to clarify.

[EllPea in CA]

If the awning rail were already present, I would use it. But since it's not, I'd rather not penetrate the shell. Suction cups or command hooks for me, at least for now!

LP

[WaltP]

Doug
Nice find, and my, what a pretty Trillium.

Walt

[dleverton]

Thanks Walt, we just love it.


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Doug L