4wd Awnings

[Joss stick]

Hi All

After your valuable advice on awnings. Current Super Cheap auto have these on sale and i am considering buying one. My questions are;
1) how are they attached to the roof racks, i have Thule racks. There were no instruction on box or that i could access.
2) once attached are they something you leave on or can you easily take off when not heading off for your adventures.
3) how do people find awnings worthwhile?
4) is there anything you need to look out for with different brands? Rydge ryder isvthe one on sale.

Thanks you in advance for sharing more of your experience.

[DriverX]

Excellent questions that I am wondering as well...

[saffer]

Hi, I have an ARB on, but should mount the same.
You need to get attachments that fit on your racks, after that you just leave it on. I have not noticed a change in fuel consumption with it, but there is considerable wind noise if I have the sunroof open.

Cheers

[Snapcatcher]

I fitted an Ironman awning (2 x 2.5) about a month ago. I go to the beach every fortnight and find it great. Has changed our beach trips as Im happy to stay longer because I have the shade to sit under whilst watching the kids play. Very worthwhile for my needs.

Also last week after a trip to Glasshouse was very hot and I set it up whilst we were airing up. Wasnt long before the whole group was standing under it.

All awnings should come with mounting brackets. Will most they likely be a simple L shaped bracket, with one side attaching to the awning, and the other to the roof rack. Depending on your rack (im not familier with Thule) you may have do drill holes to attach the bracket, or you may be able to get special bolts to attach it. Thule may possible make universal awning brackets ?

[Dougb]

I am another one with a ironman awning, great for staying long stays at the beach.
I have rhino sport bars but rhino, Thule, rola, wispbar all have the same universal top channel, get some T bolts from a roof rack supplier and you should be alright.
I take my awning off all the time, the T bolts stay on the roof racks and L Shape bracket stays on the awning. Once you have it in the position you want all you need to do is undo the nuts on the T bolt, takes about 5 -10 minutes to put on or off.
Don't know about other brands but haven't heard anything bad about the Rydge Ryder awning.

[Paj People 2009]

X3 with an Ironman awning.







We've got Pajero (Rhino) Sports Aero bars and the L bracket simply bolts into this.

We mounted ours "upside down" so it keeps the height to a minimum.

This way it stays on all the time and still fits in the garage and shopping centre carparks.

Very handy item to add to your vehicle! Absolutely worthwhile - used heaps and with the mozzie screen, you can sleep in it.

Cheers,
Sally

[Joss stick]

4wd Awning

Thank you all for the advice. The store assistant did talk about L brackets and certainly i know thule has t style nuts to slide into the track. So confident this should be easy enough now.

Everyone certainly seems to enjoy the use of the awning.

Due to being in a car park in city regularly likely to have to take on and off but dont mind if it takes five or so minutes.

Looks like Santa will be dealing with the awning on his trip.

Looking forward to adding the extra addition for trips to the car.

Cheers

[bakerboy]

They are a decent awning. just make sure if they get wet you dry them out asap, dont leave it brewing for a week or two hahaha

[Tate1984]

Snapcatcher,

I see you have mounted your awning on a Rhino Pioneer platform. Did you use the Pioneer Awning bracket or just the L bracket supplied with the awning?

Cheers

[Traveller43]

X3 with an Ironman awning.







We've got Pajero (Rhino) Sports Aero bars and the L bracket simply bolts into this.

We mounted ours "upside down" so it keeps the height to a minimum.

This way it stays on all the time and still fits in the garage and shopping centre carparks.

Very handy item to add to your vehicle! Absolutely worthwhile - used heaps and with the mozzie screen, you can sleep in it.

Cheers,
Sally

And by 4 for the Ironman with our setup exactly as Sally described. We are just about to change the aero bars for a Rhino flat luggage rack and will also mount with th eL bracket facing down to enable access under the garage door.

[Traveller43]

Snapcatcher,

I see you have mounted your awning on a Rhino Pioneer platform. Did you use the Pioneer Awning bracket or just the L bracket supplied with the awning?

Cheers

Interested in this answer too as it is the Rhino Pioneer platform I am about to install as per my last post.

[Snapcatcher]

I just used the brackets that came with the Ironman awning. When I was talking to the bloke at Ironman about how I was going to fit it, he ran inside and gave me these T Bolts with a plastic wingnut style nut, but any T-Bolt would do the trick.
Its seems to be solid enough with just the one bolt on each bracket attached to the rack.

I am thinking of getting some extra holes drilled on the (stainless) bracket, juts cause I'd like the awning to sit just a bit closer to the vehicle. If I actually get around to it though, Im not sure. I'd try myself but old mate reckons stainless steel is really hard to drill through. Might try it anyway.

[kibz]

Snapcatcher,

S/Steel is harder to drill, just go slightly slower and use cutting fluid to help. Even start with a smaller drill if your finding too hard. Give it a go.

[Paj People 2009]

Hi Snapcatcher,

Same as John, would like to get a Pioneer rack one day. Just worried about the total height. The Rhino guys reckons it adds 3cm above the normal roof bars...is that right?

Do you fit into shopping centre carparks okay? (I think most are 2 meters?).

Have you raised your Paj?

Cheers,
Sally

[Snapcatcher]

Hmmm, 3 cm above the normal height of roof bars doesnt sound right to me. I measure my height as 3 cm above (top of) the legs.

How high are heavy duty bars ? 5 cm ? If so that would make the total height of a pioneer platform less than heavy duty cross bars.

I would think that of you were changing from your heavy duty bars to a pioneer platform that you would use the same legs, and the cross bars are replaced by the ones built into the platform.

I have lift and running 33" tyres, and my total height is approx 196-198 cm. Not counting the awning which the bolts are slightly above that height