Awnings! The worst of worst!

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M

mudgee hunter

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They are cheap as these days!
But a friend of mine ordered 2 from a camping mob from Vic.
OMG! Absolute crap!
Firstly the alloy extrusion was made up from 3 off cuts!
Crudely bolted together that was disgraceful!
The outrigger poles where drilled 1.5mm from the edge of the 0.9mm extrusion!
Tear off in no time!
The bag was totally seperate from the awning!
Like a gun bag!
And no way in hell can it be altered to be like it should be, without $$$
BEWARE of trying to save $20 on the cheapest of Chinese crap!
 
We actually bought the big Gull wing one from 4wd super store recently and I'm amazed at the quality of it.
Seems very solidly built?
 
I don't know about your awning but I am using Dometic Camping Trailer Awning for my RV and I am pretty satisfied with it. It not only has good quality but also very easy to install and use. I think you can buy it for your RV.
 
Samantha Nichols said:
I don't know about your awning but I am using Dometic Camping Trailer Awning for my RV and I am pretty satisfied with it. It not only has good quality but also very easy to install and use. I think you can buy it for your RV.
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Is that the one that looks like a Tent with poles or Air Tubes ??

J.
 
Mine is a side awning attached to the car and about 5 years old; but due to shoulder problems, I can put it up if no wind and I take care. But I can not pull it down without assistance, without doping poles and possible damaging the car.

Easy up with one person, is one factor. But the ability to drop with any sort of breeze, by one self; would be a big selling point for me.

Always have my eyes open, so feel free to post pics and experiences.
 
AngerManagement said:
Mine is a side awning attached to the car and about 5 years old; but due to shoulder problems, I can put it up if no wind and I take care. But I can not pull it down without assistance, without doping poles and possible damaging the car.

Easy up with one person, is one factor. But the ability to drop with any sort of breeze, by one self; would be a big selling point for me.

Always have my eyes open, so feel free to post pics and experiences.
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AM what vehicle is it for because I got one that slips over the tailgate which you just peg at the corners and it doesn't have a frame.
 
Hilux dual cab 4x4. With a canopy. 3M x 3M side mount at the moment...

Had one that connected to the rear but it was a Super Cheap brands and the poles just all shattered after a couple of uses.

My original intent was to put out the Awning and then set up my Cot Tent under it. Worked a few times but as stated b4, wind and or shoulder issues = problems. All about what is functional for an Over night camp OR maybe longer.

Some of the bat wing awnings look OK, but I would take PA members feedback over the reviews I see on line. And as usual some are better than others.
 
AngerManagement said:
Hilux dual cab 4x4. With a canopy. 3M x 3M side mount at the moment...

Had one that connected to the rear but it was a Super Cheap brands and the poles just all shattered after a couple of uses.

My original intent was to put out the Awning and then set up my Cot Tent under it. Worked a few times but as stated b4, wind and or shoulder issues = problems. All about what is functional for an Over night camp OR maybe longer.

Some of the bat wing awnings look OK, but I would take PA members feedback over the reviews I see on line. And as usual some are better than others.
Click to expand...

Dometic make some nice Tent type Side and End Awnings, some with poles and some that inflate and they have sewn in ground sheets so no Snakes and you end up with quite a usable room that's all fly screened, They have a large opening to the outside and a largish opening that clips to the side of the vehicle over the door area.

J.
 
Ridge Runner said:
Dometic make some nice Tent type Side and End Awnings, some with poles and some that inflate and they have sewn in ground sheets so no Snakes and you end up with quite a usable room that's all fly screened, They have a large opening to the outside and a largish opening that clips to the side of the vehicle over the door area.

J.
Click to expand...

Maybe I am looking in the wrong place... Can see lots of options for Vans etc, but almost nothing for 4x4's
 
every car I see has a bloody Kings mail order awning on it from China. They are cheap and only worth the asking price.
The saving grace is that when it dies you can cut it up for what its really made for- poo paper.
Spend you get good.

GT :)
 
goldtruck59 said:
every car I see has a bloody Kings mail order awning on it from China. They are cheap and only worth the asking price.
The saving grace is that when it dies you can cut it up for what its really made for- poo paper.
Spend you get good.

GT :)
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Agreed there mate.
Cannot for the life of me how people can put sh!t awnings, roofracks, draw systems in a $60k car.
 
Don't want to hijack the thread,but i have a solar blanket, winch, air compressor, draws, and all work brilliantly.
And when we go over to wa we give it all a solid workout, (not there for the pose value). Its surprising how since Kings
Started selling things at realistic prices others have scaled back thier ripoff margins.
Jim
 
Redfin said:
goldtruck59 said:
every car I see has a bloody Kings mail order awning on it from China. They are cheap and only worth the asking price.
The saving grace is that when it dies you can cut it up for what its really made for- poo paper.
Spend you get good.

GT :)
Click to expand...
Agreed there mate.
Cannot for the life of me how people can put sh!t awnings, roofracks, draw systems in a $60k car.
Click to expand...
Maybe they've got no money left after buying a $60K car.
Or maybe they don't want to make their 60K car a 75K car.
 
I don't know if the Kings ones have changed their design, but the ones I have seen (a few years ago now) had aluminium rivets holding them together which fail.

They are easily fixed though, drilling them out and replacing with bolts fixes the design floor.

Better to do this before the fall off as when they come off at speed or on a rough track they are bent and twisted around like a twistie.
 
Occasional_panner said:
I don't know if the Kings ones have changed their design, but the ones I have seen (a few years ago now) had aluminium rivets holding them together which fail.

They are easily fixed though, drilling them out and replacing with bolts fixes the design floor.

Better to do this before the fall off as when they come off at speed or on a rough track they are bent and twisted around like a twistie.
Click to expand...

Had all but the front rivet fail at 100kph. Had to stop and take it off. Now has twice as many stainless rivets.

Cheers

Doug
 
Lots of awnings from china have manufacturing defects that could cause them to fall off the mounts and spear through an oncoming vehicle windscreen

If you drill out all of the soft aluminium rivets and replace them with 4.8 mm diameter stainless steel rivets plus use double the number of rivets too.

having your awning fall off your vehicle is one thing , having it spear through somebodies windscreen is another.

first photo before and after repair.

1587134874_1410090502_awning_fix.jpg


Second photo is the canvas cover torn away from the extrusion clips
 

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