Scratches/dents from awning poles

[Alison_5118787]

Has anyone got any ideas how I can cover these, repair anything.. We are caravan novices and the awning is a nightmare. Slightest wind, even with storm straps and poles move out of stupid bracket pad system on our pyramid awning. We have now solved the prob by bungee strapping the poles on roof together so they hold in the pads.

thanks

 

[WatsonJohnG]

The prefered method of repair by dealers is to re-skin the side or top of the side at great expense

If you are lucky and they are in the right places you can cover dents with reflectors,vents,awning lights,aerials or makers decals etc.

My friend dented his new caravan on a dealers forecourt before he had paid for it and they put an external shower fitting over it.

He never used it in 3 years but it was cheaper than having the side skinned.

 

[RodneyN.Wales]

Hi Alison - Have had exactly the same problem and managed to cover the worst dent up with a nice sticker (Welsh Dragon) that I picked up at Halfords.

What exactly have you done with the Bungee Cords to stop it happening again?

Rod

 

[Alison_5118787]

A bit difficult to visualise but: We have 5 roof poles that hook onto bracket pads that attach to the awning. All but the one at the front of van kept falling out as the hook only goes in horizontal through the hole on the pad )huge design fault!) So as you are erecting other poles or the slightest wind and they come out. We have used bungee straps to strap the poles together across the roof so that the tension created stops the poles falling out of the holes.

 

[RodneyN.Wales]

Thanks Alison. My problem (Bradcot Awning with Steel Poles) is that the poles come appart as the "so called" locking clips are very weak and just inefective.

Rod

 

[markw]

I had the same problem with awning poles coming out of the stupid pads, my pads have the loops left to right, not even top to bottom which is really really stupid as at least if hooked in from the top gravity helps hold the hook in.

My Solution was as engineering one, I found that not only did the steel hooks fall out of the loops, but also the plastic bungs in the pole ends pulled out the poles and to add insult to injury the hooks could also be pulled through the plastic bungs... You could not have had a worse design if you had tried.

Solution.

1. Take the plastic bungs out the poles, push the hooks right into the bungs and swosh the inner end flat in a vice to stop it pulling through the plastic.

2. Drill a small hole in each pole end, push the plastic bungs back in, drill through the same hole into the plastic bung (a pilot hole) and screw a small self tapper in to secure the plastic bung, then wrap the pole end with gaffa tape to stop the screw head catching skin and clothing etc.

3. Use a small grinder or bench grinder to grind a small flat on the end of each hook, centre pop on this flat close to the hook end and drill a 2.5 mm hole through the hook, you can then get some 2 mm R pins which will go though the hole. Then on putting up the awning you can hook the hook through the plastic block and then drop an R pin in to prevent it coming out.

Solution sounds more complicated than it actually is, and it cannot fail to work, there is no way my poles are falling out again.

Why awning manufactures have evolved such a crap design in the 1st place is completely behond me.

Regards

Mark

 

[WatsonJohnG]

The Fiamma Caravanstore canopy now has improved sockets/pads at the ends to avoid damage to the van sides but nothing except the rubber on the end of the centre rafter pole.

I have a plastic single mains electric surface socket box which I fix to the canopy with velcro and this spreads the load over about a 3 inch square (cost 75p)

So far no dents

 

[christopher_5074147]

The Fiamma Caravanstore canopy now has improved sockets/pads at the ends to avoid damage to the van sides but nothing except the rubber on the end of the centre rafter pole.

I have a plastic single mains electric surface socket box which I fix to the canopy with velcro and this spreads the load over about a 3 inch square (cost 75p)

So far no dents

i have an apache awning which is fitted with rubber suction cups for the side of the van,and a hook system for connecting the front poles.the actual awning itself is fitted with tying strings internaly to tye the poles up once in place[idiot proof].my mate has a trio which had the same bother due to a miss mash of poles,i got him some suction cups at mu local van store and seawed in some tyting strings to the awning around the awning rail and !hey presto,i am good!.