Screw down pegs

[Christhecaravanner84]

I'm talking about the sort with a hex head which you can drive down with a battery drill. Are these effective or just a gimmick? I am interested in pegs which I can peg deep into hardstanding, easily.

I'm getting increasingly frustrated with my Rally Pro when the wind gets up. The rear pegs ('van side) seem to come out really easily, especially when pegged down with rock pegs into hard standing. I am going to to get the rear support poles which I think would improve things. Took the god-damn thing down yesterday before leaving today as it seemed deterimined not to stay up. Now laid out on the living room floor drying out. Reminds me of my camping days.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Ive used the type of pegs you mention in the past but I carry a long very thin masonry drill bit to make a very small pilot hole first.
Ive found it to be quite effective.

 

[Buckman]

I'm talking about the sort with a hex head which you can drive down with a battery drill. Are these effective or just a gimmick? I am interested in pegs which I can peg deep into hardstanding, easily.

I'm getting increasingly frustrated with my Rally Pro when the wind gets up. The rear pegs ('van side) seem to come out really easily, especially when pegged down with rock pegs into hard standing. I am going to to get the rear support poles which I think would improve things. Took the god-damn thing down yesterday before leaving today as it seemed deterimined not to stay up. Now laid out on the living room floor drying out. Reminds me of my camping days.

Go go to Screwfix where you can buy 50 or more coach screws plus washers for less than the price of the box advertised by many suppliers. We have been using them for several or more years.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/turbocoach-hex-flange-coach-screws-m6-x-90mm-100-pack/46700

 

[Dustydog]

Had my screw pegs decades. Hammer them in . Where necessary use drill to remove. Never drilled them in. Agree with Buckman route, much cheaper but maybe not so good for attaching guy lines etc??

 

[Beachball]

Also got the screw pegs in but my wife use to hammer them into the ground and use the drill to remove we found then a very useful item.

 

[Gozza2]

I've used the plastic threadpegs back when I used to use an awning, and still use them on the gazebo. I'm really impressed with them but I'm not sure how well they'd penetrate a hardstanding. There used to be a metal version but I've not seen them advertised for years.

 

[Buckman]

Had my screw pegs decades. Hammer them in . Where necessary use drill to remove. Never drilled them in. Agree with Buckman route, much cheaper but maybe not so good for attaching guy lines etc??

No issue with guy lines as we also have rubber washers on ours.

 

[Mr Plodd]

I think many who use screw-in pegs don't put them into the ground at an angle like they do with straight shanked pegs. They seem to be relying on the thread gripping the ground, but hardstanding tend not to be solid but rather compacted aggregate, and have a large variation is stone size so unless the pegs have very wide and flat threads they won't grip very well when pulled along their long axis.
Drive (or hammer) them in at a decent angle to the direction of pull then they will usually (but not always) do the job.
If having trouble getting screw pegs to hold I use two pegs and two "ladder" straps and angle each peg at 45⁰ to the line of pull That way they form a V with the guy line at the bottom of the V and the pegs at the top. It works very well for me, give is a try next time!

 

[RogerL]

I don't understand the issue - I use rock pegs, the 9" nail type with a cross-bar welded on - the only places they won't hold are on solid rock and sandy soil.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Probably because you use them correctly (as in at an angle)

 

[Buckman]

Probably because you use them correctly (as in at an angle)

I have always thought putting in any peg at an angle was the correct way to do it for maximum hold? Taught that as a boy scout.

 

[GaryB]

Be aware of some of the screw-in type with the plastic moulded hooks. I bought some from Aldi and failed to check/realise that the plastic hooks are a tight fit onto the screw and trying to run them into the ground while holding them near the hook hurts, a lot (as the hook spins round with the screw!). I held each one in a vice by the hook, applied some WD40 and span the screw round in the drill to free them off.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

I don't understand the issue - I use rock pegs, the 9" nail type with a cross-bar welded on - the only places they won't hold are on solid rock and sandy soil.

I use the 9" rock pegs which you speak of. Very happy for you that yours hold, but mine don't!

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

Probably because you use them correctly (as in at an angle)

As do I, But they still don't hold on certain hard standings.

 

[Mel]

When we had our van on a seasonal pitch with a gravel topped over compacted soil ( I think) hardstanding we found that screw thread pegs did not stay in. The best ones we found were 12 inch straight pegs ( got ours from Halfords) 9 inch straight pegs did not stay in ( and yes, they were all angled correctly).
However last Summer we went with our daughter ( her and kids in tent, us in van plus awning). Tent and awning were on grass, at the end of a hot dry week the ground had turned to concrete. Could we get the straight pegs out, Could we heck. Going again this year but taking Screwpegs so we can drill the so and sos out if necessary.
Horses for courses and all that.
Mel

 

[GaryB]

As do I, But they still don't hold on certain hard standings.

That's the problem, hard standings seem to be of a varying type, we've been on some that were pea-shingle and trying to get any screw to stay-put was almost impossible! The type we were on the other day was great, compacted and small stones, the pegs drove in with some hammer-persuasion and stayed put. For surfaces that don't seem to bind together I use two pegs in every other eyelet, driving them both in on opposing angles, not perfect but certainly helps.

 

[JTQ]

Go go to Screwfix where you can buy 50 or more coach screws plus washers for less than the price of the box advertised by many suppliers. We have been using them for several or more years.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/turbocoach-hex-flange-coach-screws-m6-x-90mm-100-pack/46700

Are those 100mm [4"] long pegs any serious use in the typical CMC crushed limestone hardstandings?
Just feel at 4" they will not get any penetration onto the substrate to hold much.
There are a little longer ones 120mm [4 3/4"] from the same source , but again not really the length I would have thought could be of much use.

I use the longer steel "rock nails" the 230 mm long version of THESE, not perfect but best I know.

Putting them in I use a short shank 2 lb lump hammer LIKE THIS.
For getting them out I "abuse" an old pair of basic cable stripping pliers of THIS generic type.

 

[Dustydog]

Mine are the original steel 8” blue plastic duo fastening threaded, came with its own socket. They work in all terrain including hard flint Hard standings.
I can’t see any are for sale so assume they have ceased trading. I’d go down the Buckman DIY method but with 8” bolts.

 

[Buckman]

Are those 100mm [4"] long pegs any serious use in the typical CMC crushed limestone hardstandings?
Just feel at 4" they will not get any penetration onto the substrate to hold much.
There are a little longer ones 120mm [4 3/4"] from the same source , but again not really the length I would have thought could be of much use.

I use the longer steel "rock nails" the 230 mm long version of THESE, not perfect but best I know.

Putting them in I use a short shank 2 lb lump hammer LIKE THIS.
For getting them out I "abuse" an old pair of basic cable stripping pliers of THIS generic type.

That was an example as ours are about 8* or 20cm long. Choose your size at a third of the price!

 

[Kevin M]

After a fairly painful dose of tennis elbow a few years back, brought on by hammering pegs into hard ground, I always use screw in pegs and have a small Bosch impact drill which is both light and powerful for the task.

 

[Hutch]

I have two different sets of the screwed pegs, I found trying to screw them in to be a PITA. Wobbled all over the place, A 2lb lump hammer sets them fine, Just remember to take the drill attachment with you, to remove them.

 

[Dustydog]

I have two different sets of the screwed pegs, I found trying to screw them in to be a PITA. Wobbled all over the place, A 2lb lump hammer sets them fine, Just remember to take the drill attachment with you, to remove them.

The old fashioned claw hammer works well with removal.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

The more I think about it, I think the rear poles are the answer. They should reduce the general snatching in the wind and increase overall rigidness. If I get those and maybe some foot long rock pegs for tricker hardstandings I'll be OK.