Toolbox: Awning advice

By Malcolm Street

Rollout awnings on recreational vehicles are very common these days, and setting them out is, in most cases, quite simple: unclip the appropriate latches, set the rotational direction, find the winding handle and commence winding.

When the awning is out far enough, it’s simply a matter of setting the arms out to the right length.

Just as something of a side note here, many people associate awnings with fine weather, but in fact they are just as useful when it rains.

Campervans and motorcampers with sliding doors have a particular problem when it is wet, but awnings, even those set out less than a metre, are particularly effective in keeping the damp from the open door.

Another problem occurs in windy conditions when the awning can flap around quite badly. There is a solution to that problem, which I’ll come to shortly.

Many RVers, particularly caravanners with rollout awnings, often find it useful to have walls to complement the awning and while getting the awning out is simple enough, erecting the walls for the first time does not always go so smoothly.

CW must confess that we didn’t think there would be a problem, but in a phone call not so long ago, Peter Dale from Complete Caravan Awnings convinced us otherwise.

He based his comments on the fact that when a new RV is purchased with awning and walls, there is often a lot to take in and sometimes details such as setting up the awning walls get lost in the process.

Complete Caravan Awnings is a Penrith, NSW-based company, run by Peter and Louise Dale, which offers an awning/walls/screens supply and fitting service.

In addition CCA will supply and fit a good range of other accessories, as well as doing caravan repairs and insurance work.

CCA operates a mobile fitting service as well. We were definitely impressed by the CCA factory: it has to be the tidiest and cleanest we have seen in a while!

CCA is the NSW agent for Aussie Traveller awnings, but the steps outlined below for wall fittings will apply to other manufacturers. An essential part of the awning setup is the Anti-Flap Kit (AFK), a patented Aussie Traveller device that should fit all makes of awnings.

It’s designed to fit at each end of the awning and does two things: prevent wind flap and ensure that walls can successfully be added to the awning.

Another useful Aussie Traveller item is the Curved Roof Rafter, which is designed to fit mid-awning and to prevent wind flap and, given its curved shape, also reduce water retention.

The process of putting up awning walls is very simple as these pics will show:

CW wishes to thank Complete Caravan Awnings: 2/6 Robertson Place, Jamestown (Penrith), NSW 2750; (02) 4722 6886.