Author |
Message |
Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32635 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Miked914 Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2009 Posts: 127 Location: Santa Clarita, CA
|
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:50 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
Found this Thread a few weeks back and ordered one myself. $102w/tax and free shipping. I have a Bay, not a Vanagon, with an even early roof rack so I just used the included hardware mounted directly to the rack.
I've noticed reading comments a lot of assumption on when/where/how the thing is going to break and fail. Why not wait until one does then find out from that person what happened? IDK, I got a hundred dollar awning and seems like the glass is half full!
Let me know if you don't want bay pics here and I'll take them out. _________________ Mike D.
'68 Fastback w/T4
'74 Porsche 914-6 3.0 Hot Rod
'73 TinTop Westy
'13 VW Sportwagon TDI |
|
Back to top |
|
|
dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7757 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
|
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
^^^ Love it! No harm, no foul.
If my 3-year-old Yescom was having any trouble, I'd be all over this deal. Rock on...
- Dave _________________ 86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
|
Back to top |
|
|
borninabus Samba R&D Dept.
Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 4539 Location: Arizona Highways
|
Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:50 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
ok.....i bit
local napa is having a "20% off whatever fits in the bucket" sale.
guess what? it stuck out the top of the bucket pretty far, but it fit
my main concern is the how the case will hold up to the PHX sun.....
this will not be permanently mounted to my van. _________________ 88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Snoww_ Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2015 Posts: 73 Location: California
|
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2021 9:23 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
Just found this thread and ordered one, excited to pick it up tomorrow! _________________ 1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug |
|
Back to top |
|
|
alaskadan Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2013 Posts: 1858 Location: anchor pt. alaska
|
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:47 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
Been using ours lately camping up in kenai while fishing. Funny how an awning makes a parked van into a camp. On the last trip, up there was going to be a good chance of rain so I brought an extendable painters roller handle. It has a soft rubber handle on it. I used it to create a peak in the middle. Glad I did, when we got back to camp there were roughly 1/2 gallon puddles in all 4 corners. It's great to have an awning, my wife loves it and it's worth 100 bucks. I stand by my earlier assessment that heim joints on all 4 corners would be a great addition. I've been shopping for the best cheap ones for the situation. You can spend 100 bucks on 4 heim joints . |
|
Back to top |
|
|
4Gears4Tires Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018 Posts: 3054 Location: MD
|
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2021 12:06 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
alaskadan wrote: |
Funny how an awning makes a parked van into a camp. . |
Isn't that the truth. _________________ '87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition |
|
Back to top |
|
|
vanagonjr Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010 Posts: 3431 Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
|
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2021 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
4Gears4Tires wrote: |
alaskadan wrote: |
Funny how an awning makes a parked van into a camp. . |
Isn't that the truth. |
Yep! My wife was sick so the van was an isolation chamber due to new granddaughter in the house.
Awning was out for a week. LED lights strung up and a mat on the ground. 2 camp chairs & a table. Spent a lot of time under that awning. _________________ John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32635 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
alaskadan Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2013 Posts: 1858 Location: anchor pt. alaska
|
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:47 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
I've found many that could work, just trying not to spend more on them than the awning . I need to drill out the rivets on on of the corner pivots to verify the I.D. of the tube. Yes spherical rod ends that would slide right in and get screwed or pop riveted in. The misalignment angle is something else to consider when buying them. Most are in the 20 to 30 degree realm. I'm trying to find ones in the 50 to 60 degree realm. But the extreme angle ones are spendy. The reason for having them on all four corners would allow for having the awning at a steep angle like 6/12 " pitch to shed rain and keep the legs plumb. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Snoww_ Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2015 Posts: 73 Location: California
|
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 10:06 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
Picked it up yesterday, $110 no discount but still worth it!
_________________ 1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Seleniris Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2021 Posts: 10 Location: Great Basin
|
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
I'm thinking of getting one of these awnings too but don't want to drill into the body of the vehicle. I think that means my two options are Rocky Mountain Westy and Van Cafe mounting brackets.
Are they essentially the same? If different, can someone explain the difference or merits of one brand over the other.
Apologies if I missed this explanation somewhere earlier in the thread.
Thanks!!! _________________ 1987 VW Westfalia camper 2.1 manual |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Baja Don Samba Member
Joined: August 02, 2011 Posts: 5 Location: Pensacola, FL
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 12:16 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
Get the NAPA 8x8 Maxi Trac awning!
It's a virtually identical copy of the ARB awning, but it's only $100
I paid $106 out the door at NAPA and I've compared it side by side with the ARB and they are identical.
Also, save another $80+ and make your own brackets from a set of old beetle bumper brackets!
A couple of cuts, drill one hole, a few bends, and they are perfect! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7480 Location: WA/ID
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 6:29 am Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
alaskadan wrote: |
It has a soft rubber handle on it. I used it to create a peak in the middle. Glad I did, when we got back to camp there were roughly 1/2 gallon puddles in all 4 corners. |
I noodled running a flexible aluminum tent pole to create a ridge too keep water from pooling. Now I just lower one of the poles to allow water to run off. Your center pole is a good solution, for others who may have the awning out at night when it rains, lower one pole to avoid catching gallons of water in the center of the awning. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
|
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
|
Back to top |
|
|
snuf Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2008 Posts: 237 Location: TN
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
termuehlen Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 994 Location: Redwood City
|
Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2021 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
revolution337 wrote: |
I already tried flipping and rotating the inner gutter clamp piece, but that only made the alignment worse. What I have pictured is the best alignment that I was able to get from the clamp.
I did reach out to NorthWesty about this, I am waiting to hear back from them. |
Any news on this fitment issue with your awning brackets? _________________ 1988 Westfalia automatic Subaru OBD1
1986 syncro tintop wbx |
|
Back to top |
|
|
revolution337 Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2009 Posts: 372 Location: Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2021 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
termuehlen wrote: |
revolution337 wrote: |
I already tried flipping and rotating the inner gutter clamp piece, but that only made the alignment worse. What I have pictured is the best alignment that I was able to get from the clamp.
I did reach out to NorthWesty about this, I am waiting to hear back from them. |
Any news on this fitment issue with your awning brackets? |
I have not received any email back from NorthWesty. I was going to try and give them a call, but it honestly slipped my mind until now. I will report back here with my findings once I get a hold of them. Thanks for the reminder. _________________ 1982 Westfalia AEB 1.8t
2017 VW Golf Sportwagen
2001 Audi A4 4.2 V8 swapped
2000 BMW Z3 roadster
-Mark |
|
Back to top |
|
|
dieseltdi Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2006 Posts: 538 Location: Grapevine, Texas
|
Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2021 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: $99 NAPA Awning- Copy of ARB? |
|
|
Just a couple of pictures of my NAPA awning deployed. It is a bit difficult to put up by yourself, especially in a stiff breeze but it is doable. I am going to get an adjustable tent pole to extend from the van to the outer rail to stiffen up the center and raise it a bit.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
sanchius Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2007 Posts: 1456 Location: IN
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|