ARB Awning

[tobloyd]

🤔

Any idea why the bolt heads on the back interfere with opening and closing the fiberglass top?

[NorthOf50]

it shouldn't if everything is installed correctly. I'm using 5/16 x 3/4" bolts for the awning and still have at least 1/2" clearance to the pop-top...

Which mount are you using?
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'84 1.9WBX Camper (Penny)
'88 2.1WBX Camper (Martin)

[Timwhy]

[dhaavers]

[Zeitgeist 13]

We've had an ARB on our EV for about four years, but the last couple deployments have been plagued with component failures. First, the internal cam lock failed on one of the horizontal extension poles, and then the Velcro straps lost their grip. The cam lock issue appears to be due to the aluminum tube expanding its internal diameter at the full extension point, and the cam losing its serrated teeth. The Velcro straps are just worn out. This is all very disappointing since we've deployed the awning less than twenty times during our ownership. Anyone else have similar issues?
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[mikemtnbike]

My velcro straps are starting to go, but I have at least 100 deployments, and many more nights of use, out of mine.
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[Corwyn]

[Timwhy]

My awning's Velcro was not catching so I replaced it with some wider Velcro. We'll see how long this lasts.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W0HTT62/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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'15 Audi A3 Quattro
'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
'91 Tin Top
'90 Cabby
What the Westy wants the Westy GETS


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Timwhy&show_results=summary

http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMWHY2?feature=mhee

[Vanlife Geek]

My fuzzy (loop) side of the Velcro has also stopped being fuzzy enough (or is too fuzzy?). In fact, it never did really stick well, even new. I was camped last week at a very windy spot, The Pawnee National Grasslands. The site did overlook the Pawnee Buttes (all two of them), which was sort of cool. When I arrived, the winds were minimal and the weather was great. I should have known better, though, since there are wind turbines everywhere. Also, if you read any reviews of the dispersed camping sites there, they pretty much all mention the wind. I guess I should have read that first, but this was a backup plan and I didn't really study up on the place. Anyway, during my first night, the wind began picking up and for the next two days, there was a steady 30 mph wind, with gusts exceeding 50 mph.

Of course in this wind, the Velcro was completely worthless and just flapped helplessly. I temporarily fixed the Velcro issue by putting a strip of the fuzzy side I had onto the back side of awning Loop strip. This way, I can wrap it around the pole and back onto itself and it actually worked. I got some better Velcro to redo it later when it's calm out and this Velcro is supposed to be for attaching to fabric. I'll think more about a more permanent fix later, but for now it works.

Since I've had to replace my poles in the past due to overly windy conditions (90 mph gusts), I was concerned it would happen again. I was thinking I should just take it down, but the wind didn't give me any breaks and I was worried it would get away from me and cause even more damage than if I just left it up. Kind of a Catch 22 situation. I decided to leave it up, but add more guy lines. I already had purchased some springs to use on my guy lines to help absorb the effects of the winds, so I added them to the mix. One set is from ARB and includes a huge line tensioner (I suppose so you can roll up the guy line around it). I also got some generic springs on Amazon that seem to be just as effective. And boy were they effective! I could just watch them flexing in and out absorbing some serious impact winds. I'm convinced that having two sets of guy lines and using the springs, the ability for this awning to withstand winds is increased dramatically. All my poles came out intact and straight.

This, however, was not my favorite camping site. Apparently it's always windy, and when I was there, it also rained nearly the whole time. The rain was of the horizontal and diagonal variety with all the wind, and water was finding its way through some pop top seams/gaps/fabric... not sure where. Anyway, once the weather cleared up a bit and the winds were light enough to take down the awning safely, I got the hell out of there.

Double guy line strategy

Pawnee Buttes in the background, under the awning

Velcro fail!

Velcro fixed!

Two guy lines per pole.

ARB spring with gigantic tensioner

The ARB Mega Tensioner

Conventional metal tensioner

Generic springs from Amazon. You get 5 of them for $14: https://amzn.to/3udfeUm

Black ARB Spring

Also, I'm curious where other folks tie their guy lines to the poles. I tie mine around the narrow part of the plastic pole attachment thingy, like in the picture below...

Is this where everyone ties to or am I missing something.

And if I still have your attention, has anyone devised a way to attach two items to the long slot along the front? I'd like to use both my screen room and a wind break at the same time, but both require the use of that slot. You'd think someone would have come up with a "doubler" insert. Something that slides into the slot that has two slots. The slot:

The moral of this story is if you ever camp at Pawnee National Grasslands, bring a kite and leave the awning in the bag.
_________________
Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era)

[Sodo]

[Vanlife Geek]

[kamzcab86]

[Sodo]

What zipper lube should be used on the cover?
Seems like a dry lube is best.
I wouldn’t want it to attract dust.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Vanlife Geek]

[Sodo]

OK I did it.

Added a notch so I can leave the cords attached and roll them up.
Now the little canvas baggie only has the stakes in it.

OK as usual, just after doing this mod.....
I found that you can just put it up into the lot first (above the support donut).

I had cutters remorse for a little while but in using it, found that the notch method could be a little better as a separate step if you're doing it solo.
When setting up camp. breaking down, easier/faster is rewarded.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[DuncanS]

Or this which will preserve the original and allow the awning to do what it was designed for.

[erste]

[Sodo]

Yes thats where we’ve been stashing the bag.
And it drops out at your feet when you unzip it.
We got tired of stuffing the cords in.
And without the cords the bag fits easier behind the zipper.

Boy aren’t we all getting excited about Van season?

[erste]

[Vanlife Geek]