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rcowan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2003
Posts: 211
Location: Oregon
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 Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 6:41 pm Post subject: Side Tent Mounting on Eurovan |
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I have a '99 Eurovan Westy. I recently got a side tent. My tent has a flap that is suppose to attach to the roof, but since a Westy doesn't have a rain gutter, I'm lacking a place to anchor that flap. I found these: http://www.busdepot.com/a9014 but wondering what my other options might be. There's no picture so it's hard to know whether I'd like them or not. I do like the description of "No driling" though!
What's everyone else using?
And just because everyone likes pictures. Here's an example of my tent set up. Thanks for any feedback!
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kernewek
Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2012
Posts: 44
Location: France/UK
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| Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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Nice van �� On this side of the Atlantic almost everyone uses a Reimo Multirail to attach their awnings. They're tailor made for the T4 Eurovan. Don't know if they are available in the US, otherwise a strip of aluminum curved profile will do the job.
Craig
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1998 T4 2.5 TDI with Timber Technicians high top
1985 T3 1.6TD hightop camper |
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tam_shops
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2012
Posts: 1530
Location: Vancouver BC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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Nice tent! I have a really old version of the same thing! Make sure you stake it down. We just through tubs w/ stuff in them on the plastic part, which was fine until it was the end of our trip and all the food was gone and I must have moved the wrong one when it got really windy and the entire thing blew over. Into the Vanagon, got stuck on the bike rack and the wind kept blowing! LOL
Lucky for us, it was a really busy crowded private campsite where everyone was friends and they all came over to help us!  Then, since we were leaving the next day, we took it down! LOL
At any rate, I didn't attach it to the Vanagon, just put it beside the door and left it at that. Worked fine. Kept the bugs out even when the door was over b/c I've yet to finish a bug screen! LOL
tam
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1987 Vanagon Westfalia GL Automatic
Making it special:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=545885 |
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josh_w
Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2008
Posts: 68
Location: Columbus, Ohio
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| Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:49 am Post subject: Re: Side Tent Mounting on Eurovan |
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| rcowan wrote: |
| I found these: http://www.busdepot.com/a9014 but wondering what my other options might be. There's no picture so it's hard to know whether I'd like them or not. I do like the description of "No driling" though! |
Those work, but they are nowhere near worth the price, and they do not keep the tent attachment pole away from your paint. There is a reason they don't show a picture like the other mounts they sell, and haven't bothered to add one for the at least 5 years they've sold them. You have to wonder why they have pics of all the other mounts, but none of these. They have at least dropped the price a bit from where it was when I bought mine.
All they are is three ~6" lengths of 1" webbing and three 1" plastic side release buckles. You unscrew the aluminum strip that holds your poptop canvas to the roof of the van, slide one end of each webbing strap under it, and screw the strip back down. Then you loop the other end of the webbing around the the horizontal tent or awning pole and attach it to itself with the buckles. It's about $2 worth of materials at any craft store, and you could probably make it work without a sewing machine. The only part that requires thought is making sure the straps are short enough that they don't hang out from under the poptop when it is down.
I promise when I install the '01 poptop lift struts in my '99 I'll finally take some pics and measurements of these. Actually, I'll probably pull them and post them for sale along with my Kelty Carport to help fund a new Shady Boy.
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'99 Eurovan Westfalia Weekender |
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rcowan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2003
Posts: 211
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:18 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies!
Kernewek- The tent is a Reimo so that makes sense that their multirail would work well. I haven't been able to find one over here though and honestly, I'm not in love with drilling holes and having something outside of the poptop that I can see all the time.
tam_shops- You are a couple weeks too late with the warning of staking it down well! I left the van/tent and when I came back the tent was upside down on the OTHER side of the van! I was super scared to even look but I got away with two little scratches on the tailgate that polished out! Not sure how it got to the other side of the van but I'd like to know it's path!
josh_w- Thank you! That's exactly the information I needed. I thought it was odd to not have pictures. I asked Bus Depot for some but I haven't gotten anything yet. I'd love to see some pictures when you take them..... I'm also curious about the poptop lift struts.... Do you have to change out the whole frame or just add lift struts. That would be a welcomed addition! |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7925
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Side Tent Mounting on Eurovan |
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| rcowan wrote: |
| My tent has a flap that is suppose to attach to the roof, but since a Westy doesn't have a rain gutter, I'm lacking a place to anchor that flap. I found these: http://www.busdepot.com/a9014 but wondering what my other options might be. |
I'd give big magnets a try (rubber coated for all-weather usage), such as: http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Wreath-Hanger--Whit...ath+hanger . True Value Hardware usually has these types of things, if you want to find something local.
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~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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josh_w
Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2008
Posts: 68
Location: Columbus, Ohio
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| Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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| rcowan wrote: |
| I'm also curious about the poptop lift struts.... Do you have to change out the whole frame or just add lift struts. |
I'll let you know when I figure it out.  I'm in the middle of trying to close the sale of my house and find a new one, plus packing for the move, so it will probably be a couple months before the dust clears and I can play with the van again.
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'99 Eurovan Westfalia Weekender |
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rcowan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2003
Posts: 211
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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| I like magnets! I'll have to give that a try! |
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rcowan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2003
Posts: 211
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Bus Depot got back to me. They described it just as Josh_w had..... except for the $2 at any craft store part.  |
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emagin
Samba Member
Joined: January 15, 2013
Posts: 48
Location: Middletown, CA
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| Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Side Tent Mounting on Eurovan |
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I used a Kelty Ridgeway Canopy with mostly netting on the sides.
It holds up in wind pretty well and gives me a ton of space for my Kitchen and outdoor sleeping.
It's not a perfect 'dock' to the van, but I get it real close and that works well enough for me.
On the back I used two Target shower curtains ($12 total) with sailing canvas snaps to attach to the existing buttons in my back door. With tent stakes at the bottom, this creates a perfect shower / compost toilet area.
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1993 EV Weekender Westfalia | Roof Rack | Fridge | Side Tent | Window Shades | Sink Faucet | Heater
Pending: Kitchen | Swiveling Front Seats | Shower |
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