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roll up awning


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It is possible to mount an ARB awning on a TC without attaching it to a roof rack.  We did so on our TC and posted the details on the Unofficial Camp Inn Forum:

http://campinnforum.com/community/threads/arb-tow-vehicle-awning.3901/

The thread includes details of how to fabricate some inexpensive wind walls for use with the awning (to block low angle sun as well as wind), plus it links to an account where our custom mount survived ripping a low hanging power line off a building last fall in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

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4 hours ago, SteveMalone189 said:

It is possible to mount an ARB awning on a TC without attaching it to a roof rack.  We did so on our TC and posted the details on the Unofficial Camp Inn Forum:

http://campinnforum.com/community/threads/arb-tow-vehicle-awning.3901/

The thread includes details of how to fabricate some inexpensive wind walls for use with the awning (to block low angle sun as well as wind), plus it links to an account where our custom mount survived ripping a low hanging power line off a building last fall in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

I was wondering whats underneath those plastic caps on the roof. Can you please elaborate more on that? No drilling required? So all it is is a hole that goes from the roof to the interior? I'm guessing that when you said you used sS lag bolts, and judging by the picture, you screwed them from the inside of the van through the hole into the wood above,,,,

Edited by r1alvin
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No drilling required.  The plastic caps (which are in the gutter where factory roof rack rails can be installed) cover elongated holes in the roof's sheet metal.  These are the points where the factory rails would be installed.  From the inside, you can squeeze the sides of the part that protrudes through to the interior and then push up to pop them out.  On the exterior side, the bottom of the cap has a neoprene-like gasket that seals out the weather.  

You will need to remove some of the sound insulating foam on the side door track in order to access these holes in the midsection of the van (those in the rear can clearly be seen in a cargo van configuration).  The foam is held in place by plastic "bolts" that have a wide, thin cap and a one inch or so barbed bolt.  They press in place to hold the foam in position.  In theory you might be able to back these out with a screwdriver, but there are auto trim pry bars made for this purpose.  We live on the road, so I picked one up at a NAPA parts store in Texas.

Yes, I did screw lag bolts into the bottom of the 2x2 to secure the same to the roof.  The install took place last October.  If I had access to better tools I likely would have bolted the 2x2 to the roof, but it is unnecessary, as proven by the power line that we snagged in Mexico.  The way it is currently installed, that rack isn't going anywhere.

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