The Correct Way to Erect a Caravan Awning

All caravanners do have an awning or an annexe installed in their caravans or motor homes as it gives you the extended personal space that you deserve. With a caravan annexe or an awning, you can take the comforts of home with you on your trip (even if the comforts are a little). You may have taken the time to understand the install the best caravan awning but are you aware of the correct way to erect a caravan awning? In our previous post, we shared about how to set up a roll out awning.

If you do it incorrectly, or you just open it up without paying attention to the details, then you could damage the awning soon enough. The following steps will show you how it’s done correctly.

1. Refer to the supplied frame diagram for your RV / caravan and layout the frame in front of the vehicle.
2. The next step involves folding out the awning and laying it on the ground just next to the frame. (The two front panels of the awning should be placed aside safely.)
3. Now you need to find the leading edge of the awning bead and this needs to be fed into the awning channel. (The channel is the railing structure that goes along the way around the side of the caravan). Make sure that you do this prior to installing the frame onto the vehicle. The awning needs to be fed all the way around the channel until central on the caravan.
4. With the awning now in position on the caravan, the bracket pads need to be installed. They should be attached on either side and one needs to be placed in the centre.
5. It is time to assemble the frame onto the caravan as the awning has been fed properly into the railing and the bracket pads have been placed so the awning would stay intact. This will make it easy to work with the frame.
6. You should start the assembly with the centre roof pole wherein the first pole needs to be fed through the pocket that is located in the front of the awning. One end of the pole is fixed to the centre bracket pad that was installed earlier.
7. Now the centre leg needs to be attached with the leg being angled back towards the caravan. This is important as it would prevent the frame from collapsing under the weight during the frame’s assembly. (The same process needs to be repeated for the two side roof poles and the legs).
8. The front poles need to be attached to the frame as soon as the first side frame has been assembled properly.
9. Once the assembly for the above stage has been completed, the leg heights need to be adjusted so that the top of the side panels are aligned in a horizontal plane.
10. Now use the quick release clamp to give tension to the roof poles but remember to make only a slight change.
11. The next thing that would have to be done is to attach the canopy poles. (You need to check whether this component is provided with your awning set.) During the process, you need to ensure that the protective piece of fabric is seated properly between the pole and the canopy.
12. It’s almost done. Now you need to zip in the two front panels. This needs to be done carefully. First you need to move the first zip to the third quarter position and then continue zipping from the bottom.
13. Once this is done, use the quick release clamps to give tension to the front poles. This will bring the central leg to the awning’s centre.
14. The final step in the process is to peg out the awning. For this you need to make sure that the mud wall is neatly tucked under the awning. It is best to start with one of the rear points. Attach the tension peg and then hammer it till it goes through half way. Now apply tension and lock off. Then continue hammering it till it goes all the way in.
15. The front corners need to be pegged next. But first, check that the awning is pulled tight and the leg is aptly located down the seam.
16. When you finish pegging off the other points, the awning is ready for use.
17. As a safety measure you could fit a tie down kit (which is available with most vendors and dealers) as this comes in handy during windy conditions.