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I picked up my new Crusader yesterday and am delighted with it.  I'm confidant in putting it up, but my next challenge is the awning.  I've got a diagram of how the poles fix together but nothing else.  Being new, I dont even know what goes up first (the awning or the poles).  Does anybody know where I can get a step-by-step guide for the awning erection?

Quote: Originally posted by malmoor on 23/6/2008

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lay the poles out on ground first. Put frame together attach to main unit with legs 'broken'. Place canvas on top of frame and zip onto main unit, lower front of canvas,carefully insert canopy extention poles, then the raise legs. zip in annexe, side etc then adjust all poles.Finally peg down. Job done!

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This is how I do our Crusader awning

1.  Attach poles to cabin with legs split in half.  Each of the poles that attach to the cabin with the hook have a screw type fitting on them, leave these loose to allow the poles to extend and retarct freely.
2.  Pull awning (without wall panels) on to the poles, and tie to pole/bracket using      the ties on the awning. 
3.  Insert canopy extention poles.
4.  Gently pull awning over poles and zip onto main cabin. (If you have left the screw on each pole loose then this is made easy)
5. Once you have the awning attached to the cabin fully extend the legs to get the awning to full height extending the outer left & right legs first followed by the centre then both the inner legs.
6. Now extend the roof poles as tight as you can and then tighten the screw so that the awning is taught.  (I do this by hand initially then finish off using the awning companion) Great bit of kit!!
7. Insert the wall panels & peg out
8. Kettle on

I now have this down to a fine art and take no more than 30 -45 mins
The main point being the screws on the awning roof poles, I used to have them tight then struggled to zip the awning to the cabin, leaving them loose allows the movement required to attach the awning to the cabin
Bolan

Forgot to add that if conditions are windy I peg out 2 guy's 1 at each corner og the awning, I do this between points 5 & 6.  Last weekend I added an additonal guy to the centre pole attached to the pole/bracket and will do this in future between points 5 & 6 helping keep the poles down until all pegged out.  I use deltas for the guys.

Bolan

phil,

goodluck with the awning, if i can put one up with no directions in the chucking down rain im sure you will be just fine!

i wish i had known that you dont have the side /front panels zipped in while putting it up, mins was brand new and they were fitted in.

goodluck and happy camping