I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on folding the awning onto the trailer without unzipping it for quick packing up / putting up? - Currently our awning is unzipped but on my first outing camping I panicked as the zip that attaches the awning to the trailer tent got stuck when I was trying to take it off - luckily I got it unstuck! - but got me thinking on the option of leaving it zipped and folding it on to the trailer when packing up.
I have seen on previous posts that this can be done, but cannot picture in my mind how it is done! - Do anyone do this with there trailer tents, sunncamp or other make? - The questions/concerns I have are:-
1) I understand from previous posts that you concertina fold it over the trailer tent when taking it down, before you fold up the trailer tent. Does the awning canvas sit on top of the trailer tent. In other words when you come to fold the trailer tent up, do you fold the awning in with the trailer tent frames when you close them, or do you fold up the frames with the trailer tent canvas on as normal underneath the awning canvas, so that the awning canvas rests on top if you know what I mean - hard to explain!!! -
2) Is this easy to do? - have any owners of the 400se (large awning!) managed to do this? - I am worried about weight and if possible to get apex of trailer tent up with all the weight of the awning canvas on top of it! - those spring clips are hard enougth as it is!!!!
The only thing i can think of is you put the awning over the frame first then put the rest of the canvas over. We have never done this before on our TT as we have always thought that the weight may bend the poles.
I wouldn't bother, we have had a sunncamp and the poles bend very easily!!!! The awning is so big that the canvas would definitely bend them, much easier and quicker to unzip and pull it from back to front, then fold it up and lie it on top of folded trailer. I insured mine last year with caravanguard 2700.00 for tent and contents £5.67 a month, took it to Devon and we were in the high winds, it bent it completely thank goodness for the insurance!!
Thanks for the tips - yes we have ours insured! - I think I will leave it as it is! - must admit was worried about the weight on the poles - as the awning canvas is very heavy!!
I leave it on! Has been on for 3 years now and not bent any pole(yet) Quicker to put up just build awning frame and pull over the awning. When putting away fold it over the tt and then fold the tt saves on space inside the tt.
I used to do this with my Conway. Then one year we had to take the awning off to dry it inside and found it was actually quicker to unzip it for packing, and also for erection. Now we take the awning off every time.
If the zips are a bit sticky give them a wee squoosh of Fabsil. This won't hurt canvas if it gets onto it (obviously!!) but as it's silicon based it makes a great zip and pole lubricant.
Gosh - this is a old post!! - Good idea about the zips - Ill try that - Thanks! - We have since departed with our sunncamp and now have a folding camper, but same question came to me when I first put it up! - But awning is heavy so I have decided to take it of every time!