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Subject Topic: Conway Challenger - problems with awning Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonMintchocchips
07/8/2016 at 1:01pm
 Location: France
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Help! We (my DH, myself and 2 boys) share a Conway Challenger with my parents (they own it, we all use it). We've had it for about 5 years.

We have never managed to get the awning or the skirts pitched to our satisfaction. We can never get the bottom of them flush with the ground - it seems that the whole frame is too high up - even when the legs of the frame are at their lowest setting. We've tried lowering the stabilising legs on the trailer but even at their lowest setting it still sits too high. As a result, it's very hard to peg in flush to the ground - so the pegs that we do manage to get in slip out easily and the grey, plastic flaps on the bottom then get blown around and scrape up clouds of dust all the time.

To add to our woes, we are based in the south of France so most of our camping is done at sites that are hot, dry, windy and dusty, with not a scrap of grass around - and it's damn near impossible to get a peg in the ground never mind a whole bunch of them.

Any tips? Other than move north...

Thanks in advance.


PersonBlue Sky Pennine
07/8/2016 at 1:14pm
 Location: Redditch
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I must admit, I'm a bit confused by this question, as the awning poles lower down to about 3 foot in height, so it doesn't make sense that it is too high up on the lowest setting, as, on the lowest setting you shouldn't even be able to walk into it. Is it possible you don't have the correct poles for the legs perhaps, if they aren't adjusting fully?

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The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..


PersonMintchocchips
07/8/2016 at 1:21pm
 Location: France
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Hi there

I mean that once the frame is fully erected (legs fully straightened out) and the canvas is in place, and the legs are at the lowest setting on the adjustable part of the leg pole, it's still too high for the bottom of the canvas to be flush to the ground. Does that make sense?

thanks


PersonBlue Sky Pennine
07/8/2016 at 5:03pm
 Location: Redditch
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What you are saying is understandable. The reason I say it doesn't make sense is that, in the circumstances you are describing (which I believe I fully understand) there is no way that should be the case. If the legs are at their lowest setting, on the adjustable part, you shouldn't even be able to stand up in it, never mind having problems with the canvas reaching the floor. Either you are doing something wrong, or there is a problem with the leg poles. Very difficult to be specific as to the problem without seeing the poles, unfortunately, but something, clearly, isn't right.

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The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..


PersonBlue Sky Pennine
07/8/2016 at 5:06pm
 Location: Redditch
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Aaah. Re reading it; is it mainly next to the camper that you are having problems (as I note it's an issue with the skirts as well) or is it all over?

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The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..


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Personnavver
07/8/2016 at 8:44pm
 Location: West country
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Is it the right awning for the camper.

Has someone fitted bigger wheels or upgraded the suspension units effectively raising the camper height.


PersonMintchocchips
07/8/2016 at 9:33pm
 Location: France
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AFAIK it's the right awning: it's certainly identical to the ones shoen in most of the pictures I've seen, matches the colours etc.

But I was saying to DH tonight that the whole trailer looks like it sits really high on the suspension. The bottom of the wheel arch is a good 2-3 inches above the very top of the tyres. The body of the trailer looks like it is very high (compared to a car or to my parents old Pennine).


Personhomebird2003
08/8/2016 at 11:35am
 Location: Southampton
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Perhaps the canvas has shrunk? You could try wetting it and pegging it out so that it stretches. In the meantime would pegging ladders help?

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Homebird


Personnavver
08/8/2016 at 10:18pm
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Sounds like someone may have changed the suspension to increase the ride height.

Many older units were too low for todays tow ball heights and they tow tail down on modern cars. Changing the suspension was a way of overcoming this and was often done with bigger wheels as well.


Personspinebender
21/6/2017 at 1:47pm
 Location: surrey
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does anyone know what the pegs that come with the conwaychallenger look like were they the normal thin round tent peg type or where they in fact a different shape


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PersonMintchocchips
21/6/2017 at 2:03pm
 Location: France
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My parents one came with normal ( i.e. Thin with curved over end) ones and some thicker v-shaped ones. Neither are any good - the awning needs to be well pegged down or it's a total PITA: we bought a lot of rock pegs from Halfords instead.


Personspinebender
21/6/2017 at 5:05pm
 Location: surrey
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thanks for that most helpfull


Personspinebender
21/6/2017 at 5:06pm
 Location: surrey
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now i just need to know how many to set it up fully any ideas?


PersonDarrenElbrow
22/6/2017 at 9:44am
 Location: Poole Dorset
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I have a Challenger, and can I ask the op how you are finding it so difficult to sort the awning out.
It's got probably the simplest awning of any fc,3 poles and 3 legs. It took us 30 minutes to put up the first time out , now takes about 15-20.


PersonLindylou 2
via mobile 26/2/2022 at 7:10pm
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Can anyone tell me if its a 7 pin connecter thats connects to the towbar on a conway challenger


PersonFiona W
via mobile 07/3/2022 at 2:57pm
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Hi Lindylou 2. No one has answered your question about a towbar connector. That is probably because the elderly thread that you have added onto is about �problems with awning�, a completely different issue.
Can I suggest that you start a brand new thread with your question - but first off, search the forums in case the question has been asked before & check out YouTube videos.
Good luck.

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.



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