It's How We Like to Camp!
It's How We Like to Camp!
Awnings
Setting up the awning on a pop up can be frustrating. There are a few different designs, and depending on how the side poles attach, either to the the camper or go to the ground, seems to be the difference in styles.
E-Z Ups are a great way to get some shade and can double as an awning. The drawback is while it's raining you'll still have drips coming between the camper and E-Z Up. Plus most aren't tall enough to allow the door to open.
If your poles are like ours with the plastic pin that inserts into the awning rail, sooner or later one of those pins wll snap off. I replaced our with double ended screws, screw on one side and threaded bolt on the other side. After the pin snapped off I just sanded it flat and drilled a hole for the double ended screw. That pin is where the yellow arrow points to.
Another issue we had withour poles is the spring not being strong enough to keep the pole in place, they kept slipping off the sidewall. What I found was the spring inside had been compressed over the years, and wasn't ever going back to the 10" length it originally was. Unable to find any spring like it for any cost, I added length to the one side of the pole by soldering in a short piece of copper pipe. I got plenty of spring power now!
I can set our awning up by myself as long as I get prepared. I assemble the 2 rail to roof poles and place them on the roof close to where they will go, extending out the side as far as possible. The 2 upright poles are placed where they will set. Then unroll the awning, hold one side while I pick up the upright pole, grab the roof pole and fit the one side together. Once that pole is stretched to the roof it's the same on the other side. I raise the ground poles up a bit at first, but stop again when the roof is about half way up and raise the ground poles again.
