Back Door Awning

Steve Scearce

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Joined
Sep 12, 2009
Messages
155
Location
Durango, Colorado
Anyone ever install an awning over the back door of their pop up? I was doing some work in our 1999 Phoenix yesterday in a drizzle, and was thinking about how nice this would be as I stepped out to a steady drip onto my head.
 
DurangoSteve:

Yes, I have thought a lot about this too.

Right now, I have a nice nylon tarp that I have adapter to this use. It has loops of rope on the corners and I just unfold and loop it over my Yakima racks up on roof. The racks usually are toward the back and I often put a canoe/kayak on it while loading to prevent damaging the roof. The loops hook over the ends of the rack.

I have extendable poles that hold up the rear of the tarp. Guy to needs. Presto, nice, cheap, small and compact rear awning. Not easy to set up, just a few minutes, but works when parked.

If I have the time, I would love to source out some parts for an easy to deploy, light and compact awning that I could deploy in seconds and use often. Rains a lot of Seattle way!! May get one of those Truck'n Awn units and modify to fit. They are kind of big, but already set up nicely.

Let me know what you find, would love to hear about and see it!

Dave in Seattle
 
Thanks Sunman & Davinski!

I've installed 3 eyebolts thru the top of the wall on the passenger side of our camper to hang an 8x10 tarp from for a "poor man's" awning. There will be some dripping along the edge of the camper as the tarp won't be absolutely snug against the siding, which isn't a big deal... but I'm trying to eliminate that on the back side "awning" project. I'm (currently) leaning toward installing eyebolts thru the roof and doing a tarp-n-tent pole thing off the back like I did on the side.
 
Cool ideas, I use a tarp with 2 hooks secured to the roof and a couple ropes out to tree branches, downfall is that there has to be trees around for it to work.

I like the bag awning idea.
 
I have my awning on back of camper, its a bag awning where everything is contained in a bag when not using the awning. It just slides into a track I have fastned at the rear, and ready to go, unzip bag roll out awning, insert poles and your good to go, I also have a set of long bungees I run to bumper of truck for wind protection.

Love the set up lets me keep camper door open when its raining, gives me shade in the sun, we seem to be at back of camper more than side, and if a person wanted to, could install another track on side and move it to the side.
 
here are some sample pictures I have saved



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Very cool ideas, Stan. Thanks! I've found some good awning hardware sources, but haven't yet found a handy means of connecting poles to the jacks. Anyone have any thoughts?
 
Lots of great ideas from more experienced folks - thanks!

I bought some aluminum awning rail from our local RV dealer and two 3 ft lengths of 1/4 aluminum rod. I then took a 6x8 nylon tarp we had, popped out the middle grommet on the short side and slipped the rods into the stitched pocket along the edge, using some duct tape (of course!) to join the two rods and make an inch-long "hinge" so I could fold the tarp in half and roll it up for storage. I also duct taped the outside ends of the rod so they wouldn't puncture the nylon. OK plan, but the awning rail edges are pretty sharp, and I've already torn the tarp slightly inserting it into the rail. I'm going to order some rope tape and have my wife sew it to the tarp. Much better solution. http://www.sailrite.com/Keder-Awning-Rope-Tape?sc=2&category=51

For the poles I used some 1.25" pvc pipe I had with some "T" slip joints. This stuff is used for PVC pipe greenhouse construction. On the two ends I drilled holes and ran pieces of threaded rod to attach to the tarp grommets. In the middle I made a short pvc pipe "riser" with a bolt installed to make a "ridge" in the tarp.
 

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For the side awning I used an 8x10 tarp and mounted eyebolts through the camper wall with fender washers on both sides and a neoprene fender washer on the outside... and generous silicone caulk.
 

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I figured I'd add some pics of the backdoor awning I put together using the ideas on this thread. The 6x10 tarp attaches to the roof using the awning track system from Sailrite.com. Two cheap Wal*Mart poles and guy lines hold it up.


Tested by graupel in first hours of use.
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Sailrite awning track system.
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How much clearance does that need above the door?

i dont think all the campers are the same, even amongst models.
 
I had planned to buy one, but stumbled onto a slightly used ARB 8 footer so I've no direct experience. Based on the picture above it looks like the bottom of the enclosure is the lowest point. It might need the enclosure's width worth of clearance below that depending on how the enclosure works.
 
The problem with these light-duty awnings is they don't stand up to even light wind and they are gone in an instant with a gust.
 
I had an idea about using the pull out cover that is used in the back of suvs. I have the unused one from my ford escape but havn't worked out a good way to hold it in the pulled out position.I was going to attach it to my rear roof rack with 3" hose clamps. That worked but holding it in the extended position hasn't come to me yet.May be some one out there will have a solution.

Frank
 
Here's my first outing with my new awning.

Harbor Freight tarp (8X10) - $7.00
awning rail - $19.00
Walmart tent poles (2) - $10.00 each

I had a friend sew in a length of rope into the tarp. This slides into the awning rail. This worked really well. One thing I noticed: cheap tarps are not square so getting them taut is a chore. Attached thumbnail(s)
 

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