How to connect your driveaway awning to your campervan with a driveaway kit!

[@shirlthetwirl]

Wish my hubby had seen this weeks ago, we've just come back from a 3 day trip and couldn't get the drive away to work, he's just come up with the same idea of yours and was so pleased that I had found your video for him. Thank you soooo much for the video, looks so simple when you know how. Defo gonna give it a go. Thanks again 👌👌👌

[@dafyddisrael5513]

Very informative video! Great help. Glad I watched this video after spending an hour in the dark wind and rain setting mine up 😂

[@GlitzyPixie]

Brilliant video and expertly explained to newbies like us. The point made at the end about never being able to get the awning tight to the side of the van was very useful as well as we have been trying to figure this bit out. Thank you very much.

[@raychambers3646]

I've found in the past if you ramps put them by the back wheels and just back up to ramps and your in position .

[@Outaboutuk]

that's good advice as well thank you.

[@doubleimage]

Great,just the right video I was looking for.

[@oliviabrunning394]

Great! I finally understand! Thanks

[@cumbrianhomestead]

Probably the best video I've yet seen on attaching drive away awning to a camper van. Am I right in assuming that you connected the cowl to the Van using the D.A.Kit first before pegging out the ground sheet and tent? Thanks for sharing Woody

[@Outaboutuk]

Hi, I put the awning down on top of the footprint groundsheet first but left it loose so when I had connected the cowl via the driveaway kit to the van I could move the awning and footprint before pegging them both out. once the awning is fully erected and your happy with the position of the cowl you can finalise the pegging all around the awning.

[@cumbrianhomestead]

@@Outaboutuk Thanks for your response, very helpful 👍👍👍

[@davidhawker6223]

Really well explained, thank you

[@OldRaver]

Great video, really helps. Thank you x

[@SMSCOOBY71]

You'd think by now someone would have invented a much quicker system than unpegging and removing three 8 strips and a kador strip. I have a LWB T5 with factory roof rails, Ideally I want something that just quickly clamps onto my roof bars. I have seen a neat system (but only for air awnings) that uses a 8 inch wide strip of goretex that clips to your awning rail and when not in use you just fold it over onto the roof and secure using magnets, when using you flop it over and a velcro strip on the underside sticks to a velcro strip on the edge of the awning, take seconds to detach.

[@Outaboutuk]

I would be interested to see that system. why does it only work on air awnings?

[@SMSCOOBY71]

@@Outaboutuk I saw it on a campsite in Scotland, the guy had a normal rail but he had what was essentially an 8 inch wide (might have been wider) kador strip type thing (only one side had the round beading) that slipped into his rail all in one piece (about 6ft wide it was) and on the front underside edge it had a velcro strip which stuck to a velcro strip on the air awning, I think because the air awning has a tube across the top it was more rigid than just fabric stretched between poles. Anyhoo, he pulled up in his van, put up the air awning put this strip into his rail, pushed his awning tight against the van and the strip was stuck to the awning with the velcro, he then stuck side stripes onto the awning with velcro and voila all closed up. Not sure how draught proof it was but it took him seconds literally to pull the top strip away fold it over onto his van roof where he put down some round magnets to hold it down and off he drove. Never did get a chance to ask him about it, may have been a homemade system, think he was Australian but his kids didn't sound like they were. Never seen anything like it again. However I have found this, which is very similar so reinforces the idea his was a home made solution. www.worldofcamping.co.uk/outdoor-revolution-magnetic-driveaway-strip

[@Outaboutuk]

@@SMSCOOBY71 I haven't heard of a system liked you have described so perhaps he had it made, there is a couple of awnings that have removable cowls or tunnels but still use the Kadar bead to go into a awning rail. the link you sent is to a magnetic driveaway kit which we also stock, but in my experience only work well if you can get the magnet completely flat on the metal of the roof.

[@GlitzyPixie]

@@Outaboutuk We tried the magnetic kit but unfortunately our roof isn't flat so the magnet would not stick well enough :(

[@Outaboutuk]

@@GlitzyPixie unfortunately you do need the roof to be flat for the magnetic ones to fit.

[@Topaz251]

I have a transit custom van and found it difficult to fit the awning. The fig 8 tubing kept slipping off the fabric even when using the larger beading on the strip. Also when the sliding door opens about 2/3 along it rises up highr than ghe cador strip risking the top right corner snagging and tearing the awning fabric. Im not sure how go avoid this still using the strip. I did manage to just throw the attached straps over the pop top roof and secure them on the off side of the van but it was bit messy. It did however lift the awning tunnel up a bit more above the open door but I would have liked to use the cafor strip as it was intended to be used. Id be grateful for any tips or advice.

[@Outaboutuk]

Hi I have a ford custom van with an awning rail attached and I have the similar issues, unfortunately where the awning rails get mounted they are not high enough to allow for enough clearance over the sliding door when using a driveaway kit, we normally suggest to people to get a piece of pipe insulation and cut it to fit the door so that the tent material is resting on that rather than the metal edge of the door, or even a tea towel or similar item. this is also the case on most other Vans of a similar height.

[@welshieonwheels]

So I can cut my figure of 8 in 3 pieces that’s great 👍 is there any issues with leaks, thank you

[@Outaboutuk]

most driveaway kits come with either 3 or 4 lengths of figure of 8 channel, there is a chance of potential drips where the figure of 8s meet each other.

[@stevezodiac491]

I prefer to fit the tent part up first, square, before jiggling the van up and down to fit the cador strip to the canopy and tunnel. Never seem to get the awning square otherwise?

[@sueprice95]

Have you tried jiggling the tent. Difficult in the wind, I know, but it's possible.

[@TeamSimpsonRacing]

I have a transit custom, how much is that full kit please

[@Outaboutuk]

our kits vary from £23.00 to £25.00 dependant on brand. outabout.uk/product-category/awnings/caravan-driveaway-awning-accessories/driveaway-kits/

[@elainepie]

How do you connect the sliding rail to the van? Do you have to get this done professionally?

[@Outaboutuk]

Hi Elaine, There are some DIY awning rail kits that we sell, If you don't fancy that you would need to consult a specialist.

[@xtrax38]

Hi do you put the poled version up the same way?

[@Outaboutuk]

Yes the same application - just not so much hot air involved ;)

[@glynbramley6028]

Why didn't you drive away and reverse back instead of just taking it down and put it back up so making it more realistic?

[@GlitzyPixie]

Yes, that would have been useful as this is the bit that worries us (we are newbies to this and haven't tried driving away yet).

[@smiffysmiffy123]

Does your sliding door hit the awning ?

[@Outaboutuk]

It can do, especially if the awning tunnel is not very wide - you just have to be careful and lift the top corner of the awning up and away slightly to accommodate the door

[@realPandarama]

my plastic adapters always get destroyed building it up like this

[@geoffhayday6003]

Am I missing something, but why not slide the awning direct into the rail?

[@Outaboutuk]

Hi Geoff. A driveaway kit enables you to detach the van from the tent. It makes driving away much easier (especially if you are camping alone).

[@Outaboutuk]

Hi Geoff, you can slide the awning direct into the rail, but if you want to driveaway from the awning leaving it standing then the driveaway kit makes it easier.

[@koksy]

Which awning is this?

[@Outaboutuk]

It's the Coleman Journeymaster L awning outabout.uk/product/coleman-journeymaster-deluxe-air-l-blackout-driveaway-awning-2022/

[@dulezabavnik9955]

Puno pricas

[@spelterworkstiger]

Being 25 ft away with the camera doesn't help

[@Outaboutuk]

Which bit did you need a close up on? Did you miss the bit about 2.5 mins into the video where we were about 25 cm away?

[@williamclark3572]

Who ever fitted that rail want talking to. What a mess. Excellent tutorial otherwise

[@Outaboutuk]

Hi William, not sure which bit of our awning rail you are referring too, we did have a small problem where the end cap was bonded onto the van, as it lifted the van wrap, we had to remove the wrap around that area and rebond the end cap.