Awnings and duel cabs
Submitted: Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 00:34
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merchant
Hi all, we are about to do a 4 week trip through the Kimberly's so i'm considering installing a 2.5m Ironman or Powerful 4x4 awning on my Nissan D40 duel cab, as a bit of shade when we stop for lunch etc.
My question is whether an awning can be installed on a duel cab. I will be using the rear roof bars of the canopy to support the rear of the awning and on the front i was going to make up a couple of brackets, coming off the existing roof rack fixing holes, to support the front.
I've been told somewhere that it shouldn't be done because of chassis twist and flex etc.
Interested in your comments.
Reply By: Member - Mark G Gulmarrad - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:28
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:28
Merchant
have one on my dual cab navara and have been 4wding with no problems.
mine is fixed onto the rear bars on the canopy and fixed to the front by the original roof bars and its been fine so far so go for it.these shades are great when shade is hard to find,cheers.
AnswerID:
406452
Follow Up By: merchant - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 01:21
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 01:21
Mark G
The word is you have a pretty good setup. Are you able to post a photo of your pride and joy (the one with wheels) with the awning installed?
FollowupID:
676370
Follow Up By: Member - Mark G Gulmarrad - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:27
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:27
Merchant
i will post some pics for you no worries....it'l be mid week b4 i get to do them but so watch this space,cheers.
FollowupID:
676562
Reply By: Member - Royce- Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:34
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:34
My experience is that an awning is not used much unless it's extremely easy to open and close.
Pull up next to a tree for your cuppa....
If you are camping overnight it's often just as easy to string up a tarp or a portable shade has more flexibility.
AnswerID:
406455
Follow Up By: Member - Royce- Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:34
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:34
PS dual... the other one is with guns
FollowupID:
676187
Follow Up By: Member - Mark G Gulmarrad - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:53
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 09:53
Royce
mine takes all of 30 sec to open and set up.........some do take longer.
FollowupID:
676191
Reply By: Member - Vince B (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 11:23
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 11:23
Hi Merchant.
Mark G has a great set up on his Navara.
A sturdy unit & quick to set up.
Cheers.
Vince
AnswerID:
406476
Reply By: gbc - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 20:36
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 20:36
I've got one off the canopy rack only on a colorado. Goes fine.
I would recommend against linkling the tray and the cab in any way as they are indepently mounted and need to move separately.
AnswerID:
406560
Follow Up By: merchant - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 01:25
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 01:25
You are right about the independent mounts, but what harm is the awning going to do? I mean, the awning is held on by a 2" wide x very thin bit a aluminum flat. I'm sure that will flex enough for the main body and cab to remain 'independent.
Any thoughts?
FollowupID:
676371
Follow Up By: gbc - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 07:46
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 07:46
Your car, your show.
Good luck.
FollowupID:
676383
Follow Up By: merchant - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 22:03
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 22:03
gbc
If you have heard of any issues i would like to hear about them, as would others.
FollowupID:
676579
Follow Up By: gbc - Wednesday, Mar 03, 2010 at 09:49
Wednesday, Mar 03, 2010 at 09:49
It's actually two bits of flat (on
mine anyway)- one on the inside and one on on the outside. They are pop rivetted together. It's not the car that's going to give it's the awning.
I've had three dual cab 4wd's - just look in the mirror when on corrugations and see the tray doing it's own thing, not to mention flexing offroad.
FollowupID:
676852
Follow Up By: merchant - Wednesday, Mar 03, 2010 at 18:34
Wednesday, Mar 03, 2010 at 18:34
Did the awning die in someway? How long did it last??
The offroad driving i'll be doing will amount to unsealed driving rather then virgin country driving. Hopefully, it'll last. I haven't bought it yet but at $300 if a get a few years out of it i'll be a happy man.
Thank you for the advice
FollowupID:
676964
Reply By: Jacko84 - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:58
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:58
Hi,
I also have recently fitted a canopy (flexiglass Sport) to my D22 navara with the intention of fixing an awning between the roof and the canopy. my plan was to have a bar span the canopy and a simple roof rack fixed to the cab roof and mount the awning to that. all seemed simple enough, i bought a Foxwing Awning from Ebay and ordered the canopy through a local 4x4
shop.
however, i went to several other stores to price up for the roof racks and ALL of them strongly suggested that it was not wise to install in such a manner. some suggested that if you have a solid Tradesmans rack installed on your canopy then it wouldnt be an issue, but that depends what style of canopy you have.
when questioned, the original supplier stood by his opinion and stated that there would be no troubles. after many thoughts i've decided not to install the awning (Now have a new Foxwing awning for sale - see Trader).
anyway, thats just my experience. i agree with one of the other replies in that the canopy and tub seem to flex a lot different to the cab on the rough stuff. i guess it depends on the style of awning you intend to install, i wasnt game to subject the Foxwing to such stress.
hope some or all of this helps,
Happy Travelling
Jack
AnswerID:
408402
Follow Up By: merchant - Friday, Mar 12, 2010 at 16:20
Friday, Mar 12, 2010 at 16:20
Jacko, I can't see what the issue will be. The awning won't harm the vehicle at all. It will still flex and will still have movement between the cab and body (canopy). The only foreseeable problem i see is with the weakest part of the set up and that's the awning.
The stress that's generated through the flexing will, no doubt, at some stage damage the awning over time but how long it will last is anyone's guess but i'm sure they can be DIY repaired.
Go for it i reckon. I did and it works a treat. Having said that, my front mount is a self made single bracket rather than a solid roof bar.
FollowupID:
678511