20' Series Offside Shade (with slide out)

Crusty181

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Feb 7, 2010
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Mentone, VIC
On a similar note I saw someone roll up their sun/privacy screen up with their awning (by leaving it in the track) and have started doing that and it works a treat. I racked my brain for a while trying to determine a reason why I shouldn't do it because I don't see anyone else do it ... but can't.
That's such a stupidly simple idea to take so long to become obvious
 
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Lap Dog

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Jan 13, 2017
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IMG_0020.JPG
Ok it's now done on the main section. The original question was a bit silly because on the non-slide out section the track can only be placed +/- 5cms because of the aerial and vents... which would put the track section on the slide out onto the main body of the slide out anyway. I didn't do the track on the slide out in the end.

I used
10g s/steel metal screws 15mm
Sikaflex 11FC adhesive (white)
Turps to clean up excess and prep surface

Method
Predrill holes 800mm apart on top and bottom on the track. Offset the top and bottom so that every 400 mm there is a hole either on top or bottom. The 2x holes at either end should be 1mm bigger than screw
Pre-flare the track on the end of the track you will be threading from (pliers are fine using a rag to ensure you don't take paint off)
Position the track on the van ... drill and screw both ends loosely to the van. Then put one in the centre making sure there is no bow in the track.
Pull off track and put on glue
Replace track on van (replace end screws lightly) and start drilling/screwing from the centre out. When you have one (after the centre one) in remove the end screw or loosen it as much as possible. Keep drilling/screwing until you reach the end. The end screw may have moved slightly out of alignment when you reach it just touch up the drilling into the van and screw tight. This method of screwing from the centre out pushes any bow to the sides and fits the track absolutely flush to the van.

I was in a rush to beat the heat to keep the van surface temp down and so made one error (I hate rushing a job). I put a screw in every 200mm instead of every 400. So my result looks a bit over engineered. Using s/steel instead of white accentuates it a bit. So here is the result.
 

Smirke

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May 9, 2014
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Palmyra, WA
We are now in NT and temps are starting to get up a bit and starting to worry about the Kimberleys and beyond. Trying to put shade cloth up for the slide out and the rest of the offside. I measured up and went to the local Caravan supplies and I am a few mm's out and wondering what to do.

The slide out is 2219mm and the smallest (tracked) shadecloth is 2220mm which is optically ok but this is at it widest point which includes some moulding and also where the unit is not very strong (thin). I would need to rivet it however there are not many good rivet points. I would prefer to be inside the moulding at 1900mm (w) and use screws into the main structure/wall of the slide out.

I am not a very seasoned caravaner but have never seen a slide out with off-side shade cloth (on the slide out). Has anyone done it? any recommendations?

The offending moulding below.
We have the slide out, but haven’t found the heat on that side an issue as yet so do not have any shade cloth.
 

Lap Dog

Member
Jan 13, 2017
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We have the slide out, but haven’t found the heat on that side an issue as yet so do not have any shade cloth.

Maybe you are right. It's not that I touch the inside of the van and it's hot. It's probably just in my head but sometimes when you are parked offside to the sun and it's 38c at 11am I feel any bit of relief from the sun you can get is worthwhile.

Secondly, in tight caravan parks occasionally you are parked up to some codger (sitting around in their underpants) who has nothing better to but stare at you while you are eating, enjoying your morning coffee and at any (read 'every') other time during the day. Normally I could care less but if they are 2 metres away it just gets annoying.

Thirdly, we started out on our 'lap' with a full annex which turned out to be expensive waste of money and heavy to lug around and store. We have ditched that and now have side, back (or front), now offside. They are light, cheap, easy to erect and take up little space.

I find some of the things people do on their vans on here a bit excessive in terms of time spent vs yield. I guess this is border line, even for a lazy bod like me. But now it's done, I am happy ... albeit I still want to do the slide out portion - just need to find the right size cloth. I have seen fridge size cloth but may be too small ...
 
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Macca_75

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Aug 3, 2016
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SE Suburbs, Vic.
View attachment 57037Ok it's now done on the main section. The original question was a bit silly because on the non-slide out section the track can only be placed +/- 5cms because of the aerial and vents... which would put the track section on the slide out onto the main body of the slide out anyway. I didn't do the track on the slide out in the end.

I used
10g s/steel metal screws 15mm
Sikaflex 11FC adhesive (white)
Turps to clean up excess and prep surface

Method
Predrill holes 800mm apart on top and bottom on the track. Offset the top and bottom so that every 400 mm there is a hole either on top or bottom. The 2x holes at either end should be 1mm bigger than screw
Pre-flare the track on the end of the track you will be threading from (pliers are fine using a rag to ensure you don't take paint off)
Position the track on the van ... drill and screw both ends loosely to the van. Then put one in the centre making sure there is no bow in the track.
Pull off track and put on glue
Replace track on van (replace end screws lightly) and start drilling/screwing from the centre out. When you have one (after the centre one) in remove the end screw or loosen it as much as possible. Keep drilling/screwing until you reach the end. The end screw may have moved slightly out of alignment when you reach it just touch up the drilling into the van and screw tight. This method of screwing from the centre out pushes any bow to the sides and fits the track absolutely flush to the van.

I was in a rush to beat the heat to keep the van surface temp down and so made one error (I hate rushing a job). I put a screw in every 200mm instead of every 400. So my result looks a bit over engineered. Using s/steel instead of white accentuates it a bit. So here is the result.
What are the screws screwed into? Just the Fibreglass shell?
 

Lap Dog

Member
Jan 13, 2017
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Currently on the big Lap
A couple of points here.

Yes just into the fibreglass shell but this is darn tough stuff ... bonded/pressed fibreglass and ply. When I drilled it I could swear it was 2mm steel. When I put in the screws I could probably put 10nm on it no problems (as hard as you can with fingertips only on the screwdriver). The metal screws had a large diameter.

Secondly like must glue jobs screws just compress and align the fixing to the substrate until the glue goes off (it's all about surface area). You could take out the screws and hook up your tug (provided you could maintain roughly even tension over the length of the track) and probably pull your van onto its side. Sikaflex (glue) is evil stuff and doesn't set hard like epoxy ... it err... flexs. So if you had a 1cm lug in the track and applied a load to it .. the glue would stretch and start recruiting the glue bonding properties outside this 1cm range (depending on the stiffness of the fixing/track) whereas expoxy would crack and keep cracking to failure.
 
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Macca_75

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Aug 3, 2016
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A couple of points here.

Yes just into the fibreglass shell but this is darn tough stuff ... bonded/pressed fibreglass and ply. When I drilled it I could swear it was 2mm steel. When I put in the screws I could probably put 10nm on it no problems (as hard as you can with fingertips only on the screwdriver). The metal screws had a large diameter.

Secondly like must glue jobs screws just compress and align the fixing to the substrate until the glue goes off (it's all about surface area). You could take out the screws and hook up your tug (provided you could maintain roughly even tension over the length of the track) and probably pull your van onto its side. Sikaflex (glue) is evil stuff and doesn't set hard like epoxy ... it err... flexs. So if you had a 1cm lug in the track and applied a load to it .. the glue would stretch and start recruiting the glue bonding properties outside this 1cm range (depending on the stiffness of the fixing/track) whereas expoxy would crack and keep cracking to failure.
But you are just bonded to the outer paint right?
 
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Lap Dog

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Jan 13, 2017
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Currently on the big Lap
Yes just bonded to the paint. ... I also found plenty of metal when I drilled the holes which of course was blind luck and happy enough with the result given it's only a shade cloth.

However you properly raise an excellent point. I am a believer in doing the job properly and if there is an improvement to my suggestion (which this would be) then happy to hear it. What are you thinking? Stud finder?
 

Macca_75

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Aug 3, 2016
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SE Suburbs, Vic.
No idea how to make it better. If you got lucky and hit some metal strapping that would be pretty good I would imagine. Just need to be conscious about the wind if it whips up - no different to an awning I guess.

Love the idea and not negative about it - almost wish it was an option from the factory and they catered for it in the panel.
 
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Apr 25, 2018
13
13
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Cranebrook NSW
On a similar note I saw someone roll up their sun/privacy screen up with their awning (by leaving it in the track) and have started doing that and it works a treat. I racked my brain for a while trying to determine a reason why I shouldn't do it because I don't see anyone else do it ... but can't.
Hi lapdog, I have thought of doing this myself, but was a bit concerned that over time my awning fabric might stretch, warp, etc, how long have you been doing this and are there any tricks to do it?
Thanks simo
 

WHHEMI

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Jan 18, 2016
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Yarra Valley
No idea how to make it better. If you got lucky and hit some metal strapping that would be pretty good I would imagine. Just need to be conscious about the wind if it whips up - no different to an awning I guess.

Love the idea and not negative about it - almost wish it was an option from the factory and they catered for it in the panel.
It is a factory option and they will reinforce behind it like they do with annex walls.
 

Lap Dog

Member
Jan 13, 2017
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Currently on the big Lap
Hi lapdog, I have thought of doing this myself, but was a bit concerned that over time my awning fabric might stretch, warp, etc, how long have you been doing this and are there any tricks to do it?
Thanks simo

I have probably rolled up the shade awning about 30x and still doing it. The only issues which bear consideration are:

- there is no stretch that I can see or envisage but the metal tie down points on the shade leave small ‘memory’ traces on the awning fabric
- the additional weight exceeds the roller spring weight and the awning requires 2x people to evenly push up the awning stays to the locked/travel position so that they ‘lock out’ properly

Other than those couple of things it’s happy days!
 
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Apr 25, 2018
13
13
3
Cranebrook NSW
I have probably rolled up the shade awning about 30x and still doing it. The only issues which bear consideration are:

- there is no stretch that I can see or envisage but the metal tie down points on the shade leave small ‘memory’ traces on the awning fabric
- the additional weight exceeds the roller spring weight and the awning requires 2x people to evenly push up the awning stays to the locked/travel position so that they ‘lock out’ properly

Other than those couple of things it’s happy days!
Thanks lapdog for the info, probably give it a try next time we are away.