Awning Size? What you do recommend?

[ScubaDooba]

Anyone had any experience with the Kalahari or Savannah awnings available thru http://www.powerful4x4.com.au?

Price is pretty good and they claim the canvas they use is heavier duty than most others around.

Any advice appreciated.

[apSlain]

Hi all,

For those with 2.5m (across the car) by 2m (away from the car) awnings, how has it stood up to time and what sort of driving do you do?

I'm looking at this sized awning and getting conflicting messaging on how it'll do on a dual cab cab-mounted. I'll be putting it on a Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform so I can space the mounts out plenty enough but I expect at least.0.9m overhang total. I don't mind putting extra mounts in the center either.

Or am I better off going the inverse with 2m by 2.5m?

Cheers!

[William_Foster]

Hi all,

For those with 2.5m (across the car) by 2m (away from the car) awnings, how has it stood up to time and what sort of driving do you do?

I'm looking at this sized awning and getting conflicting messaging on how it'll do on a dual cab cab-mounted. I'll be putting it on a Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform so I can space the mounts out plenty enough but I expect at least.0.9m overhang total. I don't mind putting extra mounts in the center either.

Or am I better off going the inverse with 2m by 2.5m?

Cheers!

I've got a 2.5x2.5 ARB awning mounted to a custom frame on the canopy which has been on for about 4 years now, I have done a lot of driving basically around the country, and over some pretty rough terrain.

The awning has stood up well, the only issue I had was that the rivets between the awning and the aluminium support snapped (surprisingly) on the end that was screwed into and supported by the custom frame; this was after heading along the Gibb River Road and up to Mitchells Plateau and Kalumburu which are pretty rough areas. I replaced the rivets with oversized ones and have never had a problem since.

I love having the larger size awning, I can get good cover when I go fishing and there is plenty of room under there for four adults and a barbecue.

A couple of ARB shops around the country have told me that they wouldn't put this size awning on a Hilux; to which I respond that ARB originally did it for me using just a set of roof racks off the canopy. Obviously it would be ideal to have an awning that big on a Troopy which has supports along the entire length.

[apSlain]

Thanks for the insight William. I do have a canopy but I can't fit a roof rack to it, unfortunately.

I made a call to ARB yesterday and they told me the same thing - they don't recommend a 2.5m (across) awning for the utes. However, another shop I called said it'd be fine but was citing his experience with his Colorado more than anything.

The main thing I do hear is the rivets snapping but it sounds like that's a simple fix if/when they go.

Looking at Qwerty's and GazaShaggy's pictures of their 2.5m awnings packed away - as well as these [1, 2] - 2.5m across doesn't look ridiculous and I'm guessing the canopy will help "mask" the overhang (though the front is another story). I'm aware you can't fix the awning to the front and rear.

Sounds like yours has held up to rougher terrains than I typically see which is a great sign.

[Critter350]

How do these go getting hooked up on trees branches?


Cheers
Crit

[William_Foster]

How do these go getting hooked up on trees branches?

I personally have never had a problem with the awning catching, it would be lucky to sit more than a few centimetres off the side of the roof rack (I have a custom roof rack on the canopy and a Rhino Rack platform on the front). Having said that I have mounts for my Maxxtrax on the opposite side of the roof rack and I have a rooftop tent on the canopy so I am pretty cautious around trees and any overhangs.

Looking at Qwerty's and GazaShaggy's pictures of their 2.5m awnings packed away - as well as these [1, 2] - 2.5m across doesn't look ridiculous and I'm guessing the canopy will help "mask" the overhang (though the front is another story). I'm aware you can't fix the awning to the front and rear.

I agree, I really like the size and the shade it offers; I would find it hard to go back to a smaller size. If you do go for the larger size I would recommend that you do the rivets sooner rather than later. We were very lucky when ours snapped, only a few did and we spotted it straight away.

I know it wouldn't suit you because you need to mount to the roof, but those foxwing awning seem to be becoming a lot more affordable, I'd love to get one of them just to save getting wet when I need to get stuff out of the canopy when its raining (Definitely a first world problem).

[apSlain]

I agree, I really like the size and the shade it offers; I would find it hard to go back to a smaller size. If you do go for the larger size I would recommend that you do the rivets sooner rather than later. We were very lucky when ours snapped, only a few did and we spotted it straight away.

Thanks mate, bit the bullet on Saturday and bought and installed a 2.5m for the pioneer platform (cab-mounted). If I had a canopy-mounted roof rack, I would've definitely gone with a wing-style awning!

Given that I'm vertically challenged, I had a bit of a difficult time setting it up solo but I'm happy with it though I haven't really used it yet, haha. I'm satisfied with the front overhang; the rear overhangs a bit more than I want (from the bracket, I mean - the amount it overhangs past the cab I'm fine with) but I'll await the rough roads to judge it.

I went with the Rhino Rack Sunseeker 3 2.5m awning. I was heavily considering an Adventure Kings 2.5m, especially given I was unsure on how the size would go on my 'Lux, but decided to go all in...and, to be honest, I liked the whole grayscale colour scheme they went with

I think it shouldn't be too hard to fabricate a bracket that can add some support to the rear overhang.

[William_Foster]

Congrats! Having to make (or in my case design and get someone else to make) brackets and stuff is all part of the fun of having a Hilux Enjoy is the shade!

[johnwhick348]

I want to purchase a roof rack to mount the awning