Buy an awning a few cm too short!?

MattyMayo
MattyMayo Forum Participant Posts: 38
edited July 2016 in Parts & Accessories #1

I'm looking for some advice as to whether a full awning made for A lengths between 1014 and 1028 would fit on a caravan with an A length of 1031? I know technically it'll be a few cm's short, but I have the opportunity to pick it up at such a bargain (used)
price that I'm really tempted to buy it. Could I live with the awning being a few cm short, or disguise it somehow?

 

Comments

  • bandgirl
    bandgirl Forum Participant Posts: 440
    100 Comments
    edited July 2016 #2

    Our new caravan is about a foot shorter than our old one, and we managed to use our full Bradcot awning with it a couple of weeks ago. We never get our awning completely taut anyway, so it didn't bother us. Since our awning cost over £500 new, it would be
    a waste of money buying a new one. The difference in size between your van & awning is much less, so I can't see a problem, unless you're a perfectionist.

  • SELL
    SELL Forum Participant Posts: 398
    edited July 2016 #3

    There are also companies who will extend a awning who are quite inexpensive, could be another option for you.

  • MattyMayo
    MattyMayo Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited July 2016 #4

    Thanks for your replies, this isn't looking as bad as I'd thought it was! Sorry if this is really obvious but I've never had a 'proper' awning... what's the worst that could happen with it being too short? Would it just be that the skirt won't quite touch
    the ground? If that's the only problem then I could live with it because we'd only be using it during our main summer hols so we'd probably welcome a cooling draught.

     

  • papgeno
    papgeno Forum Participant Posts: 2,158
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #5

    If it's only 3cm short that's only 1.5cm each side so negligible. Our awning is 2cm shorter than the van awning rail and it's not noticeable 

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited July 2016 #6

    The awning will be designed so that in a 1014 rail, the canvas will be just above the ground with the full skirt folded under, in a 1028 the canvas will be 7 cm (less than 3") above the ground on either side.  In yours it will be ~9cm above the ground each
    side where the awning meets the van - I would suggests the skirts will be long enough to touch the ground easily, you can tweak the height at the front, to give you more skirt fold under, if necessary.  I'd think it would be pefectly functional in a 1031 rail.

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited July 2016 #7

    ^ like papgeno was typing as I was! Smile

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #8

    I would have thought that the only time it might be a slight problem was if you needed to raise the wheel on the awning side when levelling up. We had a similar slight problem with an awning a tad short and use dto choose a pitch such as to avoid that occurence.

  • MattyMayo
    MattyMayo Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited July 2016 #9

    Excellent, thanks so much for all your replies, greatly appreciated!

    We very rarely pitch anywhere other than CC sites so leveling shouldn't be an issue either.

  • paul56
    paul56 Forum Participant Posts: 937
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #10

    Reading between the lines it appears you're going to buy anyway but could you buy it with some kind of return possible if it really doesn't fit? Other alternative if it doesn't fit - bang it on ebay...

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #11

    We use only CC sites and AS sites. On CC sites we have had to lift one side by up to 2'' on several occasions and only been on 13 sites this year so far. I also try and dfind a pitch where the lift is required on the non door side as it makes entry easier
    even though we no longer use an awning

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