Major job no.2 after cleaning the pop top canvas was to install a high level awning rail.

I have 3 awnings. A Soplair which fits very well, is spacious and very sturdy. Takes a bit of time to put up though on the standard awning rail.

I also have a Movelite Oxygen 2 drive away air awning that fits just about on the standard awning rail but looks messy bunched up to fit a low rail. Bit heavy to put up but great for taking grandchildren as it has a tunnel between the awning and van and stops the kids traipsing wet muddy boots through the awning to get in to the van.
Finally I have a Vango Bondi Low lightweight awning which is very quick and easy to put up but is very low. It brushes my head at the van end and again looks baggy due to the low rail. The Kador strip on both the driveaway awnings also leaks badly in the rain with water running down the side of the van inside the awning.
So, I decided that a new high level awning rail would help in two ways. One in the extra height with a better fit also my theory is that if the Kadar strip leaks again at the high level , the water will only run down as far as the original awning rail and then move away sideways.

I ordered 3x1m lengths of C rail as it's cheaper than a continuous rail and less likely to be damaged in transit. Also ordered a tube of Sikaflex 221 to stick it on. My original plan was to just stick it on but then decided I would perhaps try and hook up with the steel frame. There are only two tubes in that part of the roof in a Triton which wasn't going to add much strength so in the end, in for a penny in for a pound, I decided to drill the fibre glass roof as well, 3 self tapping screws in each of the 1 meter sections.
I won't go in to too much detail but with careful marking out it was relatively easy to get the rail in place in a straight line with the two joints nicely in line. I did find that working with Sikaflex was difficult, it's very unforgiving stuff and difficult to clean up. The screws in to the fibreglass turned out to be useful in keeoing the rail in line whilst curing and also not compressing the rail too much in order to maintain a minimum 2mm bed of sealant. I shall tighten the screws when the sealant has cured in a couple of days.

Just need a chance to try it all out now, maybe the end of summer will be OK for camping again

IMG_20200425_152707555.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

This is what I did to 'WOT' the Puck. I only used the Sikaflex and has worked well.

July 2019-11.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

hello, just a thought does the sikaflex hold the rail ok with the awning attached in transit,or should i ask is it safe in windy conditions.
regards john

Help needed Please, Seeing this post has prompted me to investigate fitting a higher level awning rail on my Triton 420 GT 2003. Some questions have popped up in my one little grey cell.

1/ Thickness of fibre glass roof which will determine length of the fixing screws and best type to use along with stikaflex.

2/ There are some skeleton frame bars going vertically. Is it best to attempt to fix to them or avoid due to possible water ingress. Anyone know the position of them on the a fore mentioned Eriba. ( might buy a pipe/ wire detector to locate them)

3/ Or do I just let the professionals do it. Recommendations near Huddersfield.

Thank you in anticipation,

Steve.

I only found two steel uprights useable when I installed my high level awning rail recently.

However, I found that the fibreglass skin was not actually touching the rails at the point I wanted. If I had screwed the rail tightly at those points it would have distorted the roof.

In the end I just used a few small screws in to the fibreglass to hold the rail in place as the Sikaflex set.

I've had one trip away since and used an Outdoor Revolution Oxygen 2 air awning which is quite heavy. Managed to get it in place ok and the three days it was up were quite windy.
All good so far.

Excellent Colin, Thank you very much. Going to give that a go

Regards Steve.