>>
> > Anyone ever rig up an awning to their van using a tarp and those
> > spring-type clamps?  (I'm thinking about clamping the tarp to the
> > drip rail in about 4 spots, then using some aluminum tent poles and
> > then staking it out with guy lines.
>
> Yeah, I spent the better part of a frustrating 1/2 hour trying to rig
> this up in the northwest corner of Vermont.  As soon as you put any
> tension on the clamps (like stretching the "awning" so it doesn't
> sag), and the clamps pop off.  Then the poles fall over and you start
> over.
>

The setup that I have used that seems to work well is to used some heavy
duty spring-loaded clamps and clamp them to the raised poptop instead of the
drip rail.  I use a big tarp, and I place a small bungee cord in one corner
of the tarp at the back of the van around the poptop hinge.  I use 3 or 4
spring clamps to clamp the tarp over the raised poptop seal.  I use a larger
bungee cord at the front corner and hook it on to one of the luggage rack
tie-offs on the drivers side.  Then two poles at the other end to finish it
off.  Seems to work well, and the raised poptop provides plenty of headroom
under the tarp.  I haven't tried this out in a heavy rain yet, but it seems
like it will work fine.  I have an extra middle pole that I may need to use
in a heavy rain to prevent water pockets.

Steve

89 Westy