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Rear awning bracket broken - driving....

kernnowkarmann

kernnowkarmann

Messages
135
Location
Luxembourg
Vehicle
T6 Ocean 204
So, awning collapsed in storm and the rear bracket has broken. Have since driven 400km and seems fine and have another 1k to get home in a few days.

Does this seem OK (ie it's not going to fall off in motorway!) before I get back to vw dealer to get fixed (cost?!)

Have tried as best as possible with pictures!

I hope so as nowhere to store it!

20230818_074600.jpg
20230818_074553.jpg
 
I wouldn't drive, especially at speed, with awning in that condition. If the mount is too bent to allow bolts to be inserted, then several heavy duty zip ties will prevent the weight of the awning from creating stress at the other end. Good luck getting home in one piece.
 
You could take it off and put it inside the van whilst driving home, slide it in between the two rear passengers.

Or if the metal is not weakened, try to get some small nut / bolt to replace the failed rivet as a temporary fix.
 
Have cable tied it and it seems pretty secure but will check again before driving.

If I took it off - how easy to undo the front bracket? Not got a full tool kit with me!
 
kernnowkarmann said:
Have cable tied it and it seems pretty secure but will check again before driving.

If I took it off - how easy to undo the front bracket? Not got a full tool kit with me!
Click to expand...
Should be just a few bolts and dismantled using a socket set. An extended one might be needed for access as well as someone either end to take the weight.
 
The weight is carried by it hooking onto that bracket. Looks like 3 rivets gone and all the weight on that one remaining rivet. Not good. Worse than mine a month ago.

Could you use the roof tie down kit to help support the weight?

Having lifted the thing, I can say it’s very heavy. Honestly, cable ties aren’t going to hold it. IMO
 
Last edited:
If you want to remove that would require unscrewing the 3 screws at the front. Not sure it's worth the hassle and extra inconvenience. If the front is OK then securing and supporting the rear broken bracket will get you home. Just avoid potholes :)
 
kernnowkarmann said:
Have cable tied it and it seems pretty secure but will check again before driving.

If I took it off - how easy to undo the front bracket? Not got a full tool kit with me!
Click to expand...
Oddly on mine it was 3 torx bolts on the front and then on the rear 3 Allen bolts. V strange but quick.
 
Lambeth Cali said:
But half one, half the other? An anti-theft plan? A Friday afternoon build thing? Odd
Click to expand...
Sometimes the awnings are dealer installed. The Thule on my T6.1 was. If thats the case then anything is possible......
 
Don’t get me started on dealers.

At 6 months old the first owner tore the roof so perhaps it was removed then for the fix.
 
I would take it off to get home. If by myself would call VW assist.
 
kernnowkarmann said:
So, awning collapsed in storm and the rear bracket has broken. Have since driven 400km and seems fine and have another 1k to get home in a few days.

Does this seem OK (ie it's not going to fall off in motorway!) before I get back to vw dealer to get fixed (cost?!)

Have tried as best as possible with pictures!

I hope so as nowhere to store it!

View attachment 113156
View attachment 113157
Click to expand...
Have you got any rail clamps or something similar to these. Or could you improvise with nuts and a bolt? Could slide it into the rail, tighten it securely and then cable tie round the awning.

IMG_4735.jpeg
 
Pop rivet gun and new pop rivets ? Is it a possibility where you are

if not some self tapping screwed to fix the two parts together

a local garage / body shop ?

if the awning bracket fails you will damage your van.
 
kernnowkarmann said:
No but if I don't see any before we leave I'll stop at the first homeware type shop we see
Click to expand...
I think the awning rails are glued on so not really a way of supporting the awning. There are 2 small bolts to it but they are to keep it hooked on the brackets not support its weight.

If the rear fails at 50mph it will drag from the front and be crashing all over the side of the van. Can you imagine?

I would absolutely try to take it off.

Plastic cable ties and one rivet won’t hold it for more than half a hour IMO. A couple of bumps and then it will be hanging from the front for as long as it takes you to pull over. The damage to the side of the van could be 1000s.
 
Lambeth Cali said:
I think the awning rails are glued on so not really a way of supporting the awning. There are 2 small bolts to it but they are to keep it hooked on the brackets not support its weight.

If the rear fails at 50mph it will drag from the front and be crashing all over the side of the van. Can you imagine?

I would absolutely try to take it off.

Plastic cable ties and one rivet won’t hold it for more than half a hour IMO. A couple of bumps and then it will be hanging from the front for as long as it takes you to pull over. The damage to the side of the van could be 1000s.
Click to expand...
A heavy duty zip tie has a tensile strength of 175lbs. Put 4 or 5 on the rear bracket and the awning is not going anywhere. There are safety concerns transporting an awning inside the Cali in the event of an accident.
 
Same thing has just happened to us, we were in a very rural location in Brittany with minimal phone reception. Our cable ties have done over 100km so far and we’re hoping to get home before getting it sorted. Keeping a very close eye on it…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi kkm (tried to send dm but no success) Out of interest where did you place the cable ties? I’ve managed to thread 2 small ones through the rivet holes where it’s broken which have held up so far. Have bigger ones but not sure where to tie them for best effect.
Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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