DOMETIC AWNING LEGS

Dougwe · Chief one feather

DOMETIC AWNING LEGS

Possum3 · Guru

Doug, the awning is so designed that the feet (with two holes) uses small diameter pegs to stop lateral (only) movement, and not designed to hold down in wind. You will need to utilise guy ropes to secure awning when it is erected in annex position (flat roof).

Use a small square of artificial grass under the legs to prevent dirt/mud fouling feet and hindering re-attachment to van.

-- Edited by Possum3 on Wednesday 1st of March 2023 07:27:39 AM

86GTS · Senior Member

I peg each leg down with two 12" pegs plus the usual thick guy ropes & large pegs.
I drive the pegs on the feet in at different angles not just vertically.
We had our legs down for two months on the QLD coast & it never budged an inch.
Our awning would be smaller than yours though, we have a 17ft van.
I've seen some people attach a bungee strap to the roller at both ends of their awning, pegged down vertically into the ground.

RickJ · Senior Member

Hi Dougwe,
We generally fit the legs to the ground due to both of us being of tall stock.
I use screw pegs screwed into the ground at different angles.
I have never broken the mounting plates but I make sure the ground under them is flat, level and without stones or tree roots.
I did see a bloke hammer tent pegs in and he misqued with the hammer and broke one of his mounting plates.

Plain Truth · Guru

I made an aluminum plate that pegs into the ground that the awning leg get screwed finger tight onto.

When the wind gets to strong just quickly undo the screws and fold the awning away.

When the wind dies down,just put the awning leg back on the plate in the original position,and finger tighten the screws down.

Most times now with the legs firmly held down and 3 corner ropes on the ends and a rope over the awning we can sit out most winds.

awning pad.jpg

Craig1 · Guru

Happy to donate some " sister clips " for a quick release on corner ropes ( heavy duty ).

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Thanks Possum, I thought that would be the case.

I always have 2 Ratchet Straps, not ropes, each end to hold things 'down'. I have been known to have 3 or even 4 each end. I use black rubber bungie straps wrapped around roller and springs on bottom. Hexagon head screws are used instead of pegs where possible or 500mm star pickets in soft ground. I also have the Aussie Traveller roof kit with 2 middle bearers as well. I leave out all the time as I stay in places for lengthy periods, there is no hurry, so far so good.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Thanks 88,

I also angle screws. The rest of what you say is similar to me.

Thanks Rick,

Sounds like most people just peg/screw leg to ground.

Thanks also Plain Truth,

That looks very familiar indeed. I reckon I could come up with with similar but not having the gear wouldn't look as professional as yours. I might be able to find someone who might be able to knock a couple up for me. I like your plates so might go that way.

Thanks Craig and I hope the Minister for Finance and Wars is feeling better?

Sorry but not sure what sister clips are mate. Probably cos I don't gave a sister.

By the way, I tooted and waved as I went up the Hume in your area last Thursday but you didn't wave back.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Wednesday 1st of March 2023 06:38:18 PM

Craig1 · Guru

You should adopt a Sister to keep you under control. These are the real ones, large,so old hannds can easily grab, ( no week here)

You must have tooted when we were being buzzed by two F28 jets on the way to Avalon, they were very loud.

-- Edited by Craig1 on Wednesday 1st of March 2023 07:13:20 PM

-- Edited by Craig1 on Wednesday 1st of March 2023 07:23:51 PM

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Struth! I only want to stop the awning leg from moving Craig, not hang myself biggrin biggrin Things are not that bad yet disbelief

Dick0 · Guru

Hey Doug,

I always setup my awning legs vertically and anchor them down with 2 pegs each leg. The guy ropes will not allow the legs or awning to move. 4 guy ropes per roller end and 2 at the centre.

Has withstood the worst winds. As you know Greens Lake can be notorious for windy weather.

Scoot over to Greens for a visit before Easter...the Lake is full.

Craig1 · Guru

Only good Tassie Bronze in them mate, nary a noose insight

bomurra · Veteran Member

The fitting on the bottom of the leg is the same one that holds it onto your van. If you are happy to use it attached to the van, I dont see a problem using it pegged down.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I like your reasoning bomurra. The leg has a good grip clamp on the full fitting though on the van, whereas if the same fitting on bottom of leg is on the ground it is just two pegs touching a very small section both sides. The picture of the aluminium plate above would sort that out I think.

I spose whatever is used it is to just stop the leg moving sideways and the ropes/straps holding the leg down to the ground instead of taking off like superman in strong winds. Yes I know, roll the awning up in strong winds. Just like Dick0 above, I have had it out in very very strong winds and well anchored down. I usually stay in places for lengthy times so set up the awning with privacy screens and mod cons out, so to roll it up and down is usually not done. I'm not saying it won't take off because there is always that possibility.

A simple long landscape screw with a washer would probably do the job too. I use long landscape screws and 2 or more ratchet straps each end to hold legs down and the same screws to hold bottom of privacy screens down. I often put a strap in the middle of awning roller too.

Thanks for your input.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

UPDATE!

I was told about the screws in the pics attached. From 'Outback Tracks' you can get a few different kits or just screws.

The screws are not going anywhere once in ground and the clips fit over the bottom of the awning leg as if attached to side of Caravan.

I got a full 6 screw kit plus 4 extra screws. Not cheap but I reckon well worth it.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Tuesday 21st of March 2023 02:07:59 PM

Long Weekend · Guru

Amazing - I have the (almost) exact same pegs! As Dougwe says, once in they do not go anywhere. And maybe the best feature of all, they come out just as easy as they went in no matter how long they have been in the ground.

Bought from 'Ground Dog Pegs,' they are stainless steel although for the ones I have the plastic runner has a hook. Whether the plastic hook will last for the long term remains to be seen but it should be easy to make up an alternative arrangement.

They are the same as the ones shown above except for one strange quirk - they are LEFT HAND thread! And yes, I have driven them in and out enough times to know the difference.

Pricing seems about the same. Available in various combinations - singles, multiples, kits.

Ground Dog Pegs have an interesting video on their web site showing how easy the pegs are to use, including a competition between hammering in ordinary pegs versus the screw ins.

I used to use 3/8th by 12-inch coach screws bought from America (as lag screws) when the Aussie dollar was a lot higher. (Wouldn't buy anything from there now though.) I got so confident in their holding ability that I ditched the hammer and haven't carried one since.

Murray

Dougwe · Chief one feather

G'day Murray,

The ones you mention are exactly the same flavor as mine. The mob I mentioned is just who I got them from.

There have been some very strong winds, rain and storms here today and not one bit of movement in the camp at all

Long Weekend · Guru

Hi Doug,

There are a lot of people who haven't heard of screw pegs yet. I enjoy showing off driving the pegs in with the cordless drill. Then later on when somebody notices that the pegs aren't the traditional ones and comment that they will be hard to get out I simply reverse the drill and out they come.

Of course, there are people who will ask "What happens when the battery in the drill goes flat?" I'm prepared for that as I have an extendable handle ratchet as part of the tyre changing kit. If ever needed that will double to put pegs in or take them out. Haven't had to do that so far but I am sure it will be easier than swinging a hammer.

Strangely, I just checked the Ground Dog Pegs website and the pictures of the pegs displayed are the normal right hand thread! Whether I got an early batch or not I don't know but I definitely have to put the drill in reverse to drive them in!

I could have used screw pegs some 20 years ago in Maroochydore when it rained for some five days straight. Not only did the pegs just lift out of the saturated ground but the annex poles kept sinking down in the mud. It was impossible to keep the guy ropes tight.

Murray

Long Weekend · Guru

The ground dogs screw pegs can be bought on line from Outback Tracks (where I bought mine) or eBay. While expensive, their ground holding is far superior to old round pegs. Plus being stainless steel will never rust.

Murray

Possum3 · Guru

Yep - the ones on Doug's photo is LH Thread.

Long Weekend · Guru

Thanks Possum3 - my eyes deceived me as I thought the twist was the other way around.

Left or right, they still go straight in, hold in soft ground, and come out easily.

Murray

Dougwe · Chief one feather

G'day Possum,

As the Fonz would say, correctamondo. Put the drill in reverse to screw 'em in. And forward to screw 'em out. Weird hey!

Plain Truth · Guru

And why are they left hand? Can you believe, security.As Homer would say.DUH

ground dog.JPG

Craig1 · Guru

Left hand thread- a bit like old Valiants and 1970's Hino Trucks

PS- Make sure you are not too screwed Chief, now you live in God's State

Whenarewethere · Guru

Plain Truth wrote:
And why are they left hand?

A bit of history:

I had a whole pile of left hand drill bits (I chucked them all out, couldn't be bothered sharpening them).

But there is a very simple reason for left hand drills (they were "prehistoric" drill bits passed down the family).

In the "dark ages" they built drill presses with a range of speeds as today, but a different design, but due to the difference speeds required for drilling required for the material, it was cheaper to have left hand drills for the second, forth & sixth speeds.

Southern Cruizer · Guru

And when the ground is extra hard and the drill won't go that last bit just use the ratchet and nip them up a bit further. I actually broke one of those screw pegs in very hard ground when living in the caravan park in same area Doug is talking about