DIY 270 Awning for Wedge Camper

I've been working on a 270 awning to specifically fit the @Ripcord DIY wedge camper, which attaches to the 8020 extrusion. It's based off of Overland Under Budget's how-to (which is based off a Kinsmen). I came up with a mounting bracket for the 8020, and modified the overall size, truss design, and main pivot bracket (he uses an 8x10 tarp, I'm using a 10x12 shade). I also used different hardware and bushings. All-in is about $330.

Did the initial fit-test today, so still a bit of work to do, but it served as a proof of concept for the bracket design. I modeled it all in Rhino first, then spent about 4 hours welding and painting so far. All I have left is to sew the final shade size (just cutting out the front-passenger quadrant and hemming). I'll be editing this post as I make more progress, and finalize the parts list - there are a couple things missing from it.

I got all the parts laser cut and welded them up myself. Still need to sew the shade to it's final dimensions, but I designed it to use a 12'x10' shade. I used a backpacking tarp, but any other 12x10 material would work. Lowest point of the truss arms is 6' 4". This is currently a driver-side awning, however the only change necessary to make it passenger side is to flip the rear L bracket orientation before welding.

Link to the files - this includes the model, the laser cut .dxf, and the parts list. I can export the model to other formats upon request.

UPDATE HERE: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-270-awning-for-wedge-camper.745336/page-6#post-28093480

Here are some initial fit-test pics:

 

Yaaaasssss!!!!

Thank you so much!

 

Did you draw all this up in Fusion?

 

Got the shade cut and hemmed today. Only took a couple hours. For the two cut edges, I double rolled a 1" hem, and reinforced the corner where they meet. I used rivnuts on top of the trusses to attach the shade, and added grommets in the corners, as there weren't any to begin with. This tarp has a bunch of loops for attaching guy lines which will be handy if I ever decide to use any. There are also rivnuts in the underside in case I ever want to make some poles with a threaded tip as extra support.

I intentionally designed the pivot bracket so that each truss arm, when fully extended to the desired angle, hits the next pivot which acts as a stop. See image below marked in red. That way I can tension the corner furthest counter-clockwise first (rear passenger corner) to get the shade taut, and then attach the last corner near the driver door. Not sure if this is how Kinsmen does theirs (didn't look like it), but I thought it would be useful in keeping the arms in position.

 

No, Rhinoceros 6. I can export to a bunch of different formats if you need something else.

 

I want to build it out in Fusion so that the parts with 90's are bent/bendable as I have a press brake and SendCutSend can bend as well.

Also, I'm going to do it all aluminum

I'll put the files up here as well for you to add to the folder

 

Hell yeah, aluminum will be nice. I can't weld aluminum, so that was the driver for using steel (although 16ga was a bitch to weld with my shop's machine). I used 3/16" steel for the main pivot, but the 8020 brackets are all 1/8". I do think I should have done it all in 3/16", so I've edited the dxf to show that.

Brackets all together are 6.5lbs. All in, I think this will weigh around 40lbs. Not terrible considering the Kinsmen is like 70lbs.

 

Went ahead and rebuilt the entire bracket in Fusion making everything based off your dimensions. Also added slot and tab for ease of lining everything up.

Flanged everything too so that anyone with the files can have a place like SendCutSend do all the laser cutting and bending. I happen to have a press brake at my disposal.

 

I updated the parts list. I had some of the items left over from the camper build, but this list includes all of that.

 

@YamaDirtrider @bot102 thread just for the awning

 

I strongly recommend making the 8020 mounting brackets out of 3/16" as well. I threw the awning up again this morning to test the shade after I cut and hemmed, and there is a bit of flex in the 1/8" brackets. That flex only comes when I try to hang from the truss, and I think it's mostly coming from the parallelogram gussets, since the flex is coming at an angle (was testing this with the awning arms extended, and none of them are 90* to the gusset. I think I'm going to weld some corner gussets to reinforce those - something like in the image below. Otherwise, the truss arms are stiff asf, and the pivot bracket is solid.

Under it's own weight, there is no flex at all, but would be nice to beef it up to be able to hang anything on the arms and not worry about it.

 

Have you tried the awning bag on yet?

Looks like they are out of stock currently.

 

Not yet, it's backordered until 12/11. It SHOULD fit, based on the the width and height measurements (8cm x 24cm). That's the only thing keeping me from mounting it at this point. As long as it closes around the pivot, it'll do.

 

If I never plan on hanging on the awning, would you say that it's okay as 1/8" material? (Other than the big C-shaped bracket).

I'll add some 90 gussets to the drive folder too, they'll be good to help with strength forward/back if you hit the awning on any branches while driving.

 

Definitely strong enough. I was only comparing it to the Kinsmen, and how they demonstrate by hanging off of it. But that's not really a feature of any other awning, and this is not a Kinsmen, so I may be overthinking it. It is plenty strong with the 1/8" steel to hang clothes or a trash bag or something from it, especially closer to the pivot. I can't confirm whether aluminum would be the same, though.

I suppose instead of gussets, one could also just weld the parallelograms at an angle to create a trapezoid profile from the top view.

 

https://cascadiatents.com/awning-cover.html

 

Oh man, that 99" one would work awesome! (The overall length when closed is 95.2")

 

Damn! Good find. Cheaper too, and it looks bigger.

Thanks!

Just ordered one, should get here before the ARB bag I initially bought. Luckily there are several local 4 wheel parts stores I can return it to. I like that this one is black too.

 

I'm going to have to see what materials and thicknesses the Bush Co awning is. I know it's mostly aluminum, but if I recall some of it was steel for strength.

It would make sense having the brackets all steel for strength but using aluminum for the arms. I have a powder coating oven as well so using plain steel isn't a big deal.

 

Man, you got all the stuff. I agree, steel for brackets (only 6.5 lbs with the 1/8" bits), and aluminum for the arms. I wish I powdercoated mine, but wanted to do it on the cheap. I'm going to use plastidip on the arms. I dipped my wheels, and they've held up so well to winter and road debris. Regular paint scratches and scuffs so easily.