Awning Mounting Location

[Convoy.Of.One]

Hey everybody I was hoping I could get some outside opinions on this matter. I bought an ARB Awning last week and I just got notified that it is ready for pick up today. Now I'm faced with an issue, which side to mount it on my rig. I have considered the pros and cons of each side but it's pretty much 50/50. I'd appreciate to hear your opinions and experiences.

Thank you,
Alex OB#5012

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[Daryl 32]

How do you camp / set up base camp?
Witch side vehicle do you open the most while at base camp?
Will awning reach forward enough to shield front doors?
Will you cook under it or just get out of the sun?

With the 2.5 meter TJM Awning I put on our F250 - I opted for the right side of the truck as it was first used for shade at track events with the track car. I was in the habit of parking the track car on the right side of the trailer - so awning on the right side was the place.

Now we also have a Alu-Cab 270 Shadow awning on the left side so I am covered on both sides and the back.

 

[Steve]

I put my ARB 2500 awning on the right side of my 4Runner. In countries that drive on the right hand side of the road, I figured that it would be easier to pull off of a back road somewhere and set the awning up opposite traffic. It also would work when backing into most campgrounds, having the awning on the same side as the picnic table, etc.

In my case with my new rack, I had to put my Road Shower on the left side so that the hose pickup was at the lower end of the tank. This mandated having the awning on the right.

 

[Daryl 32]

Great point Steve about pulling off the road and the awning not being on the traffic side of the vehicle. Done this a few times now - just did not think of it.

Alex - what Steve said!! :)

 

[Steve]

Of course it all depends on which way the sun is. In the photo I posted, that's a one-way road going the opposite direction as I'm headed. Fortunately, there was no traffic as I did a u-turn. :)

 

[britz]

Looks like you drive a JK. I'm putting mine on the driver's side, due to the tailgate swing. If I have a tailgate table folded down, I want a nice flow of activities and not walk all the way around the open gate.

 

[Trail_Blazer]

I love my ARB awnings. I drive a 2011 Jeep JKUL Rubicon with a Gobi Stealth rack. I have two on the vehicle. I have an ARB 1250 Awning across the back of the vehicle. I have a pull out fridge and stove and the awning covers everything. The second is an ARB 2000 Awning (78.74" wide x 98.43" when extended) on the side. I was also using the ARB Simpson Series III roof top tent. I opened the tent to the driver's side and had the add-on room underneath. I put the ARB 2000 Awning on the passenger side so I could open it on the side of the road and it left open the passenger side of the car when deployed. I have since changed this up. (The picture has it on the driver's side, which was our original idea)



The wife didn't like the rooftop tent. She didn't like climbing the ladder (in bare feet) and she couldn't stand up. We had ordered the ARB Touring Awning Room with the floor for camping in the wet weather. The awning takes less than a minute to setup and the room takes less than 3 minutes (including putting down a ground cloth, to setup and stake down. Now we use the Awning room as a tent. However, for the door to be at the rear of the vehicle, so we can step out toward where everything happens, we had to put the awning on the driver's side of the vehicle.



Note: I really, really liked the ARB rooftop tent. Extremely well made and comfortable. I highly recommend them!

ARB really did a good job when designing this awning and room setup. Large windows with dropdown flaps, flaps on the car side for ventilation if the windows are closed, and an access panel for entrance into the back seat of the car. I've been in high winds and driving rain, and have yet to have an issue with this setup. (Sorry, I don't have a picture of this on the computer.) However, now I am considering a Fox Wing (aka bat wing) awning that swings 270 degrees around the vehicle. It would replace my awning on the passenger side and the rear awning, covering the gaps between the ARB awning room and other side of the vehicle.

In the end, loosing the rooftop tent actually helped my gas mileage, and the awning room is easier to put up. The MSRP for the awning ($287), Gobi ARB Awning mounting brackets ($94) and room ($174) is $555. The Simpson III rooftop tent was $1,569, with the extra room $269 (total $1,838). So for a third the price, you get a bigger room, easier to put up and take down, and more utility (and better gas mileage).

 

[3wbdriver]

Mine is on the passenger side, mostly because I drive solo on my outings and I'm trying to offset the weight of my muscular buttocks on the drivers side. Every little but helps.

 

[Trail_Blazer]

Nice! Loading a Jeep JKUL for Overlanding requires the skills of a load master. Weight and balance is important if you have a lifted Jeep. Not just the sway factor, but the side winds. Another issue is the breaking. While staying within the maximum payload, the Jeep put on so much weight, I had to upgrade the breaks. I know your pain brother!

 

[clmautz]

I would put it on the drivers or rear, or a 270o drivers/rear, also due to the direction the tailgate swings out.

Hey, for my clarification, what is a JKUL?

Thanks!

 

[Trail_Blazer]

Jeep JK is the current model (2007_2017) UL means Unlimited (which is the 4 door model). There are 3 models. I have the Rubicon model.

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[Teh_Viking]

If you plan on getting the awning room in the future and you put it on the drivers side, the entrance of the room will be at the rear of the vehicle.

 

[Convoy.Of.One]

How do you camp / set up base camp?
Witch side vehicle do you open the most while at base camp?
Will awning reach forward enough to shield front doors?
Will you cook under it or just get out of the sun?

With the 2.5 meter TJM Awning I put on our F250 - I opted for the right side of the truck as it was first used for shade at track events with the track car. I was in the habit of parking the track car on the right side of the trailer - so awning on the right side was the place.

Now we also have a Alu-Cab 270 Shadow awning on the left side so I am covered on both sides and the back.

So far I have the single awning so I can't double shade like you. So far the side I prefer to use is the driver side (left) simply because the tailgate on my JKU opens to the from left to right (hinges on the passenger side of vehicle). Thanks for the advice and input!

 

[Convoy.Of.One]

Mine is on the passenger side, mostly because I drive solo on my outings and I'm trying to offset the weight of my muscular buttocks on the drivers side. Every little but helps.

I was considering weight distribution too. Most of the time I offroad/overland solo and I don't want all of the weight concentrated on the driver side but the times I do bring family and friends we stay on the drivers side due to the flow of my set up mostly influenced by the tailgate on my JKU.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Convoy.Of.One]

Looks like you drive a JK. I'm putting mine on the driver's side, due to the tailgate swing. If I have a tailgate table folded down, I want a nice flow of activities and not walk all the way around the open gate.

Yeah after reading all of your responses and some serious thinking, the drivers side seems to be the best option. Going to plan on redistributing weight around the rig to its not too heavy on one side. Thanks for the input!

 

[Convoy.Of.One]

Thank you all for the advice and input! Much appreciated! Will post images of install once complete (still waiting on a new awning considering the first one I ordered got damaged in shipping and waiting for replacement model)

Look forward to see y'all on the trail,
Alex

 

[Convoy.Of.One]

View attachment 26013 I love my ARB awnings. I drive a 2011 Jeep JKUL Rubicon with a Gobi Stealth rack. I have two on the vehicle. I have an ARB 1250 Awning across the back of the vehicle. I have a pull out fridge and stove and the awning covers everything. The second is an ARB 2000 Awning (78.74" wide x 98.43" when extended) on the side. I was also using the ARB Simpson Series III roof top tent. I opened the tent to the driver's side and had the add-on room underneath. I put the ARB 2000 Awning on the passenger side so I could open it on the side of the road and it left open the passenger side of the car when deployed. I have since changed this up. (The picture has it on the driver's side, which was our original idea)



The wife didn't like the rooftop tent. She didn't like climbing the ladder (in bare feet) and she couldn't stand up. We had ordered the ARB Touring Awning Room with the floor for camping in the wet weather. The awning takes less than a minute to setup and the room takes less than 3 minutes (including putting down a ground cloth, to setup and stake down. Now we use the Awning room as a tent. However, for the door to be at the rear of the vehicle, so we can step out toward where everything happens, we had to put the awning on the driver's side of the vehicle.

View attachment 26014

Note: I really, really liked the ARB rooftop tent. Extremely well made and comfortable. I highly recommend them!

ARB really did a good job when designing this awning and room setup. Large windows with dropdown flaps, flaps on the car side for ventilation if the windows are closed, and an access panel for entrance into the back seat of the car. I've been in high winds and driving rain, and have yet to have an issue with this setup. (Sorry, I don't have a picture of this on the computer.) However, now I am considering a Fox Wing (aka bat wing) awning that swings 270 degrees around the vehicle. It would replace my awning on the passenger side and the rear awning, covering the gaps between the ARB awning room and other side of the vehicle.

In the end, loosing the rooftop tent actually helped my gas mileage, and the awning room is easier to put up. The MSRP for the awning ($287), Gobi ARB Awning mounting brackets ($94) and room ($174) is $555. The Simpson III rooftop tent was $1,569, with the extra room $269 (total $1,838). So for a third the price, you get a bigger room, easier to put up and take down, and more utility (and better gas mileage).

First I just have to say I love your rig! Your build looks great! I plan on following your design by getting the ARB1250 awning for the rear of the vehicle. Thanks for all of your input. I was thinking about adding a RTT but considering the weight needed to be added to the top of the vehicle (gas mileage and higher center of gravity) I'm planning on building a trailer to accommodate the RTT once I get there, financially speaking of course. Again thanks for the input!

 

[GO_ADVTR]

Glad I checked here. I mounted mine on the drivers side as that was all was open, but hadn't thought about pulling off the side of the road. Anybody have experience with a rear mounted one with a full sized hatch?


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[Jake Wettern | iamjake]

I drive a 94 YJ with CJ hardtop and fold down tailgate. I have an ARB awning - http://amzn.to/2s48ZXM - that I attached to the rear of my roof rack. I use the fold down tailgate to cook on and also as a desk and love the setup and shade/rain cover it provides.

 

[Overland_Serenity]

I have a question about the ARB awnings.... Can they be deployed upside down... Or rather do they have an upside? I want to eventually get an AT Habitat and was wondering if I could mount it to the part that flips out? So could it be deployed from either position?

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