help - Batwing Awning limits liftgate - WK2

[TrailHawkGuy]

I have added to my Rhino product Repertoire by installing an awesome Rhino Batwing onto my Pioneer platform- unfortunately I now have an issue that my automated liftgate (2018 GrandCherokee) is hitting the 3 Batwing crossbar and immediately closes.



So I tried to overcome this by raising the batwing with a temp adapter by 4 inches however this is causing vibration issue due to rotational torque on the Pioneer.



I was wondering if anyone has deal with this and has a solution for this? I am thinking having an option to raise the Batwing in camp on the fly would be preferred.

 

[TrailHawkGuy]

BTW the awning is awesome in action

 

[TrailHawkGuy]

So RhinoUS Customer Service got back to me - looks like I am on my own on this one :(

“Unfortunately, that is not something we have dealt with yet, We do not have a solution to secure this awning with an elevated option to avoid that torque you mentioned.



If you want to call in, we might be able to discuss it but It seems like its outside of our ability to help.



Another thing to consider is changing the setting of the lift gate to NOT close if it touches the awning. One of my colleagues thinks that might be a car setting you can control.



Hope this helps a litter – sorry I don’t have an answer right now.”

 

[1Louder]

Maybe sell it to someone without a hatchback and take a look at what 23 Zero now offers. It should clear most hatches.

 

[Charles M]

If you add another L-bracket it may help a little but, first I would try a 1/4 inch steel plate at least 3 or 4 inches wide instead of the thinner one you have in the photo. Since I can't see it mounted up I can only assume the mounts are as far from each other as they can get. But, if not I would spread them as far apart as possible. More photos would help us see what you have so we might give better advice.

My 270 needs to be a little higher too and I am thinking about designing and machining a bracket that can be raised or lowered to meet my needs. But I am going to try just a 1 inch lift first.

 

[1Louder]

My 270 needs to be a little higher too and I am thinking about designing and machining a bracket that can be raised or lowered to meet my needs. But I am going to try just a 1 inch lift first.

My local hardware store sells some slotted brackets of various length that might work. They are powder coated black. You would need to bend them to make them L brackets but then it would be pretty easy to move the awning up and down. I would use some star nuts to make loosening and tightening easier. Lowes calls them Hillman Replacement Knobs. Item 423502 as an example. I would like the idea of keeping the awning low when driving.

Turtleback uses a 2 piece square tubing setup (smaller goes into larger) to raise and lower the awnings. You remove a pin on each bracket and then raise and lower. I am not sure how well that would work on a roof rack but it is another idea.

To the original poster I'm not trying to be a jerk by telling you to sell what you own. I do believe that 23 Zero is the only manufacturer which is trying to address this issue without any user modification.

 

[Charles M]

My local hardware store sells some slotted brackets of various length that might work. They are powder coated black. You would need to bend them to make them L brackets but then it would be pretty easy to move the awning up and down. I would use some star nuts to make loosening and tightening easier. Lowes calls them Hillman Replacement Knobs. Item 423502 as an example. I would like the idea of keeping the awning low when driving.

Turtleback uses a 2 piece square tubing setup (smaller goes into larger) to raise and lower the awnings. You remove a pin on each bracket and then raise and lower. I am not sure how well that would work on a roof rack but it is another idea.

To the original poster I'm not trying to be a jerk by telling you to sell what you own. I do believe that 23 Zero is the only manufacturer which is trying to address this issue without any user modification.

I don't think hillman knobs would stay tight enough to hold a 50 to 70 pound awning in place. The square or even a round tube if they fit tight enough would / could work if designed properly. Anything he could bend at home most likely will not be ridged enough to eliminate harmonics causing his vibration problem. I do industrial CAD design and have a machine shop at my disposal so I can design something easy enough if the simple spacing with a strut channel doesn't work for mine.

OP if you can get away with less height you may want to measure it and see if something like a Strut channel will work for you too. It could get you 1 5/8 inches higher. You might want to look at the long slot strut channel maybe you could mount it to the existing L- bracket you have and use the slots to raise or lower the awning.

 

[1Louder]

I don't think hillman knobs would stay tight enough to hold a 50 to 70 pound awning in place. The square or even a round tube if they fit tight enough would / could work if designed properly. Anything he could bend at home most likely will not be ridged enough to eliminate harmonics causing his vibration problem. I do industrial CAD design and have a machine shop at my disposal so I can design something easy enough if the simple spacing with a strut channel doesn't work for mine.

OP if you can get away with less height you may want to measure it and see if something like a Strut channel will work for you too. It could get you 1 5/8 inches higher. You might want to look at the long slot strut channel maybe you could mount it to the existing L- bracket you have and use the slots to raise or lower the awning.

Sounds like you need to produce and sell some parts! I know many people have this issue.

 

[Charles M]

About the time I develop and make them the manufacturers will get their act together and make them... lol

 

[bmwguru]

I have added to my Rhino product Repertoire by installing an awesome Rhino Batwing onto my Pioneer platform- unfortunately I now have an issue that my automated liftgate (2018 GrandCherokee) is hitting the 3 Batwing crossbar and immediately closes.

View attachment 115410

So I tried to overcome this by raising the batwing with a temp adapter by 4 inches however this is causing vibration issue due to rotational torque on the Pioneer.

View attachment 115409

I was wondering if anyone has deal with this and has a solution for this? I am thinking having an option to raise the Batwing in camp on the fly would be preferred.

Couple of questions. When the tail gate hits the awning and closes can you not stop the tailgate from closing completely? The reason I ask is I work on BMW's for a living and the BMW suv's pretty much all have power tail gates. On a BMW you can stop the tail gate from opening or closing all the way by stopping it with your hand. Then you can very slowly manually put the tail gate in whatever position you want. Do not force it if it does not want to move though. So you could possibly then raise the tail gate as much as possible and maybe it won't go back down. Have you tried that?

 

[TrailHawkGuy]

Couple of questions. When the tail gate hits the awning and closes can you not stop the tailgate from closing completely? The reason I ask is I work on BMW's for a living and the BMW suv's pretty much all have power tail gates. On a BMW you can stop the tail gate from opening or closing all the way by stopping it with your hand. Then you can very slowly manually put the tail gate in whatever position you want. Do not force it if it does not want to move though. So you could possibly then raise the tail gate as much as possible and maybe it won't go back down. Have you tried that?

Thanks for bringing this up. The Jeep works the very same way . The issue is that the gate is then only about 2/3 open so not so much practical (have hit my head already a few times ;) ).

I am now thinking about making a flexible adapter that allows me to raise it on demand. But haven’t made the design yet.

 

[Scott Murray]

Thanks for bringing this up. The Jeep works the very same way . The issue is that the gate is then only about 2/3 open so not so much practical (have hit my head already a few times ;) ).

I am now thinking about making a flexible adapter that allows me to raise it on demand. But haven’t made the design yet.

Patriot Camper has something like this for their awning on the camper trailers.

 

[mep1811]

I assume the vertical poles are as high as they go. Why not hold the vertical higher by hand until the hatch is stopped open and then put the pole down. The hatch will press on the fabric while you need it then out the hatch down at night.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

BTW the awning is awesome in action
View attachment 115411View attachment 115412

I just gotta say, that your definitely off road and a brave man to park there. My state wouldnt allow you to do that. I have no answers for you, seems something could be disconnected and allow you to raise or lower manually while camping.

 

[Knife_guy_in_WY]

It’s a lift gate issue and not an awning issue. I have a Guana Equipment Morpho 270* awning on my 2017 Titan and a LEER canopy. The canopy hatch touches but doesn’t closed because of it. Touches less than the video here with Lifestyle Overland and his 4Runner.

 

[Knife_guy_in_WY]