Cali topper

[Nuttynanny]

Hi all, just bought Cali topper question is: how do l attach my drive away awning too?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi all, just bought Cali topper question is: how do l attach my drive away awning too?

How did you attach the Awning before you got the Topper?
Should make no difference as the Toppers I have knowledge of do not interfere with the attachment of an awning.

 

[jts46]

Hi all, just bought Cali topper question is: how do l attach my drive away awning too?

Are you referring to the bungee that attaches to topper and wraps around awning cassette? I didn't use this method i just use a connector in awning rail at front and rear of the cassette

 

[Nuttynanny]

I thread Awning through ( haven't used my van ocean yet) but notice Cali topper has to be attached in same place? Watching "how to use Cali topper" that's were awning threads through too?

 

[blondebier]

Do you have the cassette awning (option) or are you referring to the rails that are part of the van?

I suspect that is where the confusion lies. Some toppers do connect by feeding in to the integral rails.

If you've got a cassette awning then your tent awning can connect to this.

 

[Nuttynanny]

Hi, the black rails that are part of the van, where you thread your awning into, the Cali topper also uses this rail to screw slide along it? Am l making sense ?

 

[blondebier]

Hi, the black rails that are part of the van, where you thread your awning into, the Cali topper also uses this rail to screw slide along it? Am l making sense ?

Yes that makes sense. If you're using the rail for your topper then you won't be able to use it for your awning as well.

You'll need to get a cassette awning and this comes with an awning rail inside it and you can connect it up to that.

 

[B J G]

Assuming that you have no fixed awning.

There would be 2 options.
1-Slide drive away awning in and attach the topper with only the front and rear rail securing ties.

2- as in 1 then if all tie down straps are required you'd have to make 2 cut outs in awning Kador strip for the rail hooks to be slid in with the awning. Not the best option but only one that would be fully secured.

 

[Nuttynanny]

Hi guys, yes that was what l was thinking, attach topper front & back, then attach drive away awning, yes put eyelets in the Kador strip & somehow attach rest of topper screws in? Thank you for all your help. I'll work it out somehow. Not been camping in my Cali as yet just got all the stuff l need ready for April so pretty excited!! NuttyNanny

 

[ejmoore]

With the cassette awning you can only put the nuts for the topper in at either end - is there not room to do this and slide the kador strip in for the drive-away awning? Then you could work out some way of attaching the ends of the drive-away awning to the nuts for extra retainability - we ditched our drive-away because it kept blowing out of the strip. I have to say that the cassette awning is a million times better. (Unless you're talking about a tent rather than just a canopy.)

 

[calicatchers]

Regarding the Calitopper - we have a silver one with windows. really good in cold and wet conditions but does anyone know how good they are at keeping the upstairs cool in hot weather? Off to France in few weeks and dont want to use it and make things even hotter!!! Any thoughts?

 

[babble]

Personally i would wait until the temperature drops a bit at night before going to bed, and do so without a topper as this will allow the roof space to cool down quicker. If you want to then keep the heat of the morning out for longer you could put the topper up at some point during the night. A topper isn't going to keep the heat of the day out, and if you have it up the whole time it will take longer to cool down when the sun goes down.

 

[ejmoore]

We've been in France the past couple of weeks & have tried with & without. It was pouring down on Friday night so we had the topper on & it was still on on Monday night in the heat. It's good in that it keeps the sun off to some extent in the day, but it really limits the airflow at night. The last two nights (really hot!) we have moved site & have left the roof closed until the temperature's dropped in the evening & then put it up - much better I think.