Does your awning rattle?

[CampervanBits]

Does your awning rattle when driving along?
Well, you need these ..Genuine Thule Product that can be fitted in seconds and cures the knocking noise from the awning whilst driving
Only £11.99
Choose Option 19 in drop-down box

VW California Wind Out Awning Parts – CampervanBits

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Moose]

Did not get mine from the shop, but boy what a difference, the best money spent on the cali so far

 

[Damon18]

We had rattles, but threads on this forum said to wind out the awning, and check that the 2 (anti-rattle) rubbers were still in place.
Checked, and found that 1 had slipped, so stuck it back in place and have had no more rattles for months, and it cost nothing.

 

[pjm-84]

Found my rattle in the end. Dry hinge on one of the arms however I will be buying these!

 

[pjm-84]

Can we have a speed option when ordering via PayPal to save having to enter all details again.

 

[Gary&Heather]

Yes these really work can't believe it and so simple

 

[Tom Rae]

These were already fitted as standard to my new Ocean?
Tom

 

[VikkiM]

Put these in yesterday full of hope but the rattle from the awning is now worse than it was before....any suggestions?

 

[Jason wallace]

How have you spaced them? When i first fitted mine i had them too close to the center which meant when the awning was wound in the arms didn't actually sit against them.

Also worth checking other causes.....the leg springs can be a pain, but can be stretched a little to stop them rattling.

Jason

Put these in yesterday full of hope but the rattle from the awning is now worse than it was before....any suggestions?

 

[CampervanBits]

Just had a new batch of these arrive after being out of stock

VW California Wind Out Awning Parts – CampervanBits

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Loz]

Its part 19 before anyone asks.

 

[Jodalo]

They were already fitted to my Cali 19 plate. It took me about 3 months to realise what they were for!

 

[DG1]

Hasn't worked for us -still rattling

 

[splitmike]

I'm finding fitting these a mare not as easy as just a push in. unless I'm doing something completely wrong. its almost as they are too big for my SE awning.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Our first awning that came with the van didn’t rattle at all, the material just came undone at the seam. Second awning did rattle and tracked it down to the legs rattling on the casing. Fitted some little felt pads in strategic places and now all is good. The rubber you see in the picture was to test to see if it was going to work. It did. Replaced with the felt pads.

 

[Sunstoner]

Does your awning rattle when driving along?
Well, you need these ..Genuine Thule Product that can be fitted in seconds and cures the knocking noise from the awning whilst driving
Only £11.99
Choose Option 19 in drop-down box

VW California Wind Out Awning Parts – CampervanBits

vwcaliforniaclub.com

View attachment 49176

View attachment 49177

View attachment 49178

When you say rattle, do you mean when going over pot holes and the like because I get an incredible annoying and loud rattle whenever I happen to hit one of these or a drain or the sort. I used to think it was the table in the door until I removed it and the noise was still there.

Admittedly, im not exactly sure of the source but it is loud and I dont think its the door itself as it doesnt appear to move or shake...hhmm

 

[Stu@rt]

When you say rattle, do you mean when going over pot holes and the like because I get an incredible annoying and loud rattle whenever I happen to hit one of these or a drain or the sort. I used to think it was the table in the door until I removed it and the noise was still there.

Admittedly, im not exactly sure of the source but it is loud and I dont think its the door itself as it doesnt appear to move or shake...hhmm

Morning. I find rattle elimination a bit of a work in progress tbh. Can't remember which forumite suggested it be the first thing you ever do, before popping your own bits in the van. At least you then know which are van rattles and what is caused by your own personal effects. Personally, I have made some big improvements with the over priced brandrup carpets for the bedding drawer. I found that when the drawer was empty, it would "drum" due to its flat metal construction. And at the other end of the spending spectrum, I also found some big improvements with some cheap rubber feet for the removable shelf above the gas locker, as that would jump a little (again only when empty). Something else that took a while to track down was the fridge basket. Removed this and found a big difference too. In my experience there is no one silver bullet, just keep chipping away at it and as you get to know the van better, you track down these little noise nuggets, that all add up to a more pleasurable drive. Good luck.

 

[Sunstoner]

Morning. I find rattle elimination a bit of a work in progress tbh. Can't remember which forumite suggested it be the first thing you ever do, before popping your own bits in the van. At least you then know which are van rattles and what is caused by your own personal effects. Personally, I have made some big improvements with the over priced brandrup carpets for the bedding drawer. I found that when the drawer was empty, it would "drum" due to its flat metal construction. And at the other end of the spending spectrum, I also found some big improvements with some cheap rubber feet for the removable shelf above the gas locker, as that would jump a little (again only when empty). Something else that took a while to track down was the fridge basket. Removed this and found a big difference too. In my experience there is no one silver bullet, just keep chipping away at it and as you get to know the van better, you track down these little noise nuggets, that all add up to a more pleasurable drive. Good luck.

Thanks for the very helpful reply @Stu@rt !

All these little rattles dont half chip away ever so slightly at the enjoyment of the drive and I could do with spending an hour or two just trying to nailing them. So thank you for your input!

 

[Stu@rt]

Thanks for the very helpful reply @Stu@rt !

All these little rattles dont half chip away ever so slightly at the enjoyment of the drive and I could do with spending an hour or two just trying to nailing them. So thank you for your input!

As an aside, the clips shown at the top of this thread were included on my awning, so I can only guess that they are standard these days. On one occasion I did have the awning rattling, it was pilot error on my part, having not tightened it sufficiently. It did sound like the sliding door table at first, but when I stopped to investigate, the awning was a few mm from home and a simple re tighten resolved it. So difficult to pin point rattles from the drivers seat. You need someone in the rear with a good ear to advise.

 

[jazlady128]

After having identified the rattle from the awning i.e. the metal feet attached to the awning legs, I've added felt pads and so far, no rattle. This was tested on numerous trips (we must have been the only vehicle to go actively looking for potholes and uneven road surfaces). The tip here is to find padding that will prevent the feet from moving.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

After having identified the rattle from the awning i.e. the metal feet attached to the awning legs, I've added felt pads and so far, no rattle. This was tested on numerous trips (we must have been the only vehicle to go actively looking for potholes and uneven road surfaces). The tip here is to find padding that will prevent the feet from moving.

View attachment 85472

In all the years we have had the van we have always put the feet the other way round. So not really sure which way they are designed to go. I know they seem for me easier to put away with the feet on the top.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

It looks like this thread is the most recent concerning awning rattles so I have chosen to post in this one.
I have been living with suspected awning rattle for more than a year but work, short evenings and idleness has prevented me from paying too much attention to locating it and fixing it especially as there appears to be varying success in all the threads, meaning once I start the hunt I'll drive everyone in the house mad until I find it.
However over the period of time during the summer I did pop some kitchen roll under the area where the hinges are on the folding arms and it went away. But because inevitably that got damp pretty quick the rattle came back so I started to doubt whether it went away or whether inconsistent timing of the rattle played a part.
Then later in the summer with the window open I held the awning case and while it was difficult to concentrate fully on that because oddly enough I didn't want to crash, I thought the knocking coincided with what I was feeling through the palm of my hand over the lumps and bumps.
Inside the cab, the noise was always behind my right ear but I have found noises dont always come from where you are hearing them so I had no real faith.
Today, I bit the bullet when I found some anti slip mat off cuts I had used for the kitchen shelves and cut off 2 strips to double the thickness , I wound open the awning a little and slid them under the hinges and closed the awning. Drove a well known rattle route and noise was gone.
It did however reveal a squeak that I hadn't heard before coming from the bench seat area.
But wait!!
Putting 2 and 2 together with noises throwing themselves I'm convinced this is the anti slip matt against the movement at the arm hinges.
Part number 19's will be on their way to me pretty soon.

 

[WelshGas]

It looks like this thread is the most recent concerning awning rattles so I have chosen to post in this one.
I have been living with suspected awning rattle for more than a year but work, short evenings and idleness has prevented me from paying too much attention to locating it and fixing it especially as there appears to be varying success in all the threads, meaning once I start the hunt I'll drive everyone in the house mad until I find it.
However over the period of time during the summer I did pop some kitchen roll under the area where the hinges are on the folding arms and it went away. But because inevitably that got damp pretty quick the rattle came back so I started to doubt whether it went away or whether inconsistent timing of the rattle played a part.
Then later in the summer with the window open I held the awning case and while it was difficult to concentrate fully on that because oddly enough I didn't want to crash, I thought the knocking coincided with what I was feeling through the palm of my hand over the lumps and bumps.
Inside the cab, the noise was always behind my right ear but I have found noises dont always come from where you are hearing them so I had no real faith.
Today, I bit the bullet when I found some anti slip mat off cuts I had used for the kitchen shelves and cut off 2 strips to double the thickness , I wound open the awning a little and slid them under the hinges and closed the awning. Drove a well known rattle route and noise was gone.
It did however reveal a squeak that I hadn't heard before coming from the bench seat area.
But wait!!
Putting 2 and 2 together with noises throwing themselves I'm convinced this is the anti slip matt against the movement at the arm hinges.
Part number 19's will be on their way to me pretty soon.

Do you not have 2 black blocks of dense rubber foam stuck in the same position as the Part 19s sit?

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Do you not have 2 black blocks of dense rubber foam stuck in the same position as the Part 19s sit?

Indeed I do WG...but the play in the hinge is making the arms bottom out on the casing where there are 2 very thin strips right at the back of the housing. My arms don't appear to collapse to an extent where these would be any use. Any ideas?
Yep I know the blocks are squiffily placed in the pic from the rubbish glue. They keep on shifting and are currently in place.

 

[pjm-84]

Found my rattle in the end. The awning connection with the roof bracket. I have to say, touch wood, I havent noticed it for a while.