Help with fitting Thule Omnistor Awning

[Redpanda]

Hi all - our van didn't come with a wind out awning so we have just taken delivery of the Thule 5102 from the club shop, although with the VW fixings.

I'm a little confused how to fit though. The Thule instructions suggest you need to both glue (with a specific SIKA 252 glue) and blot the plates onto the van. We didn't receive any glue though.

And then we need to drill a hole somewhere in the awning to attach to the VW plates.

Anyone done this before and can save me several hours trying to figure it out?!!

 

[Hotel California]

Try to get back in touch with the clubshop , i'm sure they mounted a awning to a Cali themselves before , ask them for advise.

 

[westfalia]

No glueing needed,
Watch this in reverse -

 

[Redpanda]

No glueing needed,
Watch this in reverse -

Ah ha! thank you, this helps a lot!

I asked the club shop but they didn't have any instructions and just said the awning needs drilling and not the van (which I knew anyway but I'm still not sure where it needs drilling!)

 

[westfalia]

I can't see where it would need drilling, and if it did then that
would not be a straightforward job as the awning would have to
be wound out on the floor.
You cant drill it from the outside as you might pierce the material.

Sounds like some duff info there about drilling, it should already
have the holes in the correct places.

 

[calikev]

The awning just needs 2 holes drilling to attach it to the brackets very easy job Thule will not supply you with a California ready awning or the brackets because vw won’t let them if you buy the awning from vw it will have the holes pre drilled

 

[Redpanda]

I can't see where it would need drilling, and if it did then that
would not be a straightforward job as the awning would have to
be wound out on the floor.
You cant drill it from the outside as you might pierce the material.

Sounds like some duff info there about drilling, it should already
have the holes in the correct places.

This is what I thought, but the club shop informed me I would need to drill the awning casing. Perhaps once I start to fit it will become apparent....

 

[calikev]

You just need to fix the brackets to your van lift the awning case on the brackets unwind it then mark the case inside to match the hole in the bracket then drill . Not difficult

 

[Redpanda]

You just need to fix the brackets to your van lift the awning case on the brackets unwind it then mark the case inside to match the hole in the bracket then drill . Not difficult

Great thanks. I think it all makes sense now, and sounds like once I make a start it will be obvious. Just didn't want to F it up!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Assuming brackets have not changed over the years...

Photo 2&3 are front
3.5 cms down from internal slot
25cms from end cap trim

Photo 4&5 are rear
3.5cms from internal slot
16cms (just over) from end cap trim

Drill a small pilot hole first just to make sure.

Good luck!

 

[westfalia]

Sorry, i take that comment about duff info back.
Im surprised that you have to drill the holes though.

 

[Stoneybroke]

I don't think any glue should be involved though.

 

[Hotel California]

Seems VW making it harder to fit a awning aftermarket . Putting Thule under pressure selling without pre-drilled holes.

 

[Redpanda]

There are pre-drilled holes which confused me, but I guess they just don't match up with where they need to be for the Cali and the roof bolts.

Thanks all for your help. Feeling more confident now to get it done this weekend.

 

[Gedi]

There are pre-drilled holes which confused me, but I guess they just don't match up with where they need to be for the Cali and the roof bolts.

Thanks all for your help. Feeling more confident now to get it done this weekend.

Hi

I have just purchased the awning from a VW dealer, waiting for delivery. I plan to install it myself, did you find it easy in the end?

 

[Ting Tong]

Hi

I have just purchased the awning from a VW dealer, waiting for delivery. I plan to install it myself, did you find it easy in the end?

It’s easy as long as you have the VW brackets. Fix them first then hang the awning and unwind it by 400mm so that you can insert the bolt at either end.

 

[Gedi]

It’s easy as long as you have the VW brackets. Fix them first then hang the awning and unwind it by 400mm so that you can insert the bolt at either end.

Thanks for the reply, I am getting the VW brackets along with the Awning from my VW dealer. Do I need to drill holes or are the holes predrilled?

 

[Ting Tong]

The top flange of each bracket fixes with 3 screws to a lug which is pre-drilled and tapped. A bolt (the rusty one in my photo) also goes through the front of each bracket and engages a square nut slid along the existing awning rail. Ideally an elongate rubber strip (circled in red) is also fitted to the rail between the 2 brackets to stop the rain. The back wall of the awning housing is then screwed to those captive nuts visible alongside the rusty ones in my 2nd photo.

 

[Gedi]

The top flange of each bracket fixes with 3 screws to a lug which is pre-drilled and tapped. A bolt (the rusty one in my photo) also goes through the front of each bracket and engages a square nut slid along the existing awning rail. Ideally an elongate rubber strip (circled in red) is also fitted to the rail between the 2 brackets to stop the rain. The back wall of the awning housing is then screwed to those captive nuts visible alongside the rusty ones in my 2nd photo.

View attachment 110711

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View attachment 110713

Perfect, that's a great description and it all looks so easy after seeing the photos.
So no drilling required for the bolt that goes through the awning into the captive nut in Photo 3?

 

[Ting Tong]

I only know the above from removing our awning to repair it. But I’m 99% certain that bolt in pic 3 is going thru a preformed oval hole in the back wall of the housing. If not, stick something soft like a pad against the rear surface of the housing and press it hard against the bracket when you hang it, so it marks the pad where to drill.

 

[Gedi]

I only know the above from removing our awning to repair it. But I’m 99% certain that bolt in pic 3 is going thru a preformed oval hole in the back wall of the housing. If not, stick something soft like a pad against the rear surface of the housing and press it hard against the bracket when you hang it, so it marks the pad where to drill.

Thank you, great advice and photos….Cheers