Wind & Rain Shield For Your Campervan; Thule Smart Panels - Side
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ธ.ค. 2024
- We try out a great wind break solution for our campervan - the Thule Rainblocker G2 side panels. We went to the Megget reservoir which has stunning scenery, and it was an exposed windy location to give the new panels a real test.
Thanks from Henk, This is a very nice, clear, sympathic and good video you made. Greetings from The Netherlands
Thanks Henk, appreciate your feedback 👍
Very interesting video. A useful attachment whenever or wherever you stop for a short period.
It makes me think that you have so much stuff now, that you may need a trailor to carry it all!
See you on the next one
Yes its useful, takes up little room and quick to put up. The trick is not to take it all, and avoid the trailer that way 🤣
Very useful video, thank you and safe travels 😃🚐 Trev n Sue
Thanks you two, hope you are both well.
I think I might add them onto my wish list
Great video. I’m awaiting my new van and have the Thule side panels included so it was great to see your detailed set up. Cheers 👍
Glad it helped, and hope you don't need them all that often 🤣
Interesting video. Makes sense that these smart panels would be preferable for short stays. Wonder if you could get the front panel and hook it up to the air awning for some kind of "Wee Broon Suite" setup. Thanks for sharing!
Now there's a thought, a luxury Wee Broon Van suite, you have got me thinking now 🤔
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot You ever get this sorted out, I'll be eager to see it! :D
Hi Mike, from New Zealand: Thanks for your video, which really helped my own installation of this panel set. Like you guys, we have an Omnistor 4900, except that it's mounted on a roof rack on our Subaru Outback. That means the awning sits flat, barely at eye level (we have to duck our heads!), so I had our side panels trimmed flush at the top, cutting off the angle. Otherwise it would've looked all skew wiff. For the first time, I was disappointed with Thule's quality control with this product... first, I found the instruction sheet maddeningly simplistic, and it glosses over what are actually some quite important details - for instance, despite looking very closely at the diagram, it's hard to tell whether the CENTRE of the green bracket that sticks to the the cassette is supposed to be 30mm from the awning edge, or the EDGE of the bracket itself. In the end, I fitted the outboard brackets first, measured from the rafter to the edge of the awning there, then replicated the fit inboard. Probably most irritating is that our inboard right side (front, in our case) rafter will not fit with any adequate clearance from the awning cassette. The first time I tried to wind it tight, it bunched the awning material, then ground a hole through it before I realised there was an issue. Despite dremmeling down the plastic mount to allow it to drop a bit inside the cassette, and filing down the plastic rafter slider barrel, the only fix I can find is to drop the outer awning leg a good 500mm, wind the awning back, then raise the leg again to level. We use a lot of Thule products, but as you know, they charge top dollar for them, so I expect the fit and finish to be a bit better than this... anyway, enough moaning: we get a lot of use out of our awning, but given spring and summer are our windiest seasons here in New Zealand, the smart panels will be a boon. Too often, we've had to choose between the view, or keeping the wind at our back. No more! Thanks again for your video posts, which I enjoy greatly...
Hi Dave, sorry I missed your comment earlier and just picked it up. The instructions were bad, o thought it was just me, as I stuck the plastic bracket initially in the wrong place, like you say 30cm from where exactly, I should have commented about that on the video. Anyway I hope it was of some use and all the best from Scotland to New Zealand!
Looks better than my tarp I use for walls on my cheapo awning.
Hey, if it does the job👍
Thank you for the great video. I am almost certain you have the tent pegs the wrong way round, they should be on the outside of the canopy walls.
Thanks Andrew, I think you are right ✅
Just saying but as I understand it... the Thule is pronounced TooLee... I think that your accent will lend itself beuatifully to this brand name... love your content and you have given me a few headaches about my choice of platform for a campervan... looking like a Ford Transit... if I don’t plump for the VW... thanks for your videos...
So , are you are going to build your own? Yep, TooLee I have heard others saying that now you mention it. Transit good choice.
Loving these
Thanks, love your poodle 💕🐾
Thats a smart shelter. We have adapted a simple tarp for our van but not been anywhere we needed to use it yet. I am sure you could have that up very quickly with a bit of practice 👍
Things always take longer when filming but I expect that 10 mins will do it once we have done another few times. We are pleased with them.
Really good video 😊, we’re considering this as an option for our van. I would be interested in how you feel about it now. 👍
Hello to you both , I like that it is something I would have when I get my van its well made looks nice I also think I would get the front panels it might be nice just to have half the front with a clear panel but thats just me . Thank for posting wishing you both all the best stay safe take care .
Hi Shaun, we thought about getting half the front but thought we would live with the sides only for a while and see how we feel.
Hi Mike, so glad you done this including the bit where you drilled the pilot holes.
The instructions are nuts.
The small white plastic covers which you removed from your awning hinges, I take it you bin these? Well not bin exactly keep safe I mean should you at some point sell the panels and get your wee broon vans awning back as was?
I put mine on today and I have to say without your video I’d still have been scratching my head.
Thanks again, love all your episodes, new to campervaning and living in Scotland it’s great to see what to do, and what not.
Hi George, thanks and yes it was difficult to follow the instructions and it's a leap of faith drilling into your brand new awning rail. It was a long time ago, think I just binned the white plastic things, or knowing me, they will be kicking about somewhere for me to find in 10 years time and wonder what the hell are these things 🤣
Trish, how in the world did you get Mike to actually "read" the instructions? I do believe he is the first man whom I've seen read how to put something together. My experience was, to read them out load when "he" couldn't put anything together the first time. lol Our canape for our campers were referred to as "awnings". Good job. We found that sometimes the pegs went into the ground at a slant instead of straight down and it helped allot.
Hi Sandy, its the first time he has read any instructions 😀 but it was a bit confusing. We have also since found that putting the pegs in at a slant makes it easier.
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot I do apologize for "rambling on" so much on your site. If it's too much gabbing, just let me know and I won't take up all the space. My problem is, I've been a widow for just a year, after 56 years of marriage, and your traveling and videos bring back lots of wonderful memories since I found you folks on here. It fills in the long, lonely evenings. Hey, take care and I'm still traveling with ya in France. Hugs from Sandy in the "Buckeye State of OH, USA.
@@sandihandi7831 Hey Sandy, please ramble away, we love getting messages from you and are so chuffed to have you following us. We know how hard it is to lose a loved one and it can take time to heal and its good to remember the happy times together. It's partly why we make videos, to record our happy times together and if others like you enjoy watching then it's such an added bonus. Take care x
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot "Chuffed" ?? Not familiar with this word. Meaning? lol
@@sandihandi7831 chuffed means very pleased / proud
Love your videos ! I'm in the US and we pronounce Thule - TOO-LEE :) sorry if it's been said :)
Thanks, yes you say it right, we were wrong. Thanks for watching from over the pond👍
Great vids👍
Keep them up the dreat work.
Did u paint ur awning?
Hi very useful, thank you. One quetion did your kit come with two poles and sides or do tou order 2 packs (one for each side)?. Many thanks, Joe
Hi Joe, you can buy the sides separately I.e. one side and one pole. Useful if you only want one to use which ever way the wind is coming.
Thx again for great video,I too have same side panels( and front) got to say I thought it was too much of a palava for us,don’t get me wrong on,y had it up once so unfair to take my word for it...I have the Thule canopy which is brilliant and the drive away awning which is fab too...hopefully sometime this year I can get more practice on side panels and might have a different view....thx again for videos as very informative
Thanks Ann, it is a bit of a palava and we have only used a few times but hope to get more use this year, hopefully we will lots of opportunities 🤞
I know that this is 4 years ago. But for anyone looking for something similar but easier. You can get panels that just throw over your awning arms and zip on and then hammer 3 pegs at the bottom into the pre attached elastics and it's done. This would be too much of a palavar every time you want to go out.
Just wondering what you think of your canopy +sides after few yrs.
Don't think it would be for me. Looks odd I think compared to awning & also many areas of gaps. Corners aren't sealed. And a big faff if want to driveaway
Thing is, it gives wind shelter and makes the difference between being able to sit out and enjoy the evening or not and sometimes just one side goes on to block the wind from that side.
Hello from Bedford!
I am very exited to be picking up my newly converted Toyota Alphard next week! I have been looking at awnings and was wondering what make your wind out awning was and who fitted it for you? I know a couple of Bongo owners who have Fiamma wind out awnings, but unfortunately the company who have done our conversion haven’t quite worked out how to fit one to an Alphard, yet… Not sure I really want to go down the drive-away awning route… I’ve heard they are a bit of a pain!
Its a Thule and was fitted on the van when we bought it from Wellhouse Leisure. You must be excited about getting your Alphard, good choice 👍
Hi just back from France. Used one of the side panels but found it tended to slide down leaving a gap at side nearest the van and looped out at the bottom. Still confused about the pegging!
We always have a gap at the van side and just peg out as best we can. We have pegged outside and inside in the past but now always peg outside using the toggle things.
Hi, great video! Can I ask what the dimensions are for the ground sheet that you made?
Thanks very much
Phil
Sorry Phil its all packed away at the moment and can't get to it but I think Trish just took measurements from pole to pole and then pole to van.
A bit fiddly but very useful. How much? Do they pack away small enough to store in the van?
Yes a bit fiddly but fairly quick to put up and work well as a wind break. Honestly can't remember how much and it was a couple of years ago so you would be best to look up online for current prices, cheers.
Twooo leee!
Hi I’ve got the same van with a Thule 3200 2.7m x 2.5m awning on it . I’m looking to buy the Thule sides and front aswell. Can you advise the sides and front model name please?
Hi Phil, this is them
www.thule.com/en-gb/motorhome-accessories/panels/thule-rain-blocker-g2-front-j-_-301354
Hi thanks for that
No problem, cheers.
Great video, was there 1 or 2 panels with your purchase? I’m confused from the online shopping I looked at! And how much did you pay for them? John. Ireland 🇮🇪
Thanks, can't remember price as it was a while ago, Trish says she searched around online for vest deal. The panels are sold individually as some people just want one and use it on what ever side the wind is coming from.
my guess is that the sides need to be turned around so the stakes can be on the outside.
Yes thats the way we are doing it now👍
Great video! Just what I needed to see. Did you spray your awning in the color of your campervan? I have a Citroen Spacetourer, without a rooftop, but I'm interested in the Thule 4900 PSA. Greetings from Belgium!
Greetings from Scotland! We had the awning fitted when we bought the van and it was sprayed the same colour as the van.
Seems a little complicated....
The instructions are not great but once its done the first time, its quite easy to put up next time.
I cannot understand a thing from your wife accent !
Sorry, sometimes she can speak quite fast.