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Changed caravan, bought a hardly used awning from a friend because we thought it was the correct size but tried it today and horror of horrors it doesn't fit.  We are due to go away next Saturday so frantically trying to find another one.

The caravan is a Coachman Amara 530/4 and the book states awning size 971 but I've read somewhere else quoted by Coachman that the A frame size is 985.  Do I then need to add on for the distance between the end of the awning rail and the ground.  If so I reckon I need an awning approx 1050.  Is this correct?

The absolute BEST way to get your correct awning measurement is the good ole string way I'm afraid mate

Takes two of you, (or you could secure it to the ground with a knot at the end where it touches the ground), and you just need to take the string and measure from the ground at one end of your tin tent, (straight down from where your awning rail ends), then take the string along the entire length of your awning rail and back down to the ground at t'other end. Measure that string and Bob's yer Uncle and Nelllie's yer Auntie, job done.

Having fallen foul of the awning size guide in a tin tent handbook myself, I'd only ever trust the good ole method in future. Ended up with our new tin tent that we had to the awning reduced after getting the size recommended in our handbook only to have it w-a-y too big and flapping about for the entire first fortnight. Thank heaven's for Tent Valeting Services who came to our rescue to reduce it.

Starting to make sense but I think I'll have a trip out to inlaws in the morning with a ball of string just to verify.  Tried to do it with a metal ruler but had too many people interferring. I was so annoyed this afternoon when the other one didn't fit and hubby and father in law were not exactly helpful.  Hubby just couldn't get it into his head that it was too small!!

What are the Quest awnings like?  I've been trawling the net this afternoon and saw them.

Put your van details in here.

Quote: Originally posted by jacksprat on 24/7/2010

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Starting to make sense but I think I'll have a trip out to inlaws in the morning with a ball of string just to verify.  Tried to do it with a metal ruler but had too many people interferring. I was so annoyed this afternoon when the other one didn't fit and hubby and father in law were not exactly helpful.  Hubby just couldn't get it into his head that it was too small!!

What are the Quest awnings like?  I've been trawling the net this afternoon and saw them.

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Before you go out buying another awning look into the costs of having it extended.

there are a lot of people on here who have had that done & could advise

Quote: Originally posted by old chap on 24/7/2010

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Before you go out buying another awning look into the costs of having it extended.

there are a lot of people on here who have had that done & could advise

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Couldn't agree more and we used Tent Valeting Services to alter oursWe  had to have ours reduced and they made an excellent job of it, you'd never know. Expect their extensions would be of the same high standard. I seem to think that they can only extend up to two sizes larger though but that's probably less than you'd need, if you need it at all.