Short bus awning and enclosure.

[markmknc]

I just bought a short bus conversion and I was thinking about putting an awning on it with an attached room. Does anyone have any experience with that? Also, I am having a heck of a time trying to find a hitch that will fit this. Any thoughts? It's an '86 GMC Vandura 3500. It was a Sheriff's Dept. transport.

 

[magnakansas]

awning with room

i have carefree brand awning, wall mount. The "room" makes the awning like a big tent. you have got to figure out very wind proof tie downs. a biggish wind gust can destroy the rig in a moment. what you think is enough..... double it. my awnings cover my side door, so when the room is installed the door is inside the the tent. if you cook inside the tent WATCH OUT for fire! not difficult to overheat the awnings above any of the cooking stations. my setup has skirts that go from bus to ground. mine also has windows that unzip and become screens. in the summer more like mosquitoes net room. call if you want to talk 7852077600

william

 

[tumblewd]

Hello and welcome, have you tried etrailer.com. They show 1 to fit, for 255.00 , in stock.. pull your measurements and verify with them. Also, you may want to consider putting a rack underneath your bus for the propane tank you have on back bumper.. also for awning I just go cheap and easy, good tarp, drill a few holes in your gutter, hooks from tarp thru gutter, or bungies, bungies to a few 5 gallon plastic buckets of water or sand ,rocks from camp site or whatever you choose with rope thru tarp holes, dont need many to hold it down, I choose the easy and fast way for my setups, I have metal coleman extension awning poles for corners.

 

[markmknc]

Yes, I have checked etrailer. And I have been checking horizontal tanks. And I have extension poles with tarps but I was thinking about 150 # magnets with eye bolts instead of drilling holes. Thanks.

 

[Rucker]

For hitches, I did a custom one; others have had luck with their various rigs but it is totally hit or miss. I don't know if I'd trust the 'this fits your vehicle' on the vendor website.

A stock hitch will need to fit exactly between the two frame rails on the back of the rig. Knowing that distance will help you evaluate whether a hitch will work.

Also, what are you using it for? Hitch height is a factor for flat towing, for instance.

There should be some bolt holes already in the frame, and if you're lucky you don't need to drill new ones. It is very difficult to drill new holes accurately.

 

[nikitis]

I went through this recently on my bus with the hitch. There were some supposed hitches to work but when I inquired the width didn't match my chassis. So I made one from scratch.

 

[LargeMarge-TC]

Instead of attached to our ExpeditionVehicle for branches to whack, we prefer modular and movable.
.
www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-big-outdoorsman-quick-set-hub-screen-shelter
.
Story Time:
From Cabela's in Springfield Oregon, I purchased a house-brand 'Redhead' Henley long-sleeve T-shirt.
Holding it in front of the mirror, it appeared to mostly fit so it went home with me.
.
I warm-worshed it, gently dried it on 'LOW', then proudly tried it on for the first time.
'Weird', I thought, 'something feels 'off' ', I thought.
.
I removed it and held it up for a looksie.
.
Would you believe... the pocket was mounted on the back!
.
With the pocket and buttons on the back, I again tried it on... and it fit perfectly.
But I cannot go around wearing it so it fits, but anybody looking at me would think I got dressed in the dark or something.
.
So I returned it.
The kosher nodded as I approached holding the shirt and the appropriate receipt.
On sale with a geezer discount, I paid about us$13 (marked down from something in the neighborhood of us$75! or so).
The lovely kosher gave me the full retail price plus a twenty fedbux coupon for my troubles.
I looked at her, and quietly mentioned the price I paid on the receipt.
"All good", she said.
.
I got the impression she knew of the issue, and wanted to keep me as a satisfied customer.
.
With my cash and coupon and with my intimate knowledge of Cabela's stock, I immediately marched to the pop-up canopy section, and snagged the version we still use to this very day.
.
[que Matt Damon voice-over]
"But if we keep the camera rolling..."
.
At the checkout kosher, I presented the cash from the return plus the return coupon... and that kosher automatically invoked another geezer discount plus a 'secret sale' price.
.
My final investment was just shy of ten fedbux (us$10!) for a pop-up room with a retail asking price of around three hundred smackeroos.
.
I love Cabela's.
.
[edited to add]
https://youtu.be/teK_CFdc7gM?si=qtgAod5HMebmRNeg

 

[LargeMarge-TC]

Any welder-fabricator can craft a hitch to your specifications.
.
Example:
Eugene Oregon.
Hitch Pro And Toe.
www.hitchproandtow.com
Their staff fabricates hitches for all kinds of rigs.

 

[BMWNJ]

I have NAPA's ARB Awning knockoff, 8x8 Maxi Trac . IIRC it was like $120. I'm fairly certain the ARB walls would work.

Pics
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/2010-chevy-express-3500-collins-6-window-hc-bus-36460-5.html#post478520