Which side to mount the awning?

MojaveKJ

Adventurer
Hey all, just got a new ARB awning to mount to my roof rack and I am trying to decide if I want it on the drivers side or the passengers side. Where is yours mounted and why?

Thanks for the input!
 

Lesspavedrds

Observer
My ARB awning is mounted off of the passenger side because my tent opened toward the driver side before I got my trailer. I was also thinking about our Baja trip and if something broke we could use the shade without being close to traffic. Not much else to it.
 

Scoutn79

Adventurer
If possible I would make it so you could easily move it from one side to the other, even use it off of the back if possible too.. You can't always use the awning on the same side since camp sites vary. Otherwise it's a shot in the dark.
Darrell
 

MojaveKJ

Adventurer
In looking at this thread:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/38439-Post-your-Camp-Awnings

it seems evenly divided between those mounted on the driver's side and those mounted on the passenger's side. I do like the idea of being able to move it from side to side but I'm not too sure I can engineer a suitable mounting system that would be easy enough to use in the field and strong enough to withstand a beating on the trail.

I'm leaning toward the drivers side as this is the side I most often use for access to the Jeep.
 

overlander

Expedition Leader
I have mine on the drivers side. It is somewhat arbitrary unless you have specific non-moveable things that will go with it. I have a shelf I built that mounts on the side of my 110 under the awning, but I put that there after mounting the awning on the drivers side anyway, but now I'm committed to that side.

One thing I've learned to think from a sides standpoint with awnings is the following:
  • Most people camp in good weather when it's warm
  • In the morning, you want the sun under the awning for warmth during breakfast
  • In the evening, you want the shade from the awning to escape the fleeting heat

With all those in mind, I make sure that when I am parking at a site to setup the awning for overnight, that I park facing South, so that the driver side awning is shaded at dusk, blocking the Western sunset with the vehicle and awning shade, and lit at dawn by the rising sun in the East with no obstructions.

If you mount on passenger side, that logic is opposite. In the fall and winter, you would only use an awning to shelter from precipitation, then it doesn't really matter.
 

greggNJ

Observer
In camp I'd be in and out of the cargo area a lot so if I were to mount one on my JK I'd put it on the left so I wouldn't have to walk around the gate to get to the back. On my Cherokee it wouldn't matter with the liftgate. Maybe on the right so as mentioned before, it's not on the road side if your pulled over (in the US anyway...)
 

SWITAWI

Doesn't Get Out Enough
^^^x2. The best functional advice I can think of is to consider which way your vehicle's rear door opens so that if you're already set up for cooking, entertaining, or whatever under the awning while you're in camp you don't have to walk around the rear door every time you need to get into the back of the vehicle for something. My FJC's opens towards the driver's side, so I'd mount an awning to the passenger side in my case. Just a convenience issue, really.
 

toymaster

Explorer
I have one that is not permanently attached. My suggestion would be to set-up camp in your yard(?) and see which way suits you best. The rear door swing mentioned above ^^^ is a good indicator.
 

Carolyn

no retreat, no surrender
Mine can actually be moved from one side to the other if needed, however, I have it on the drivers side. Reason being... I have a jeep, the rear door swings out from the drivers side (rear) and I'd have to walk around it to access the rear when left open if the awning were mounted on the passenger side. Whew. that's a mouthful...
 

Utah KJ

Free State of Florida
I integrated mine into the factory cross rail system; a couple of turnes of the thumb screws and it can be romoved completely or flipped around.
 

overlander

Expedition Leader
^^^x2. The best functional advice I can think of is to consider which way your vehicle's rear door opens so that if you're already set up for cooking, entertaining, or whatever under the awning while you're in camp you don't have to walk around the rear door every time you need to get into the back of the vehicle for something. My FJC's opens towards the driver's side, so I'd mount an awning to the passenger side in my case. Just a convenience issue, really.


I would have to chime in again and agree with this. I failed to mention that my rear safari door opens to the right hand side AND my Eezi-awn T-top, when opened over the back with the annex room underneath, only has a door on the left hand side. Both of those favor the left side, which were factors in my left side placement in addition to my other arguments.
 

MojaveKJ

Adventurer
IMG_0588.jpg

I decided to mount the awning on the passenger side after considering what people had said about walking around the rear door of my Jeep to get from the shade to the cargo area. I'm sure it will not work well in all campsites I choose but overall I think it's the best choice. And I can always move it to the other side in the future if I feel the need.

Thanks to all for the good advice, I appreciate it!
 

SWITAWI

Doesn't Get Out Enough
Very nice. When the day comes that I finally break down and buy a roof rack, 99% of the justification will be so that I can mount an awning.

For now I will simply be jealous of you! :coffeedrink:
 

Flip_4_It

Jeff Brown
I mounted mine on the passenger side so when i pull off the road i can set it up and be away from the traffic also. The top of the doors also brush it when they open and i am more frequently getting into the drivers door when parked.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2
 

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