4RunAmok and the ShadyBoy Awning

Mitch

Adventurist
Founding Member
To compliment the tent and the campsite, I've added a Shadyboy Awning. One of our members, Country Home Campers, brought one to the Mountain Rendezvous, and now that the tent situation is resolved, it was time to mount it.

You can check out the awning at Country Home Campers here! They sell it for $401.00 plus shipping.

With the sides of the Yakima bars easily accessible, I used them to mount the anwing, by attaching a 7/8" aluminum rod to the backside of the awning using a piece of 80-20 so that I can use carriage bolts to allow me to adjust the position of the awning. There are only two mounting screws on the awning, and trying to adapt that to my truck wasn't going to work, so the 80-20 created a slot that runs the length of the awning.

On to the photos...
Photo Jan 30, 2 12 50 PM.jpg


Photo Jan 30, 2 12 56 PM.jpg


Photo Jan 30, 2 13 42 PM.jpg

The inner diameter of the Yakima bar is just over 7/8".

Photo Jan 30, 3 00 34 PM.jpg

I drilled a hole to secure the awning, and then used sand paper to remove the burrs and clean out the bars.

Photo Jan 30, 2 13 36 PM.jpg

I threw the 7/8" aluminum rod on a lathe and cleaned up the ends, drilled a hole, and tapped it (1/4-20 threads), drilled a slightly larger clearance hole for the shoulder of the carriage bolt. This worked a lot better then I expected. I'm hoping the threads hold up to offroad abuse. I used 1" carriage bolts, so a good 3/4" of threads are seated.

Photo Jan 30, 3 25 06 PM.jpg

Here's the backside of the mount with the temporary bolts locking the mount in. I'll probably use a lock to replace the bolts.

So there ya go. That's the installation.

Here's an overall shot for perspective! The size of this thing on a 4Runner is PERFECT!

Photo Jan 30, 3 20 45 PM.jpg


Deployment and video will come when I take it out next! :)

Photo Jan 30, 2 12 50 PM.jpg


Photo Jan 30, 2 12 56 PM.jpg


Photo Jan 30, 2 13 36 PM.jpg


Photo Jan 30, 2 13 42 PM.jpg


Photo Jan 30, 3 00 34 PM.jpg


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I had a chance to get some photos of the awning, not quite in the wild, at Goose Gear while helping with the Defcon Brix trailer.

Some shots...
Photo Jan 31, 11 21 00 AM.jpg


The model we purchased has the upgraded silver color. Reflective on the top, black on the bottom. Sitting in the sun all day, the material stayed pretty cool.
Photo Jan 31, 11 28 39 AM.jpg


Photo Jan 31, 11 28 51 AM.jpg


Photo Jan 31, 11 29 12 AM.jpg


The poles are strong fiberglass, with well made coupling collars in the middle. The poles separate in the middle, get stacked together, and rolled up into the canvas for storage.
Photo Jan 31, 11 40 48 AM.jpg


The stitching and attention to detail where the support poles meet fabric is very nice. In these places, a much more durable fabric is used. The poles are also covered with soft plastic caps to prevent sharp edges from coming into contact the material.
Photo Jan 31, 11 40 58 AM.jpg


Photo Jan 31, 11 41 09 AM.jpg


For the down poles, there is a nice O-ring that helps keep the poles from sliding apart easily at the coupling. I kinda wish all of the poles had this, when I was putting it up, I inadvertently sent part of the pole flying by swinging it around. It's not necessary if you're paying attention! But the O-ring would have been nice :)
Photo Jan 31, 11 41 45 AM.jpg


The down poles connect to the corners with a nice snap connector. Easy!
Photo Jan 31, 11 42 48 AM.jpg


We let the awning sit out there without the down poles the whole day. It was breezy, but not windy. The awning handles the breezes nicely without bending down. It waves a little, but that's no big deal, it remained quiet without any flapping at all.

We can't wait for our next weekend out, whenever that will be! Maybe this weekend?
 
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Thanks guys! Apryl and I are really happy with it!

I had a chance to get some photos of the awning, not quite in the wild, at Goose Gear while helping with the Defcon Brix trailer.

Some shots...
View attachment 11704

The model we purchased has the upgraded silver color. Reflective on the top, black on the bottom. Sitting in the sun all day, the material stayed pretty cool.
View attachment 11705

View attachment 11706

View attachment 11707

The poles are strong fiberglass, with well made coupling collars in the middle. The poles separate in the middle, get stacked together, and rolled up into the canvas for storage.
View attachment 11708

The stitching and attention to detail where the support poles meet fabric is very nice. In these places, a much more durable fabric is used. The poles are also covered with soft plastic caps to prevent sharp edges from coming into contact the material.
View attachment 11709

View attachment 11710

For the down poles, there is a nice O-ring that helps keep the poles from sliding apart easily at the coupling. I kinda wish all of the poles had this, when I was putting it up, I inadvertently sent part of the pole flying by swinging it around. It's not necessary if you're paying attention! But the O-ring would have been nice :)
View attachment 11711

The down poles connect to the corners with a nice snap connector. Easy!
View attachment 11712

We let the awning sit out there without the down poles the whole day. It was breezy, but not windy. The awning handles the breezes nicely without bending down. It waves a little, but that's no big deal, it remained quiet without any flapping at all.

We can't wait for our next weekend out, whenever that will be! Maybe this weekend?
Really love that awning.
 
How much is the awning and where can it be purchased?
 
Wow I was impressed with the first post about the new tent and really impressed with the awning addition. You and Apryl have really done your homework on this one. I predict that there soon will be more rigs emulating yours, Congrats
 
Just a suggestion, but never leave the awning deployed and unsecured. I have seen and heard of countless awnings of all types destroyed by the unexpected gust. Looks nice.
 
Tim, The awning can be secured without using down poles. Just run the guy lines from the two outside corners down to the bumper or rock slider, cinch it up a bit, and it will cause some tension on the support poles, and this will keep it from whipping up in winds. The poles will keep it from going down too far.

Salim, the owner of Country Home Campers said he was setting it up, and the wind caught it and tilted it almost straight up, and when the wind settled down, the awning came right back down to level. :D More than I'd risk, so some form of securing will be happen.
 
Wow I was impressed with the first post about the new tent and really impressed with the awning addition. You and Apryl have really done your homework on this one. I predict that there soon will be more rigs emulating yours, Congrats
Thanks Woody!
 
I've been on the fence on the shady boy awning for about 3 years now. They look great. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
 
Pretty impressive coverage for its size - haven't seen anything quite like it. At first blush, with it stowed, it appears to be ridiculously small but it has an ample amount of shade.
 
Yup, unfolding to 10' wide 6' out from such a small footprint, the innovative supports, and being lightweight in comparison to awnings of the same size, it's a winner!
 
Just a suggestion, but never leave the awning deployed and unsecured. I have seen and heard of countless awnings of all types destroyed by the unexpected gust. Looks nice.

Yup. I learned that lesson the hard way... DRV 2013
 
Improving the security a bit. Still need to change the mounting screws on the awning itself to some security hardware, but I did change out the bolts in the Yakima bars to locks.

Photo Feb 04, 3 19 58 PM.jpg
 
John (Borrego Wrangler) and I volunteered for parking duty at the San Diego Junior Pheasant Hunt, and it was a RAINY day.

At first we were standing out in the open, relying on the hoods on our jackets, and then John mentioned how cool it would be to have a vehicle set up with the awning out and a heater, and camp stove going. We spent a second imagining bacon cooking in the early morning. And then it dawned on me that I have the awning!! It's still a bit new, so I wasn't the first thing on my mind.

So here we are at the event.

Photo Mar 01, 8 19 08 AM.jpg


Initially I had it set up as shown, but wind picked up at one point, pulling the awning up, then rain picked up pretty good, and weighted it down, so I put the support poles and guy lines on and it did very well.

Instead of messing with the poles in the rain to stow the awning, I just threw them in the truck, rolled up the awning wet and we ended our day there. I unrolled it after work on Monday to dry it out. I shook off a lot of the water, dried it a bit with a towel, and then deployed the awning like normal, the sun dried the rest of it very quickly.

I could not be happier with this awning.

The ONLY thing, and it's my fault, is the side of the awning at the rear of the truck interferes with the opening and closing of the hatch. So I have to bend the awning pole slightly (the pole handles this easily) when I open or close the door. Well, I forgot and tried to close the door and I loosened the aluminum piece that holds the poles in place. It connects to the body of awning cover with a rivet. I'm probably going to have to thread it, and put in a couple bolts to sturdy it up.

Even with that, I still love it.

Photo Mar 01, 8 19 08 AM.jpg
 
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