Attaching & Detaching a Drive Away Awning from Your Vehicle

Dec 29, 2025

One of the big advantages of a drive away awning is in the name – you can leave it standing and still take your campervan or motorhome out for the day. But to do that confidently, you need to understand how attaching and detaching actually works in the real world.

If you’re unsure how a drive away awning connects to your vehicle, how to safely disconnect it before heading out, or how to line yourself back up when you return, this guide explains the whole process. Whether you’re using an inflatable awning from brands like Vango or Outdoor Revolution, or a poled model, the principles are the same.

First – How Does a Drive Away Awning Attach?

Most drive away awnings have two main parts:

the main living area
the tunnel / cowl that connects to your vehicle

That tunnel is what keeps the weather out and creates the walkway from your van into the awning. There are several ways to connect it, depending on what your vehicle has.

Common Ways to Attach a Drive Away Awning

✔️ Awning Rail / C-Rail (Most Secure)

If your campervan or motorhome has a fitted rail, this is the neatest and most weather-resistant option.

The awning has a kador (keder) strip sewn on.
This slides into the rail.
Often, people use a drive away fixing kit between the awning and the rail to make detaching easier.

This is the most popular method for modern vans and motorhomes.

✔️ Wind-Out Cassette Awnings (Fiamma / Thule, etc.)

If you have a wind-out awning on your van:

There’s a small channel in the lead bar.
A drive away kit slides into it.
Note: Fiamma usually uses a 4mm channel, so you often need a 4mm–6mm kit.

This works very well and is widely used.

✔️ Drive Away Fixing Kit (Highly Recommended)

A fixing kit acts as the “middleman” between your awning and your van. It:

Uses a double-beaded strip
Connects to the van rail / wind-out awning
Attaches to your awning via figure-of-8 strips

The big benefit?
When you want to drive away, you simply slide off the figure-of-8 plastic strips rather than feeding the whole awning out of the rail. Much quicker, far less frustrating.

✔️ Gutter Rail (Older Vans)

If your vehicle has an old-style rain gutter:

A pole slides through the tunnel sleeve.
The pole sits in the gutter.
Clamps hold it firmly.

Simple, old-school and still very effective.

✔️ Throw-Over Straps

If your van doesn’t have any fitting points:

Long straps are thrown over the roof.
Pegged down on the opposite side.

This isn’t as tidy but works reliably.

✔️ Roof Bars

If your van has roof bars:

Most awnings include Velcro tabs inside the tunnel.
These wrap around the bars and are tensioned afterwards.

Again, straightforward and secure.

How to Detach Your Drive Away Awning (Driving Away)

This is the part most people worry about the first time. The reality is, it’s straightforward once you’ve done it once.

🔹 Step 1 – Mark Your Parking Position

Before disconnecting:

Mark your wheel position using pegs, chocks, or landing strips.
This means when you return, you can park in exactly the same place.
The closer you return to the same spot, the easier reconnecting is.

🔹 Step 2 – Release Tension

Loosen anything that’s pulling the tunnel towards the van:

Tunnel straps
Pegging points around the tunnel
Any storm straps in that area

You’re not collapsing the awning — it remains standing as a fully pitched shelter.

🔹 Step 3 – Separate the Awning from the Vehicle

This depends on your attachment method:

Fixing kit: simply slide off the figure-of-8 strips.
Rail without fixing kit: unthread the kador strip.
Roof bars: undo the Velcro tabs.
Throw-over straps: unpeg on the opposite side.
Gutter rail: unclamp the pole.

If you’re using a wind-out awning, you may need to lower it slightly to reach comfortably before removing the fixing kit strips.

🔹 Step 4 – Secure the Tunnel

You don’t want loose fabric hanging around.

Roll the tunnel fabric neatly back.
Secure it using toggles or clips if your awning has them.

This prevents flapping, stops puddles forming and reduces risk of damage.

🔹 Step 5 – Seal the Rear of the Awning

Most drive away awnings from brands like Vango and Outdoor Revolution include a rear door or zipped panel.

Zip it up fully.
Your awning is now fully enclosed and freestanding.

You can now drive off and leave it standing safely on your pitch.

How to Reattach When You Return

This is usually easier than people expect.

🔹 Step 1 – Park Back in Your Marked Position

Use the pegs or markers you placed earlier.

Try to park straight.
Try to park to the same distance from the awning.

The more accurate you are, the quicker the connection goes back on.

🔹 Step 2 – Reconnect Using Your Attachment Method

Depending on your setup, simply:

Slide figure-of-8 strips back on, or
Slide kador back into the rail, or
Re-attach straps / Velcro / clamps

You don’t need to rebuild the awning — it remains pitched the whole time.

🔹 Step 3 – Re-Tension the Tunnel

Once connected:

Retighten straps
Re-peg the tunnel if required
Make sure the tunnel fabric sits neat and snug
Check zips aren’t under strain

That’s it - you’re reconnected.

A Few Helpful Tips from WM Camping

From years of helping customers, a few things always help:

Always match awning height to your van’s attachment height.
A fixing kit genuinely makes life easier for people who will drive away frequently.
Don’t overtighten fabric — neat and tensioned is better than stretched.
If wind is forecast, peg wider guy angles at the front and tunnel.

If You’d Like to Read More

These guides may help next:

Or, if you’re ready to look at options:

Key Takeaway

Once you understand how attaching and detaching a drive away awning works, it stops being something to worry about. Whether you choose an inflatable Vango AirBeam drive away awning, an Outdoor Revolution model, or a poled design, the process is simple, repeatable, and designed for campsite use.

If you’re unsure which attachment method suits your vehicle best, or want advice choosing the right awning, the team at WM Camping are always happy to help.

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