How to Pitch a Drive Away Awning: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dec 29, 2025

A drive away awning is one of the most useful additions to a campervan or motorhome. It gives you extra living or storage space on site, but unlike a fixed awning, you can detach it and still use your vehicle during your stay. The process can feel daunting the first time, but once you understand the order of things, it’s very straightforward.

This guide talks you through the full process, whether you have an inflatable (air) model or a poled one, and explains the different ways to connect to your vehicle.

Before You Start – A Few Things That Make Life Easier

It’s always worth checking a few basics before you even open the bag:

Know your attachment height – low, mid or tall. Your awning needs to suit the height of your vehicle.
Check what connection method you’ll be using – awning rail, wind-out cassette, roof bars, throw-over straps or gutter rail.
Have the right kit with you – pegs, mallet, pump (for air models), figure-of-8 strips / drive-away kit if you use one, and ideally a footprint groundsheet.

If you’re doing it for the first time, take your time. There’s no rush on a campsite, and it’s far easier when you don’t feel stressed.

Step 1: Choose Your Pitch and Position the Vehicle

Where you park makes a big difference to how easily the awning goes up.

Pick a reasonably flat pitch so the awning sits correctly and water doesn’t collect.
Think about doors, trees and neighbouring units – you want your tunnel section to sit neatly against the van without branches or obstacles in the way.
Park roughly where you think you’ll stay before you even unload the awning. It’s easier to fine-tune position while the vehicle is still connected.

If you have a footprint groundsheet, lay it out where the main body of the awning will sit. It helps with alignment and protects the sewn-in groundsheet.

Step 2: Lay Out the Awning

Take the awning out of the bag and open it out so you can see which part is the tunnel (the bit that connects to the van) and which is the main living area.

Make sure the back of the awning faces the vehicle.
Smooth it out roughly into shape so nothing’s twisted.
Locate your kador strip / beading or connection points now so you’re not hunting for them once you start attaching.

Don’t worry about it being perfectly lined up at this stage – it will move and adjust as you build it.

Step 3: Connect the Awning to the Vehicle

With drive away awnings, it’s normally easier to attach to the vehicle first, then inflate or pole it afterwards. There are a few common connection methods:

Awning Rail or Wind-Out Awning Channel

This is the most secure and most common modern method.

Slide the kador into the rail or cassette channel.
Often a drive-away kit (figure-of-8 with double-beaded strip) is used, which makes disconnecting later easier.
Feed it in steadily. It can be fiddly, and an extra pair of hands helps.

Roof Bars

If your van has roof bars:

Use the Velcro tabs on the tunnel to wrap around the bars.
Peg and tension later to pull everything snug.

Throw-Over Straps

Useful if you have nothing to connect to:

The straps go over the roof of the van.
Peg them down on the opposite side.
They work fine, but they can flap a little in wind.

Gutter Rails (Older Vehicles)

If your van has an old-style rain gutter:

Feed a pole through the awning sleeve.
Sit the pole in the gutter.
Secure using clamps.

Once attached, roughly position the awning so it sits square to the van.

Step 4: Peg Near the Vehicle First

Before building the structure, it helps to anchor it.

Pull the awning gently away from the van so the tunnel isn’t sagging.
Peg the two rear points nearest the van first.
Then peg the front two corners so the footprint is in a rectangle.

Try to get it straight now – it will save adjusting later.

Step 5: Build the Awning – Inflatable or Poled

This is where the process splits slightly.

Inflatable (Air) Drive Away Awnings

Make sure a door is slightly unzipped to avoid pressure build-up.
Start with the beam closest to the vehicle.
Inflate using the supplied pump until firm but not rock-hard.
Work your way along beam by beam.
If your model has a bracer beam inside, fit that afterwards.

Poled Drive Away Awnings

Thread the poles through the sleeves in the flysheet.
Insert and tension them in the order the manufacturer suggests.
Don’t over-tension too early – get the structure standing first, then fine-tune.

Once standing, the shape should look right even before full pegging.

Step 6: Pegging, Guying and Tensioning

This is where the awning really settles into position.

Peg the main pegging points at around a 45-degree angle into the ground.
Work your way evenly around the awning rather than doing one whole side first.
Pull out guy lines and storm straps and peg them wide for stability.
Use any tunnel adjustment straps to tighten the roof and sides of the tunnel against the van. This helps with weather protection and reduces draughts.

You’re aiming for the awning to sit straight, without creases being dragged too tight, and without sagging fabric.

Step 7: Final Checks Inside

Once it’s up, spend a few minutes finishing off properly:

Open vents to help airflow and reduce condensation.
Check zips run smoothly and aren’t under strain.
Make sure the tunnel sits neatly with minimal gaps.
If the weather is windy, double-check guy lines.

At this point, you should have a stable, weather-worthy structure that’s secure whether you’re attached to the van or not.

Step 8: Driving Away and Re-Attaching

This is the bit that worries most first-timers, but it’s actually straightforward.

Before You Leave

Mark where your wheels are using pegs, chocks or “landing strip” straps.
Disconnect using your chosen method (unzip rear panel, slide out kador, unclip straps etc.).
Zip up or close the tunnel panel so the awning is sealed as a free-standing tent.

Your awning stays on the pitch like a standalone shelter while you drive away.

When You Return

Park back using your markers as guides.
Reconnect the tunnel.
Re-tension any straps if needed.

You don’t have to rebuild the awning – that’s the whole point of a drive away design.

Common Mistakes People Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Pitching too far from the van – keep the tunnel neat and not stretched.
Inflating with all doors closed – always unzip slightly to allow air movement.
Over-tensioning pegging points – tight fabric is weaker than well-tensioned fabric.
Forgetting to check height compatibility – always match awning height to vehicle height.
Not pegging close enough to the van – you want the tunnel to sit snugly, not with a gap.

If You’d Like to Read More

These guides may help next:

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

Final Thoughts

Pitching a drive away awning isn’t difficult; it just feels unfamiliar the first time. Once you’ve done it once or twice, you’ll fall into a routine and it becomes a straightforward part of setting up camp. The key things are: attach first, anchor it, build it steadily, and take a bit of time tensioning properly.

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