Alternative to tentpegs

[Greynomad]

No pics for this one. Shouldn't be necessary.
Probably others have come up with this idea... here 't'is for the slower among us (me included) and newbies.........

Came across another motorhomer who replaced his tentpegs (used to hold down outdoor mat & awning tethers) with 9" coach screws.
You will need to carry a battery-powered drill or impact driver and the necessary socket wrench piece to fit the heads of the screws, and a hex-to-square-drive adapter of the appropriate size for your socket (1/4 or 1/2 inch).
With mine, I've welded washers to the underside of the screw heads to ensure the ropes don't slip off in high wind.
Simple idea which avoids the frustration of trying to drive bent tentpegs into rock-hard soil. The coach screws make easy work of such soil... I tested it with one coach screw before outlaying the $$$ for a dozen (8 for the mat, 4 for awning tie-downs).

[T1 Terry]

There was someone in one of the Saturday stalls selling them at the last Stone The Crows rally, complete with rather bird droppings welds to hold the flat washer onto the head of the bolt. Actually better off not welding the washer on, driving the bolt into the ground with about 1/2'left to go, loop the rope around it and tighten the rope, then drive the bolt in the rest of the way. This way the washer doesn't cut the bolt or the mat because it doesn't spin with the bolt.
Remember seeing an underground fed (miner) using what I think were roofing bolts to anchor down a very large tent affair in very sandy soil. It didn't move an inch even during a high wind storm while all the other campers went chasing their tents off into the scrub. I'm guessing he had learnt from past bad experiences These things were really long, maybe waist high when he started drilling and when he finally got them back out, really course thread and a nut welded on top. Someone else in the group reckoned they were actually cut short and that was why there was a nut welded on the top

[Grandad]

The loose washer is a good idea. I'd heard of using coach screws but not the washer bit.
Always something more to learn.

Jim

[pet-els]

I use coach screws too, but I got some aluminium "L" brackets from the BG shop with holes in both sides and use it instead of washers.


PeterH

[wayno]

Well, not too many ideas being presented here
Stop mucking around and get some landscaping screws. They are like a bugle batten, self drill and a 6mm centre drive. Sizes range up to 350mm. Then get some gal chain that allows the screw to pass through, but not the head. Cut off every 4th link and gather as many three link sections as required. Then get some mini bungee's and you are good to go. OH, don't for get the drill and the 6mm hex driver.
Let me know if some pic's are required.

Wayno

[RobertNotBob]

Hi Wayno photos would be welcome thank you Robert

[T1 Terry]

We have a varied selection of "coach bolts" and use is dictated by the ground/ mud/sand they are to be used in. The sand anchors have very course and deep threads and are quite long. We always peg the awning corners using two anchors to form a triangle for the anchor rope and the tensioning rope via a spring runs from there. This gives a much broader foot print for the anchor and a multi directional anchor point so flapping of the awning (if the awning escapes the anti flappers) can't pull the pegs out of the ground in the middle of the night. With a long tensioner rope, it can be slowly released as the awning is being rolled up to stop the thing flying over the roof in a wind gust ......

T1 Terry

[WarrenK]

I made these from 300 X 12mm coach screws.

20210329_113805.jpg

I also have a long 10mm sds drill to predrill the ground if it hard.