Awning Mount at Rear Liftgate Window Hinge?

[Hohertz]

Has anyone utilized the rear liftgate window hinge as a mounting point? In particular for an awning?

I've been looking at ways to get a quick-disconnect type set up for an awing without having to get a roof rack. It seems like utilizing the rear liftgate hinge would make a good location to mount something like this. So I did some digging and found these Go Rhino Rear Liftgate Window Hinge Mounts.

Does anyone have any experience with doing something similar?

I am concerned the hinge mount my be pushing the limits for use with an awning as I could see highway wind and trail bumps putting stress on the hinge attached to the fiberglass hardtop.

Appreciate anyone's input!

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[Apples491]

I've never seen an awning narrow enough to fit there. IIRC, the smallest I've seen is 60". I definitely wouldn't permanently mount a 60" off the back. Other than looking stupid, it's going to be a lot of wind resistance and you'll catch branches or worse with it. One mistake and you'd be looking at bent hinges or a broken rear window.

 

[Hohertz]

@Apples491 Thanks! That's a good point about the length - haven't given that much consideration.

It narrows at the back to roughly ~54" inches so there would about +3" of overhang on each side. However the widest part of the hardtop is about ~59" wide so an awning would be about as wide as the widest part of the hardtop

This definitely would not be something I'd permanently mount but only put on when heading out for certain trip/adventures - Ideally with some quick disconnect of some sort.

 

[Hohertz]

Looks like there are options out there that would be shorter in width:

This ARB Retractable Awning is 49" wide

 

[Apples491]

Yeah, if you could figure out a quick disconnect, you could have it in the Jeep until you went to set up. That would be pretty slick.

This one claims to be 4.5 ft long.

https://www.amazon.com/SAMOUT-Vehicle-Rooftop-Pullout-Reinforced/dp/B0C1Z8WW7N

 

[Only-In-A-Jeep]

Maybe something in the Seasucker product line might be an answer for a temporary mount point when at camp.

https://www.seasucker.com/collections/car-racks

 

[Blue Bear]

Try the Moon Shade. We have one that we attach to the back glass with suction cups when it is raised. It's lightweight, easy to set up, and reasonably priced for an awning.
https://moonfab.com/
The great thing about them is that you can pretty much set them up wherever you want.

 

[Hohertz]

Maybe something in the Seasucker product line might be an answer for a temporary mount point when at camp.

https://www.seasucker.com/collections/car-racks

Thanks - boy, they sure are proud of their little suction cups aren't they?!

 

[Hohertz]

Try the Moon Shade. We have one that we attach to the back glass with suction cups when it is raised. It's lightweight, easy to set up, and reasonably priced for an awning.
https://moonfab.com/
The great thing about them is that you can pretty much set them up wherever you want.

Nice! I had come across Moon Shade in the past but had forgotten about them. Not a bad option at all. Although, ideally I'd like to mount the awning on the outside to minimize taking up the ever-valuable interior space that seems to be becoming more and more scarce as my family grows.

Curious - did you purchase your suction cups from Moon Shade or elsewhere?
Any pictures of your set up?
How small does it pack down?

 

[Blue Bear]

Nice! I had come across Moon Shade in the past but had forgotten about them. Not a bad option at all. Although, ideally I'd like to mount the awning on the outside to minimize taking up the ever-valuable interior space that seems to be becoming more and more scarce as my family grows.

Curious - did you purchase your suction cups from Moon Shade or elsewhere?
Any pictures of your set up?
How small does it pack down?

Hoertz,
My suction cups came with the shade. I was an early adopter, and at the time, the company provided both large and small suction cups with your shade. You also got the pole to run along the back edge of the shade, allowing you to attach it to anything. Those items are now extra. Do not buy the big $75 suction cups. Wait for the small ones to come back into stock, or snag them on Amazonian.
I just used it at the Rubicon Jeep Jamboree. It was easy to set up and take down, and provided a great place to hang out. It packs down to about the size of a rolled up camp chair. It's maybe 3 or 4 feet long. It takes up very little space - certainly less than a full-blown rooftop shade. I have the American Adventure Labs shelf and bulkhead, and I strapped the shade to the bulkhead, and it took up no space.
The photo shows my setup at the Rubicon last week.

Matthew

 

[MntGoat]

That's good to know that the window will hold and stay up with suction cup mounts, I'm about to rig up my awning that just came today.

 

[Blue Bear]

That's good to know that the window will hold and stay up with suction cup mounts, I'm about to rig up my awning that just came today.

If you have the Moonshade, I will say no problem. If you have something heavier, then maybe not. The Moonshade is super lightweight, so the rear window struts don't even know it's there.

 

[MntGoat]

It is very light wt. Like tent fabric, just need protection while cooking. And to keep excess water out of my beer

It came with 2 suction cups so I figured i would try them now.

 

[Blue Bear]

It is very light wt. Like tent fabric, just need protection while cooking. And to keep excess water out of my beer

It came with 2 suction cups so I figured i would try them now.

You should be totally good to go. Gotta keep that beer safe!

 

[Ratbert]

Hoertz,
Do not buy the big $75 suction cups. Wait for the small ones to come back into stock, or snag them on Amazonian.

From what I can tell it's $25 for the large cups and they include the original smaller ones in the package.

Their site, however, is pretty crappy. You have to kind of guess what's what and what's included.

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