Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 23:33:35 -0700
Reply-To: Graham Challis <gchallis@CENTUM.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Graham Challis <gchallis@CENTUM.COM>
Subject: Re: '90 Westfalia Van Sun Shade Problem.
In-Reply-To: <371FA066.879D496F@cobaltgroup.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I have a 90 GL with an awning. The awning is a Trans Awn 2000, made by A &
E systems, a division of Dometic Corp. When it was first installed 9 years
ago, three brackets were screwed into the side of the van, either side of
the sliding door and one at the back. After about a year, two of these had
their (3) screws almost ripped out of the sheetmetal, which meant a welding
job to repair the van. The manufacturer of the awning had, by this time,
switched to a different sort of bracket - a very hefty aluminum 2 piece
setup that clamped around the rain gutter. There are no holes drilled in
the bodywork (much better) and it has held for close to 100,000 miles with
no further tightening.
The brackets are made of approx. 1" wide by 1/4" thick aluminum. Looking
from the front of the van, the cross section of the bracket that clamps
under the rain gutter looks kind of like a "7" with 2 fingers on top and the
other bracket looks like a reversed "h". The 2 clamps bolt together through
their horizontal portions, sandwiching the gutter. The tail of the "7" has
a plastic protective bit on the end and rests against the side of the van
for extra support. The awning bolts to the top of the "h". I guess you
could buy them from an RV place (I got mine from Country Homes Camper) or
you could get someone to fabricate them.
|
| <---------- upper bracket (drilled to accept awning bolts)
____|
| | /
\----/ <------ rain gutter
|____|
/
/ <--------- lower bracket (tail rests against side of van).
/
Hope this helps,
Graham
90 GL Country Homes Camper
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Stuart MacMillan
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 3:19 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: '90 Westfalia Van Sun Shade Problem.
It is a lot to ask of the small drip rail to hold a 20 lb cantilevered
weight for miles and miles of bumping along the highway. It's even
worse to attach it at only two points. Lots of stress and flex will
eventually fatigue and crack the metal, resulting in what you
experienced.
You might have a welding shop fabricate a simple bracket that you could
screw onto the side of the van (use at least two screws) that could be
welded on to the awning. Or, have a body shop repair the drip rail with
a good welding job. That would require painting the area and would be
fairly expensive.
It is best not to run with your awning on the side of the van all the
time because of this weak connection. Just install it when you plan on
using it, or beef up the connection system as above if you want to leave
it on year 'round.
Keith Howard Riding wrote:
>
> We had an awning clamped to the small ledge on the side of the van and
> it fell off without us realising it.
--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext 208
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