Which mounting hardware for Fiamma awning?

[domromer]

I've got a stock e150 that I've slowing converting into my own mini SB. I wanted to get an awning for it this year and I wasn't sure about which mounting kit to get my van has the barn doors not a slider. It looks like I can used the mounts that clamp to the rain gutter towards the back of the van but around the door I'll need something smaller that won't over lap the door opening. I pulled some pics from the gallery that show the two different hardware types being used on the same van. I was hoping one of you guys knew what the front piece of hardware is. Also both vans seem to have the same model awning. Does anyone know what it is?

[daveb]

Search will bring up a few links including this one that is fairly new.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4670

[mjeffrey]

The awning is a Fiamma F45.

daveb's link to that post is spot on - that's the best bracket for the awning, in my opinion. At the front, it clamps to the rain gutter and sits against the body behind the doors.

Note that the pictures you have are likely Sportsmobile-installed brackets. They drill through the body, rather than clamp the rain gutter. They also use three brackets instead of two.

Cheers,
Mike.

[jstanley]

I had a Fiamma 45i 3m awning attached to the SMB like the one on the red SMB in the pic above.

After 50 miles of Baja dirt road it had cracked the sheet metal on the van body where the bolts go thru in one place. After 100 miles the sheet metal was cracked at 3 of the mounting holes.

I would not recommend that particular mount.

[geoffff]

Yeah, watch out. I've had that same problem with awning mounts causing body cracks, and so have many other people.

-- Geoff

[domromer]

Have you guys all switched over to Eli's brackets? Do you find they work well? Does the front bracket actually get shut in the front door?

[charlie56]

Not me so far. I have the SMB "modified" brackets. I caught a 1.5" tree limb in on my last trip. I was amazed that I didn't rip the whole thing off the van but everything stayed in place. Still solid. No cracking that I can see since I made the upgrade. I think a little serrated blade at the front of the awning would help me out.

[GreyDawg]

Without a PH, I'm leaning toward a Camping Lab/Mombassa/ARB awning for my stock E350 roof/homebrew. It's a bit smaller than the Fiamma (and less expensive ). Since I plan to have my Yakima rack on the top with a cargo box (Thule Evolution 1600), the brackets that attach to the Yak crossbars will suit nicely.

There's one unanswered question: I'm still trying to find out if indeed the newest version of the CL/M/ARB awning has a spring loaded retraction system, as was apparently promised at the Overland Expo 2009. If so, I'm in.

Of course, this begs the question of how I'm actually going to reach the awning (and the cargo box)

[saabman]

I have mine on the Thule bars on the roof...





I have now had it for over a year and all is perfect no loose fittings etc...