Eli's Awning Brackets - Page 2

pjpvi · 01-16-2009, 10:06 PM

I finally removed and remounted my awning using Eli's brackets a couple weekends ago. I also had to bend them some so the PH top would clear. Since the finish cracked, I stripped and re-painted them as well. The biggest pain was plugging the big holes left by the SMB brackets. For the rear bracket, I fashioned a plate out of 1/8" aluminum screwed into small drilled and tapped steel backing plates that I slipped through the holes (along with some silicon sealant). This actually worked well as the bracket now has a continuous flat area to rest on instead of the small crease in the van. The old center bracket holes are temporarily (meaning forever) plugged with small plastic plugs siliconed in place. There is about an inch tear in the van near these holes I still need to figure out (I just waxed the heck out of that area for now). I also cut up a bike tube to use the rubber between the bracket and the van body.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures during the swap out, but will try to take a few post installation pictures when I think of it.

These brackets are much more solid than the original SMB brackets. Even with only two brackets compared to the SMB three brackets. I base that off of a shake test with my hand. Time will tell if they hold up.

Thanks for coming up with what seems to be a better solution Eli.

Phil

jage · 01-16-2009, 10:13 PM

I have some sheets of butyl rubber still from my top repair. If you measure the crack I can drop a piece in the mail. That and some kind of backing (another think piece of metal?) even on an angle should seal you up nicely.

adventureduo · 01-16-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjpvi

I finally removed and remounted my awning using Eli's brackets a couple weekends ago. I also had to bend them some so the PH top would clear. Since the finish cracked, I stripped and re-painted them as well.
Phil

So im not the only one with this problem? I thought my set was just special. Eli, maybe you should re-check the die or whatever you used to bend the originals? For $180 we shouldn't have to modify and re-paint a thing.

pjpvi · 01-16-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

I have some sheets of butyl rubber still from my top repair. If you measure the crack I can drop a piece in the mail. That and some kind of backing (another think piece of metal?) even on an angle should seal you up nicely.

Thanks Jage, I may take you up on it.

Quote:

For $180 we shouldn't have to modify and re-paint a thing.

I agree, but am cutting Eli some slack since he's not a big company and just working to come up with a better solution. I may need some welding assistance some day and he doesn't live all that far from me!

Phil

PecksTank · 01-17-2009, 08:56 PM

Adventrureduo, I am alittle hurt. You should not have had to bend the brakets. I am soory that you choose to, as the bend dose not look that great and the coating flaked off. I relize that it is a very close tolerance, but they are desinged that way inorder to keep the awining as close to the van as possible. I have had my awining mounted for the last 2 years with both my original, as well as the current copy, brakets and have not had any contact with the PH. My best friend has also been runining these fro the last few years and has had no issues. You guys need to mount them with the awining a run before bending or modifiying them. The cost of these is just enough to cover the loabor of fabrication, prep and painting, and shipping and handinling. Thanks Phil for giving me a break, as I am just trying to provide somthing better that SMB. I would love to be able to help you all mount them, or atleast show you mine in person preior to mounitnig yours, but we all live so far away.

Not trying to rant, just want you to all try the product before you teak it.

Eli

pjpvi · 01-18-2009, 10:30 AM

Here's a few pictures of my install. I think I want to remove them and put one more bend in a different place to straighten the awning back up, but who knows when I'll get to that.

Eli, we'll have to get together and look at it. I admit that I didn't mount the bracket prior to coming to the conclusion it would interfere, but holding it in place and eyeballing it looked like there was no doubt it would interfere with the top.

Angel · 01-23-2009, 09:16 AM

I want to get Eli's awning brackets and an awning like Adventureduos. I think my rain gutter with a cruiser top is the same as a rain gutter with a penthouse top. Does anyone know for sure?

Angel

LenS · 01-23-2009, 01:22 PM

We have had our Chev van for seven years and one of the first problems we had after installing the bag awning was flapping/vibration under some driving conditions. Mainly 65 mph plus and side winds (passenger side wind into awning). Started to tear the bag awnings mounting welt. Fix was to secure the bag with front and rear bunge cords while traveling.

When we get our penthouse in March I will get a new awning (present is 7' x 10' and new one will be 7' x 12') to provide more shelter and outside living space. I really am not comfortable with the appearance (robustness) of the Sportsmoble awning brackets or the "fixes" for long term durability. If I really have to I could use my present front roof rack just front of the penthouse for an attachment point but it might be ugly. I do want to fabricate a side ladder so maybe I can figure a way to incorperate the rear awning bracket into the side ladder. I could then just use a "lighter" bracket for the mid-span support.

Does anyone know the length of penthouse shell for a EB van? Appears to be ABOUT 11 feet from RR seal the FRT seal.

LenS · 01-23-2009, 02:05 PM

PS: Has anyone discussed attaching the awning to the penthouse shell? When raised it would be at about the same height as a pop up trailer roof. I would guess that a pop up roof is constructed fairly similar to Sportsmoble Penthouse roof. A 12 foot Trim Line bag awning weighs in at 28#. A 10 footer weighs about 23#, etc.

adventureduo · 01-23-2009, 02:40 PM

Ive ran both Fiamma hard cased awnings and bag awnings from Mombasa and ARB. Never a problem with the bag awnings coming apart or shredding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LenS

PS: Has anyone discussed attaching the awning to the penthouse shell? When raised it would be at about the same height as a pop up trailer roof..

A pop up trailer roof is as tall as a SMB penthouse?

The problem would be is finding a awning that has long enough legs to reach the ground. Not to mention your awning is going to be like 20 feet in the air.

There has to be a different solution out there. .