Fiamma vs...Thule or Yakima? 270?

[Otter]

Originally Posted by MorieSugg

Yeah, I'm not sure where to reply anymore, as the conversation is going in a couple of different threads...

I appreciate your help. I really want to get the Thule as I can save 3-400 bucks on it and it sounds like it's pretty nice and maybe fairly comparable to the fiamma. But that ladder problem. Seems really silly that they set it up to deploy like that, as lots of folks have ladders in the same position.
I keep trying to envision sliding the winder up behind the ladder and spinning the handle between the rungs.
Probably a pipe dream...

LOL, not just “probably”. You can’t turn the winder behind the ladder. And when I logically inserted it outside the ladder, I spent the most frustrating 45 minutes ever in trying to remove it. I’m not one to lose my temper easily when I’m working, but I swore up a storm before I finally took the angle grinder to it and ripped the damn thing apart.

As we like to say here... YMMV... but you’ve been warned.

[ibike]

I have the Thule and really like it, the price was the deciding factor for me. I actually got a discount code from the Thule rep at Overland Expo West last year which made it an even easier decision. I have an EB van and don't plan on putting a ladder on the passenger rear of my van.

FYI, I saw some Sprinter guys having issues with the crank getting stuck in the socket due to the angle of the side of the van. There's a hack to fix this using some rubber o-rings on the end of the crank so it can't fully seat and get stuck.

Jump to 5:25 in this video to see the fix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFpJ...nel=ourkaravan

[MorieSugg]

I continue to be tempted to try to make the Thule work. Sometimes I'm a glutton for punishment.

Otter, I'm wondering if the hack mentioned in the video would have helped in your situation? If you haven't watched it, they put a thick rubber gasket below the "t" on the winder to prevent it from seating all the way. It never gets fully seated, so it doesn't need the 90 degree flip to get it out. Before you had to bust out the angle grinder, did the winder work? Were you able to deploy the awning?

My other thought, if that won't work, is to rig some variation of a flexible socket extension.

Worst case scenario, I have an angle grinder...

[Otter]

‘I’ll have to give that o-ring a try. For now, though, I’m pretty happy with my semi-automatic drill winder.

[SMB.Wannabe]

Hi all,

I am welding up my own roof rack with Rhino Rack awnings. One being the 270 and another being a rectangle roll out style. I overlapped them to get the coverage that I needed. The 270 barely goes to the barn door and provides almost 0 weather protection at the actual door. Hence the need for 2. Havent used it camping yet as the roof rack still needs work.

[Otter]

^^^^^ Nice work!

[SMB.Wannabe]

Thank you!

Cheers!��

[MorieSugg]

I guess the lack of coverage over the barn doors explains why the 270s aren't so big in the van world. The expo crew seems to be all over them. I'm interested in how you like it over time.

I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on the Thule. (they're out of stock at the moment) I'm trying to figure out which style to get. The "rack mount" has t-slots that'll hold bolts to bolt through Ray's brackets. The "wall mount" comes with brackets that look a lot like the fiamma brackets (at least in the drawings) so I'm wondering if it would mate up with Ray's brackets just like the Fiamma.... That would be sweet.

[Skivvie]

Also about to pull trigger on backordering a Thule... let me know what you figure out with the brackets... I can't seem to figure that out either.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by MorieSugg

...I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on the Thule. (they're out of stock at the moment) I'm trying to figure out which style to get. The "rack mount" has t-slots that'll hold bolts to bolt through Ray's brackets. The "wall mount" comes with brackets that look a lot like the fiamma brackets (at least in the drawings) so I'm wondering if it would mate up with Ray's brackets just like the Fiamma.... That would be sweet.

I would communicate directly with Ray over this, maybe send him some pics of the Thule brackets. Ray’s front and rear brackets have a double bend in them (seen in this photo) that is meant to accommodate the Fiamma’s lip. That’s how it holds up the awning. Those bends might interfere with the Thule bolt on brackets, not sure since I haven’t seen them in person.


.