> I just received the awning last week and it is pretty decent quality.
> 
> However, I am very disappointed with the way the awning 
> attaches to my 84 Westy. The supplied mounting brackets that 
> are supposed to fit like a glove are pretty hoaky and did a 
> better job of tearing off my raingutter molding than holding 
> the awning in place (and no, it wasn't windy that day).

Actually the Ezy-Awning's rain gutter pole attaches to the Vanagon rain
gutter using the same German clamps used on Vanagon side tents (from all
manufacturers). We buy them separately and include them with the Ezy-Awning.
It is the most effective way of afixing a tent or awning to a Vanagon that I
know of, which is why it's been the common method used for the last 20 years
or so. The clamps from some of our more expensive tents (but not some of our
competitors') add a small piece of rubber that sandwiches between the clamp
and the rain gutter to protect the paint. You could accomplish the same
thing by cutting a small piece of bicycle tube, etc.. However the clamps
I've been using myself for years (on both my tent and my awning) don't have
the rubber insert and I have not noticed any paint or molding damage. Try
reversing the clamp or angling it slightly differently.

One other thing I could suggest is this: When you fold the velcro flaps over
the ends of the rain gutter pole, it is so taut that it can make the pole
bow slightly, which could make fitting the center clamp a bit more
difficult. One option is not to use the center clamp at all  The awning was
originally designed to use just two clamps, one on each end. But I decided
to throw in a third, just so that if one loosened somehow, you'd still have
two clamps holding the pole in place (not that I've ever actually had one
loosen in the three years I've used my own Ezy-Awning).  Another option is
that you can leave one flap open at the end of the pole to relieve some of
the tension, allowing the pole to sit more flatly inside the rain gutter. 

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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