Tim wrote:
> I've never mounted the hardware on the side of
> my van.  I just swing the legs down and stake them
> into the ground.
>
> Downside is camping over rocky areas, etc: but
> havent encountered that anywhere but in Joshua
> Tree NM where it was too windy to deploy the awning
> in the first place.

Mounting the bracket hardware (gizmos) on the side of the van
and using them is IMPORTANT.  As I said earlier, ask me or Bob
Stevens how we know.  I did not mount/use them for ~10 years--
staking the poles down.  The awning flapped up and down in the
wind.  Sometimes I had to get up and roll it back up.
The side brackets really improve the stability of the awning.
I don't worry about it now when the wind blows and I'm snug.
Bob learned this at Syncro Safari '04, when wind took his
awning down--staked to the ground--and left mine fine--using
the side brackets, which I had just mounted a while before.

BTW--here is a photo of my awning extended, using the side brackets:
http://tinyurl.com/2w7gap
My brackets are mounted lower than the range specified.  Bob's are
about 6" higher, in the range the awning mfgr specifies.

Loren wrote:
> Note that Fiamma only provides two mounting brackets for the
>VW Vanagon or Bus.

Bob and I have talked about this.  A dozen years ago, my Carefree
came with 3 VW roof brackets--two "wide" and one "narrow."  I
initially used only two--one behind the sliding door ("narrow") and one
ahead ("wide").  I did not have the side mounting brackets installed.
When I decided to install those side brackets, I had to move the awning
back some and I installed the third roof bracket ("wide") at the back.
I can see that without it the awning case could twist, just as
you describe.  The Carefree website now says you get two brackets
for the VW, just as Fiamma.  Based on my experience with two and
then three, without and then with the side brackets, plus Bob's
experience with the Fiamma, I'd say two are not enough.

What to do for Fiamma folks?  I guess someone should buy a second
set of Vanagon brackets, use one--and sell the other to Bob.  ;-)

Richard
Boulder