Club 80-90 Forums

I have a Fiamma awning fitted to my Westie Pop Top van. I want to fit a roof rack, but it looks like the brackets would interfere with the awning as there is not enough room between the pop top and the roof. I'd be very grateful if anyone who has tried it can let me know how they got on. Thanks.

Adeybruce wrote:I have a Fiamma awning fitted to my Westie Pop Top van. I want to fit a roof rack, but it looks like the brackets would interfere with the awning as there is not enough room between the pop top and the roof. I'd be very grateful if anyone who has tried it can let me know how they got on. Thanks.

I had to bend the roof rack brackets and the awning brackets so I could shut the roof. With hindsight maybe spacers between the awning brackets and awning would have done the trick. This issue with the way I did it is it twists the gutters if you want a decent height on the front of the awning. You have to be very careful you don't pinch the canvas between the awning and roof rack brackets when closing the roof.

[img]http://img.tapatalk.comso%20this%20is%20my%20van%20full%20of%20stuff%20moving%20my%20eldest%20to%20a%20new%20flat.%20The%20roof%20rack%20brackets%20ate%20early%20westy%20style%20so%20they%20bolt%20to%20the%20sides%20of%20the%20pop%20top%20with%20stainless%20allen%20head%20bolts.%20Thete%20are%20spreader%20plates%20on%20the%20inside.%20The%20other%20bracketyou%20can%20see%20is%20bolted%20into%20the%20B%20and%20C%20posts%20and%20has%20a%20rail%20that%20carries%20a%20fiamma%20caravanstore%20awning%20which%20slots%20into%20a%20C%20shaped%20chanel......looks%20pig%20ugly%20though!%20Works%20fine%20....[IMG]http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/18/na8ude4u.jpg[/img]/d/14/03/18/una4y3e3.jpg[/IMG]

Ninja, thanks for your experiences. I already have the occasional trouble with the canvas being trapped between the awning and the roof.

Waltrude, regret I can't get your photo links to work.

As well as the roof rack brackets that use the gutters to lend support, I think I have seen brackets that sit on top of the roof - can anyone make any suggestions. Thanks for the help.

I had to trim down my roof rack plates, so that they didn't catch the bellows, as they nicked them on first fitting of the fiamma. It was ok when done. And worked fine raising and lowering. I have now removed these brackets and fitted a Sherpa translift system. Which is the original system for the Westy. I still have the plates and stainless bolts and the Thule roof bars for them in the shed doing nothing.

If you were interested in them I'm sure we could do a deal as there surplus to requirements now.

[attachment=-1]uploadfromtaptalk1395127915904.jpg[/attachment]

The sherpas translift



My plates that where on previously, cut down so no longer sit on gutter. Still well solid on roof with four bolts and big washers.

The Shepas system looks great. I've had a look around on the internet and they look like the proverbial rocking horse ****.

I have a full Fiamma F45 awning and from the look of it I have no room for the brackets that come down the side.

Questions is, does anyone have a Sherpas Translift for sale?

Yeah I know. I waited for years to get hold of the sherpas . And paid a lot for it. My trimmed plates did not fowl my f45s.

Jonny, thanks for the info. I've sent you a PM. Cheers.