Club 80-90 Forums

Just received my genuine T25 Fiamma awning brackets for the F45 but I cannot get them to fit to the roof. The gutter has a small step in the bottom along its length and this is preventing the S shaped bracket from fitting in correctly. Even without using the bolt, the two pieces do not fit together. Has anyone else had this problem?
For info, my van is an early 1980 model with the painted rear air vents - don't know if they ever changed the gutter profile.
Will give Agent Fiamma a call in the morning - just curious to know if it is just me!

I fitted mine last summer and remember the brackets were very tight. It was as if the holes needed elongating, sound familiar? anyway, with a bit of persuation they eventually fitted without any alteration.
Note* on a poptop fit the retaining bolts with the nuts internal (inside the unit) otherwise the pertruding bolt can catch the poptop when raising/closing.
Martin

Hi. Thanks for the tips. Agent Fiamma knew nothing about fit problems.
Judicious use of a big hammer to reshape the S bracket to drop the bolt 5mm further down into the gutter and a tweek to the main bracket got it fitted.

Had to manipulate mine with a vice and hammer so they are bent a little further out, allows the pop-top to go up without fouling.

I fitted mine to my early 83 camper this year. Same gutters as yours. what I did was buy two new longer coach bolts to enable me to bolt it together because as you say the two brackets start off far apart.

It is possible to get the small Z shaped brackets upside down / back-to-front and this gives you problem of the bolt seeming to be short.

Hi. Useful info. I'm wondering if the roof/gutter line is different between a tip top and a pop top. The brackets may be made for a pop top roof, and when fitted to a tin top, they do not sit properly in the gutter. The problem I had was the S shape bracket would not drop down inbetween the gutter and the larger bracket - it needed to be shorter in height by approximately 5mm. Once re-sahped, the bolt as supplied fitted perfectly through both brackets with a bit to spare once tightened up.

Westy.Club.Joker wrote:It is possible to get the small Z shaped brackets upside down / back-to-front and this gives you problem of the bolt seeming to be short.

Not in my case it just would not meet. Probably due to the sealant gunk in the gutter from the high top conversion. Once the coach bolt started to screw it all fell into place