Need help designing awning supports for my camp trailer.

[DaveM]

I recently bought the Ironman 6.5' awning with the plan to install it on metal risers on the side of my small camp gear trailer. Purchased some 80/20 extrusions to rig up a mounting system (see pics) that has the awning on one side of trailer with ability to slide it down for highway driving then slide up to full 6' height for in camp. Problem I'm running into is the side wall of the trailer is very thin metal and the long uprights and awning body add up to more weight then I'm comfortable driving with, even when retraced to half height. WIth just one 5lbs aluminum bar mounted there is already too much leverage on the thin sheet metal of the trailer. With 2 bars and the awning itself up there I'm afraid the metal will bend or even split if it gets metal fatigue from repeatedly wobbling during long drives.

Looking for new ideas and materials to use with the already installed 80/20 T slot rail. Open to suggestions...

 

[emulous74]

My thought is to have steel brackets fabricated that are L shaped and come of the frame of the camper, if they are made hollow enough that you can then slide the 80/20 into the brackets and drill holes through the 80/20 and the brackets to use pins to hold the 80/20 stable. If the brackets can be made into multiple pieces with smaller and smaller pieces, then the could nest into one another and you could leave the awning attached because it would lower with the nesting pieces.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Triangulate a brace from the 80/20 to the top of the fender?

And/or put in a cross bar from one side to the other and put a matching piece of 80-20 on that side.