Pointers for attaching an awning to a flippac

[austintaco]

I bought this awning right after I bought the flippac, but I never got around to attaching it. It's new, but it's an older Sidewinder awning made by Steel Horse, and later made by Carefree of Colorado. It attaches using regular RV awning rail and then drilling through the back of the metal case that encloses it and into the side of the RV, or in my case the flippac.

Where is the "safe zone" to attach the rail and then the awning? Is it in line with the latches?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[JasonRedwood]

subscribing. I was just about to do a similar post about mounting brackets or hardware through the flip-pac walls for an awning or other things. curious.

 

[austintaco]

I just emailed an expert in all things Flippac. I will post his reply for everyone. I have a dozen things to do to my truck before we leave on Monday, but my truck is in the shop getting some goodies added to it. I'm like a kid at Christmas that knows they are getting a new bike, but they can't ride it until Christmas Day!

 

[JasonRedwood]

Nice! Can't wait to see picts of the truck.

 

[austintaco]

I just got an email back, and this was the reply "There is a metal bar inside the wall of the shell that is 3/4" down from the rubber seal on the lid of the FlipPac.

We use this to attach the aluminum extrusion that holds the awning in place. The actual awning is then attached by drilling two holes through the back of the aluminum awning case and through the fiberglass wall.

We attach the awning using 1/4" hardware and fender washers."

I noticed that Taco Doc has some tie downs on the back side of the camper by the upper corners of the rear window. I am wondering if there is a metal bar in that spot as well?

 

[JasonRedwood]

Yeah I noticed when I drilled into the camper, next to the hatch clamps that there seemed to be some aluminum square tubing.
I was not sure how far forward it ran though. I think it may run the whole length of the side to the forward hinges. The reason why I'm guessing this is when I was workling on my camper I noticed water dripping from the front and back upper corner.(passenger side)
When I titled the camper forward or backwards more water would run out of the lower side.
I noticed those straps as well on Tacodoc's camper...

Post up some pictures when you get into this part of your build yeah?

 

[Dave Bennett]

I mounted my aluminum extrusion for the Fiamma as detailed above via 5 stainless rivets into that bar. AT mounts theirs in identical fashion. The 2 bolts are there as safetys.

The tie down cleats on the back of mine are secured with 2 stainless bolts per, drilled straight through the glass and sandwiched with washers and nylock nuts.

 

[austintaco]

I will definitely post up pics. I have not done much of a build thread on here because everything that I have done is more or less following someone else's idea. However, when I get my truck back I am going to do a long retroactive build. I have owned it since it was new in 2003, and I went through the slow process of doing minor mods while paying it off. It's fun to look back and see pics of it when it was bone stock.

Tacodoc, what length of aluminum extrusion did you use? It looks like it's quite smaller than the span of the awning. Should silicone be used around the bolts?

Thanks!

 

[Martyn]

The aluminum extrusion is made by Fiamma and is specifically made to hold the awning. You need a piece that is about 3/4 the length of the awning.

Awning extrusions that you can buy at RV shops have a slightly different profile and have to be modified to work with Fiamma awnings.

Putting silicon around the bolt hole is a good idea.

 

[austintaco]

I will be attaching the awning tomorrow or Friday, depending on when I get the truck back, but have a question on the length of the rivets.

Tacodoc or Martyn,
Do you remember what length of rivet worked best? Can this be done with a hand riveter or will I need to buy an air riveter?

Are the two bolts that go through the back of the awning case also going through the railing that was riveted on?
The end result on the inside will be just the two 1/4 bolts with fender washers and nuts, right?
I am kicking myself now for not having an awning installed at AT when I was there.

Thanks for all of the help!

 

[Martyn]

I don't know the rivet length off hand, you are just drilling through the fiberglass skin and into the square tubing so it's not too deep.

The awning should sit lower than the 3/4" down from the seal that I mentioned. This is the location to install the extrusion that the awning slides onto. The engagement point is toward the top of the awning case with the awning hanging below that point.

1/4" hardware will be used to attach the awning to the shell. Drill two holes through the back of the casing. Hang the awning off the extrusion. Mark the position of the holes on the shell. Remove the awning, drill through the shell. Put a small amount of silicon around the holes on the exterior. Slide the awning onto the extrusion, and bolt through using fender washers on both sides.

 

[austintaco]

I've been practicing my riveting skills with some old pots and pans and washers and nuts. It seems like the hand riveters have a problem with thicker stainless rivets but don't mind the same size in aluminum. I jammed one up, so its going back to Tractor Supply, and I bought the heaviest duty hand riveter at Harbor Freight. It's doing the job.

Truck keeps getting delayed at the shop. I might be picking it up tonight around 10, crossing fingers.

 

[timber]

I didn't use the extrusion when I mounted mine, I Just bolted thru the back of the Fiamma case and the side of the flippac with 1/4" bolts and fender washers with some silicone around the holes, I used 4 bolts. The fender washers I had were too big to fit flat in the back of the awning case so I trimmed to fit and I used them full size on the interior of the flip> Seems plenty sturdy to me after quite a bit of use.

 

[austintaco]

Hey Timber,

That's good to know that it's been sturdy and water tight even without the extrusion. I'm going to try my hand at riveting the rail/extrusion on tomorrow. If I mess up, my back up plan is to use SS bolts and silicone. One of the things that was throwing me off on the install was how to gauge the thickness of materials I am trying to rivet, but once I get my truck back (yup, I'll be picking it up tomorrow at noon!) I can cautiously gauge how to drill so that I don't go past the metal tube. I kept thinking the metal was a flat piece, but upon rereading Martyn's reply, I realize that it is tubing and thus gives the rivet the hollow space it needs. At least that's what I am picturing.

I'll have to take a picture when I am done and ready to roll out of here, but I will do full write up the install when I get back.

 

[timber]

Yes from what I have seen from drilling in the side near the top there is a hollow square or slightly rectangle steel tube glassed in place. The steel is not very thick from what I remember certainly thinner than the fiberglass sidewall Should be great for backing a pop rivet.