Pointers for attaching an awning to a flippac

[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.

[austintaco]

I'll have to post a pic once we get to Colorado and get settled. It's been a hectic last 5 days waiting to get my truck back and then finally last night pulling the trigger and drilling into the shell. It went very smooth except that on the 2nd bolt, the drill snagged the carpet on the interior and got jammed. It made a mess of that patch of carpet, but it's only cosmetic and easily smoothed over.

[JasonRedwood]

Nice

[Rotorgeek]

I'll have to post a pic once we get to Colorado and get settled.

I'm in Denver, CO and would love to see your Flippac and rig. Let me know if you come near Denver and I'll meet up with you and buy you a beer if you let me on your toys.

[austintaco]

I hope this is visible. My front diff sprung a leak...twice! At 2 am, when i thought all was good, i had my first pile of diff fluid, and i hate the smell of diff fluid! Freaked out, slept for two hours, woke up and started to investigate. 12 hours later, i'm waiting on seal #2 to fix it. This is only the tip of the iceberg on truck issues this week. Denver sounds good right now.

[austintaco]

We made it! I am going to write up a trip report, but since I left off with the awning install, I wanted to post a pic of the truck and awning in action here. My install held up, with no issues, and made it down up and over Black Bear Pass!

Packed up and leaving at 12:30 AM on Monday morning


One of our 5 campsites. This was right off of Last Dollar Rd, and was a quick stay before heading to Ouray.


One of many shots I have going down Black Bear. My wife walked down almost every switch back so she has great shots of my truck, but on her camera. I got out to investigate an area and snapped this one with my camera.



The awning was actually one piece of equipment that didn't give us any issues. It's a breeze to set up and take down, and I only paid about $50 for it! The flippac shows some spider webbing on the driver side rear. I think its just the paint, but I'm not a fiberglass expert. On our first night, in Mesa Verde, we had problems shutting the flippac. The lid has become out of alignment so I had to push it over while she clamped it shut. This was before any four wheeling activities.

I'll do a trip report next with more photos. Thanks again for all of the help!