Somebody asked for "Daniel" to help...not sure who Daniel is???
Dave mentioned he wouldnt use the brackets anywhere except where he had to. I'm not going to use anything BUT the brackets because the awning is MUCH more secure in its side-mount brackets in my opinion! When I first installed them, I deliberately let my Scamp sit out in our back yard in 25+ winds to see what would happen- WOULD NOT do this regularly NOR at a campground. But it took it!! I will note though, mine is the 8' awning and Dave's is the 10'-12' I believe?
I dont care what anyone else says or what SCAMP says, these brackets work PERFECTLY on my "curvature" 13' Scamp....that is IF you know what you're doing installing and using them. I would not trust Scamp (or anyone else) to install them...sorry..but that's the way it is. I will mention that I installed my brackets down close to the "floor" for better support 2 ways:
1) is that the body of the Scamp wont flex there like it would half way between the bottom and the belly band of the Scamp. 2) Some go near the "bellyband". I would NOT do this because you have more up/down support for the awning with the brackets mounted LOWER...there's logic behind that mathematically but not worth discussing here. (Because of the angle of the legs to the awning!)
Anyway, I"ve found using two people works MUCH better extending and retracting the awning. Here's one thing that it took the wife and I a few tries to figure out and I feel it's VERY important to know. There's a lip/catch at the case that you MUST lift the awning up and over coming out and going in on BOTH ends!!
So the first thing I do is swing the legs out and extend them to apx where they will be when deployed. I man-handle one on the left and with my right hand on the nylon strap. Wifey grips the right leg. She watches my EVERY movement with the left leg and replicates what I do. First we lift the legs upward and they're extended enough to keep the awning above the little "catches" that's built into the case I spoke of. Then I start out with the awning and we move the legs as we go keeping the awning basically level with the case. I dont stop until I hear the CLICKS! Then I reach in and tighten the black knobs BEFORE taking pressure off the nylon strap.
Then I go back and adjust the legs and attach them one at a time onto the brackets then make the final up/down adjustment we want on the awning tilt.
Going back in (retracting) with the awning is the exact opposite or reverse order I just described for deployment. When we get to the awning case we BOTH lift up on the legs/awning and 90% of the time it will roll itself right into the case. You MUST try to go straight as you can (like a window shade) back to the awning. IF they legs doesnt want to go in, take one leg and you can shift the awning when it's retracted to the left or right slightly in the case- and I"ve had to do this several times to get the legs to lock into the awning case properly. Then make SURE you secure it with the velcro straps.
This is the 7th year of this process and it works. But I HAVE to ask...and I've wondered this many times.... what if my nylon strap breaks? What if it slips out of my hand. Have you guys seen what window shades do when you let go of them??? I can only IMAGINE what's going to happen at the Scamp...I see it actually snapping possibly taking some of the body with it!!
< Me n wifey afterwards if it does...
Me? I would like for my next awning to be the Fiamma that Scamp has gone to. I've seen it demonstrated and I LIKE it. I THINK it may possibly hit the door if you're not careful. Cant say for sure...I dont own one. Good luck with the ole Dometic Catalina. She can be a devil that's for sure!