2 August 2025
I spotted a 2-metre Vevor awning on AliExpress (UK warehouse) and it was delivered in just three days — too good to miss!
However, when I started looking for mounting brackets, I only found ones that cost more than the awning itself and were designed to sit directly against the door pillars. The awning’s rail is 195 cm long, so if mounted directly, part of it would end up above the rear window — not ideal.
So, I designed my own bracket system that attaches directly to the rain gutter and distributes the weight evenly across three 5 cm wide printed parts.
I went through over ten iterations, testing different shapes and materials. My first choice was carbon fibre-reinforced nylon — it’s strong and rigid, but too harsh on the van’s painted surface. Worse, it’s brittle under impact — not ideal for supporting a roof-mounted awning.
Eventually, I settled on PETG, which offers excellent outdoor durability and flexes slightly under pressure rather than cracking. Much more suitable for this application.
The brackets grip the Bongo’s rain gutter securely and sit flush against the side. Thanks to their flat rear surface, they don’t interfere with aftermarket pop-top roof seals, allowing the roof to close normally.
Since the bracket only drops about 10 mm below the gutter line, it doesn’t obstruct the sliding door or the front passenger door. You can mount the awning anywhere along the vehicle.
We tested the setup on a 600-mile, 5-day trip — including strong wind and heavy rain — with zero issues. Everything held up perfectly.
If you’d like to order a set, you can get them from our eBay page:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/376458862705