Awning mount?

I have a prinsu cab rack and top rack on my 2015 tacoma short box. I upgraded awnings to an ArB 8’x8’ from a 6’x6’ smittybuilt when I did the racks. Anyone have this size awning, and how did you mount without connecting to both racks as I believe doing so might be trouble with the flex between box and cab?

 

Personally, I would run two 4ft arb awnings mounted closed enough on the racks to minimize the gap and allow for the body flex. Never seen anyone run an 8ft awning with your setup.

 

Lots of guys with two racks run 8ft awnings. Most mount the awning to one rack, with the free overhang adjacent to the other rack. This way it’s centered on the truck, but allows the cab/bed to flex independently. The awnings aren’t heavy enough or require enough leverage to need both mounted. You could run 3 sets of bolts/mounts to ensure it’s supported.

 

@Darkgoatracer ran an 8' awning

 

You'd loose the ability to add the ARB screened room or tent if you did that, not that everybody wants or needs that feature. As noted, most folks just mount the longer awnings to the rack on the shell and it works.

 

This is exactly how i ran mine. It was attached to the front rack in 3 locations and overhung the back rack
It was on the truck for a few years with no issues.

 

I did the opposite and ran mine off the rear rack. Never had an issue. Doing as @Darkgoatracer did would be better IMO since you have the front rack.

 

I have an 8x8 arb awning on my prinsu top rack on the arb awning brackets

 

Too late for that!

 

Possible to see a pic, did u have to space the bracket over the side plate?