I fabbed the rear gas strut mounts and mounted them facing inward instead of like Vans tells you.

I didn't like how they had little or no clearance with the frame and would scrap if the Canopy was lifted or

tweaked slightly crooked.   I also realized that measuring 9 11/16" between the pivot balls like the plans

has you do as a minimum doesn't work well.  The Gas Strut would bottom out and bind as the frame was

lifted and it passed through its center between them.  It then would force the Canopy Frame outward as it

bottomed and it bent the frame and screwed up my beautiful fitment.  I was not happy when this happened

as it gave me no indication this was happening.  The frame is so flimsy you couldn't "feel" the bind and you

just thought everything was fine. This picture shows how I originally did it without the use of spacers.

I figured that if I moved the pivot ball rearward an 1/8" would everything would be OK and I could bend the frame back

to its original position. Hopefully.  To move the pivot ball reaward I ended up making a completely new rear mount.  It uses

a tad more of the channel and seems to be a bit sturdier.