Roof tent fitting advice

Morning all,

My partner has wanted a roof top tent since we bought our landrover, secretly so have I – but I am loathed to fit it! Anyway, long story short on Saturday we bought (impulse!) a Hannibal (sp?) 1.4m roof top tent, she shortly vanished off to her parents and left me to fit it.

First issue was that I have a brownchruch roof rack, which is 1.43m wide, and the tent is 1.4m wide. Therefore, the rear part of the side had to come off, easy enough (though the neighbours are beginning to question my sanity).

I managed to get the tent on the roof rack and lined it up square, the rear edge of the tent right on the back of the roof rack. The next issue was bolting it down, I cannot bolt it down because the tent is closed, I cannot open tent because it is not bolted down…. A tent caving expedition ensued with the tent half propped up with an old halfshaft and 4,762 measurements and calculations later I realised it is all futile because the drill is not long enough to go through both the timber and the roof rack.

Some strong language, hard liquor and an MSc worthy study in the screw-fix catalogue later and I realised U-Bolts are the way forward (why did I not think of this sooner… it’s so obvious!).

Hopefully these said bolts should turn up today (fingers crossed) and that I can get it fixed down easily enough, I have bought domed nuts, but I might just use standard ones depending how it goes.

So, cutting to the chase I have a few questions I could do with some help on:

1) Should I mount the tent right on the back edge (the tent will open over the rear door) so that when it opens the hinge will be in mid-air or should I mount it about an inch or two further forward so that the hinge is supported by the rear of the roof rack?

2) The previous owner had the tent mounted on a trailer so the ladder is currently only suitable for mini-coopers. I have a few spare ladder sections he gave me, can I cut and bolt these together or is the ladder ‘structural’ and I am better off buying a new ladder.

3) This will be my first experience in using a roof top tent, do you guys have any recommendations or advice for a first time roofer!?

Cheers !

I faced the same problem a few years back. I sold the roof rack and bought three rhino mega roof bars. Problem solved.

A folding roof tent normally has two mounting rails and a PVC cover. The cover typically has a zip around 3 sides so if floor of roof tent is hard against roof rack you may have issues.

Yes the ladder is an integral part of the strength/stability of a folding roof tent.

When you fold roof tent open due to the hinge mechanism there is a possibility that the leading edge of moving section ducks below the fixed floor which could give rise to issues.

Hence the mounting bars typically provided with folding tents.


Brendan

I have had mine opening over the rear for a 3 years, recently changed to opening over the side.

1) if you have an 'annexe' skirt then you need to have the hinge positioned right above, or even over hanging the rear so that the material doesn't foul the rear body. If you don't have an annexe then don't worry. But either way the hinge should be strong enough.

2) would be good to see a photo. My ladder is three sections with spring loaded pins that fire into the next section. I drilled holes for the pins and that gives me some adjustment. On mine the ladder is not needed to support the tent UNLESS someone is in it! But having some adjustment in the length has been good as the ground isn't always flat.

3) Some tips I've learnt...
- Never pack it away wet if you can help it. If you have to get it open and dry the first chance you get.
- You may find that the inside gets a little damp due to condensation. I bought some breather material for under the mattress so that any moisture that found it's way under there could dry and it's made the whole things much much better.
- I have a small netting bag that attaches at the top of the ladder and hangs out of the way. For shoes so they don't get wet on the ground.
- off the shelf Water proofer is easy to apply and does an amazing job on restoring your tent after it's been in the sun / rain for a while

NiallRussell said:

I have had mine opening over the rear for a 3 years, recently changed to opening over the side.

1) if you have an 'annexe' skirt then you need to have the hinge positioned right above, or even over hanging the rear so that the material doesn't foul the rear body. If you don't have an annexe then don't worry. But either way the hinge should be strong enough.

2) would be good to see a photo. My ladder is three sections with spring loaded pins that fire into the next section. I drilled holes for the pins and that gives me some adjustment. On mine the ladder is not needed to support the tent UNLESS someone is in it! But having some adjustment in the length has been good as the ground isn't always flat.

3) Some tips I've learnt...
- Never pack it away wet if you can help it. If you have to get it open and dry the first chance you get.
- You may find that the inside gets a little damp due to condensation. I bought some breather material for under the mattress so that any moisture that found it's way under there could dry and it's made the whole things much much better.
- I have a small netting bag that attaches at the top of the ladder and hangs out of the way. For shoes so they don't get wet on the ground.
- off the shelf Water proofer is easy to apply and does an amazing job on restoring your tent after it's been in the sun / rain for a while

Click to expand...

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, I have been away at the Dorset Steam Fair. Thats some really useful advice thank you.

At the moment the tent is flush with the rear of the roofrack. I noted that when it opens the hinge makes the back slightly lower. So I concluded that if it was further onto the roof rack it would have fowled on it and not opened fully. When I fitted it, out of curiosity, I laid down onto the open half, I did not put my full weight onto it, but it held solidly with no movement or flex which is promising.

My ladder is a 'hole and rod' type affair - think gazebo pole, where it just slots onto each other. I have noted from other roof top tents that the ladders appear to slide up and down more like a loft ladder which seems a better way of doing it and adjusting for ground levels. I am going to play with mine tonight and see what I can achieve, but I have a feeling I might need to keep a few timbers in the back as packing / levelling pieces for when we are on rough ground.

I noted the other day that the inside was wet, I think its a mixture of a poor / worn top cover, the fact it has been in storage so the canvas is not seasoned and I also removed the flysheet to wash and reproof. Hopefully its just one of those things and it does not leak!!!

The mesh bag idea sounds great!

I recently did this - u bolts and roof bars mounted onto my external roll gage. Works a treat.

1. I have the hinge slightly past the last roof bar.

2. Yes the ladder is structural but you could probably slice two together in a way that’s strong enough.

3. Enjoy it! Mine is one of the best things we did and we go camping all the time. And I live in the north of
Scotland so can vouch that they are not just for hot African plains.

Why would anyone want to sleep on the roof of a Land Rover? What's wrong with a tent?

Sofasurfer said:

Why would anyone want to sleep on the roof of a Land Rover?

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Better than on wet uneven lumpy ground...

Sofasurfer said:

wrong with a tent?

Click to expand...

Nothing if it's on the roof of a landrover..

A RTT is defonetly an expensive way to go, but unfolds quickly, a nice thick matress, great views and you are off the muddy, stoney, uneven ground. If you are always at UK campsites then on, but go to eastern russia and it's the best thing.

Sofasurfer said:

Why would anyone want to sleep on the roof of a Land Rover? What's wrong with a tent?

Click to expand...

Quickness and ease mostly, I can have a roof top tent up in a few moments and the roof top tent away in 5-10 mins. All the bedding, mattress (a thick foam mattress), sleeping bag, pillows, torch etc etc, folds away inside it neatly. Not that its an issue in the UK, but you are also well away from the crawling biting nature. With everything contained in the tent then I have far more room in the back for whatever I need - or in our case, just room to move things around easier.

Compare that to a 'conventional tent' each item has to be packed away individually, the base of the tent will be wet from condensation / dew, its just a not very pleasant experience when you are doing it for months on end on a road trip. Depending on the tent and bedding it can take up quite a large chunk of rear space.

The downside of a roof top tent is that your vehicle is 'stuck' without breaking camp. So if you wanted to be at a campsite for numerous days and explore out from there it would be a huge pain and a conventional tent a better idea. However, for the most part that is not what we do - we prefer to be on the move more and it makes life a lot easier.

payydg said:

I recently did this - u bolts and roof bars mounted onto my external roll gage. Works a treat.

1. I have the hinge slightly past the last roof bar.

2. Yes the ladder is structural but you could probably slice two together in a way that’s strong enough.

3. Enjoy it! Mine is one of the best things we did and we go camping all the time. And I live in the north of
Scotland so can vouch that they are not just for hot African plains.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I have done, the ladder is a bit of a contraption at the moment, I think I will replace it win future. Yeah were really excited to get out and use it, we spent just under three weeks driving around the Highlands earlier in the year, I nearly threw our hiking tent out by the end of it - never again do I want to pack that thing up. Hopefully the RTT will make it a pain free existence!

THis was my roof tent. 49.50€ from Decathlon. Just threw it on the roof rack as and when needed. Worked a treat.I could also use the roof rack to store other things.