HOW TO Install Roof Top Tent (Solo DIY)

You guys have been asking for it...How do I mount my RTT? I'll show you a cheap, quick, and effective way to install your roof top tent for camping this year! The great thing is that you don't need 2 people for this install method, you can do it by yourself. It took me a total of 30 minutes from start to finish - including the time it took to get tools out and put tools away.
Here are the products and tools I used in this video for this project -
Warn Drill Powered Winch
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Orange Hooks
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Milwaukee Drill & driver set
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Bit set
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Milwaukee 1/2" Impact Wrench
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1/2" impact socket set
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Furniture Dolly
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Here is the video I made showing how I get my rooftop tent OFF my vehicle: • How to Dismount Roof T...
don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to NatenessTV for more awesome VIDEOS! / @natenesstv6685
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission but this does not impact your purchase price.

[@Kate_Short-For-Bob]

I swapped out to shorter bolts on the brackets securing the RTT to the bars. Saved loads of faff time winding the nyloc up the excessively long bolt. Still using a rachet spanner, but saves 5 or 10 mins across the 8 bolts

[@lanemortensen1952]

This was helpful. Thanks for posting it!

[@TheNufrontier]

That’s genius bro! Thank you

[@ashleystoker4816]

You’re freaking genius bro!

[@taavilez]

Awesome design!

[@natenesstv6685]

Thanks man!

[@TeeLBCify]

This guy makes it look easy

[@natenesstv6685]

Thanks for watching! It’s even easer to ask a buddy for help, that’s what I’ve been doing lately! Hahaha! 😆

[@bluecoveralls7729]

Great video! For attaching the tent, what about using ratcheting wrenches?

[@natenesstv6685]

Thanks for watching. Ratcheting wrenches are what I currently use but I can’t really get my hand up under very well to work. Thanks for the idea of tent set up! I’ll put that on the list!

[@AP-br6dh]

Like you, I didn’t want to reach under the crossbars to secure the tent to the roof, so I leave a set of crossbars secured to the bottom of my tent. When I load the tent on my 4runner, I placed the tent with the crossbar-feet over the car’s side rails, then I just tighten the feet to the rails. I like how you load the tent on top of car.

[@natenesstv6685]

That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

I envy you folks with those relatively light tents. My hardshell tent with a new mattress installed is well over 200 lbs.

[@natenesstv6685]

Yea I do like my tent, but I do envy hard shell for their easy collapsing. So have you found any good ways to get your tent up and down?

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

@@natenesstv6685 funny you should say that after watching a bunch of KZbin videos I basically settled on a combination between your idea and what roofing guys do to get shingles up to a roof. I have an issue because I have cars on my driveway all the time so I don’t want to clear the driveway just to get to a place where I can hook up a winch. Effectively I made a ramp that is quite steep and it has a straight section attached at the top of each leg giving a standoff to my vehicle. I’m in the process of fabricating a shuttle/sled that will tote my rooftop tent up to the tipping point which is just beyond the middle of my tent. I marked up a sled using half-inch plywood and runners on the sides so that it can’t fall off the tracks and the principal works but where I’m at right now is I need to make a heavier duty sled and my thought is when it gets to the top I’m going to slide in a couple pins at my pivot point so that my sled can’t slide off and I will then lift the sled into a horizontal plane to push the tent off it. I probably could’ve used 2 x 4 lumber to build my frame because I had a scrap piece of 2 x 10 and I cut it in half and it’s pretty beefy

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

Also I’ve made every attempt to leave my bolts attached to the tent to make installation quicker but it’s risky to leave 3 inch bolts exposed moving the tent over the vehicle so I may have to rethink that

[@natenesstv6685]

Sounds like some good engineering, I don’t see why that won’t work. Man you should totally video and upload it, I know of several other friends who our having a hard time getting their hard shells up and down. As far as removing the bolts I did put a pretty good scrape in the roof of my Tahoe, now I remove them before I install.

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

@@natenesstv6685 I finished the lift sled and will be trying it out tomorrow. The hardshell tents are awkward because they have sloped sides and are heavy so it’s hard to balance them on a dolly. A key aspect to doing mine is that the cart has a 3 ft high back and a sloped base. The plan is to roll the tent up to the ramp, connect the winch, raise it up to the pivot point and lay it flat on top. If it works as planned I’ll upload it. Thanks

[@MotoAnthony]

Cool incline plane design! Did you ever consider winching the rooftop tent straight up from its center and backing the vehicle under the tent? Maybe there is not enough space vertically in your garage to do this.

[@natenesstv6685]

I tried putting a winch in the attic and cut a hole through the drywall/ceiling, but my garage just isn’t tall enough.

[@btfofffice]

Just get a mate to help you lift the tent onto the car roof.

[@CLOVER_1219]

Front runner has quick release mounting.

[@natenesstv6685]

Man thanks for the heads up on that, I’ll look into it!

[@hondaman991]

he must be an engineer.

[@bluecoveralls7729]

What about a video of setting up the tent and hanging out in it?

[@lesliechow6003]

What are the length of your 2x6's? 12ft or 16ft?

[@natenesstv6685]

The ones I use are about 14ft long

[@nursegilbey]

@@natenesstv6685 in the spirit of the comments section, post a video of you purchasing these 14ft 2x6's and loading them and then unloading them.

[@tracysmith1198]

That is crazy, other than the winch (btw great idea, I am definitely stealing your idea) everything else was the same....

[@livetravelwithMaryandMom]

Great tip. Thinking of getting one but worrying about how to get it on and off my car roof. Subscribed

[@natenesstv6685]

Thanks for the sub! And they are so much fun definitely get one!

[@NorwegianCarGuy]

How heavy is that tent?

[@natenesstv6685]

Good question, I just looked it up and found It’s about 150lbs - 68kg. I think it would be much easier to install on your Porsche!

[@NorwegianCarGuy]

@@natenesstv6685 ok, thanks. There is a guy driving around with one on a Porsche not to far from you actually 👍

[@johannthomas6607]

Smart! But all this work to drop a tent? Call a buddy and buy him a beer 😅

[@natenesstv6685]

You know thats a good call… Im actually working on another RTT project right now and I think I’ll take your advice!

[@trcattle2797]

I would get a lighter tent.

[@natenesstv6685]

Good thought! Any recommendations?

[@kennyw871]

In the alternative, you could ask a neighabor for help and give him a beer or two.

[@btfofffice]

Basic but does not show how to bolt the tent to cross bars..