Install and remove Trustmade tent SOLO (details)

Getting a hardshell rooftop tent on and off a vehicle can be a real chore. Doing it alone is miserable. Here’s my solution.

[@erhan10f]

Brilliantly engineered dude! I've been researching on roof top tent removal methods and yours seems darn effective! 👏👏

[@injun65]

I have a hard shell rtt, and I drive around with it on my Cherokee, it doesn't take away from my fuel economy too much, and I like I can open it up and be ready to hit the sack in under 5 min. But my problem is being short, 57, and for the most part by myself. This looks like an awesome solution without breaking the bank. Well done

[@danlazer8762]

Brilliant. I've been chewing on how to do this for a long time and every "solution" I come up with scares me.

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

I have installed and removed my rooftop tent four times now using this method and each time it gets a little faster. The last time I removed the tent was two days ago and it took me 20 minutes including the time to get my stuff out and in position including removing the bolts. It’s getting to the point where I’m looking for a better way to tighten and untighten the clamps. One thing I have done is welded the loose carriage bolts to the metal bar that slides in the channel. This eliminates a lot of the fumbling. But there are still eight nuts and washers to deal with if you remove this rooftop tent regularly so I changed to jig bolts that I can remove without tools. Ideally I’d like to find a way to use a nut that I can use a driver with and with the limited space between the tent and the roof of my car the head of the nut would have to face sideways. I can picture something that is a block of hard plastic or metal with an acme style thread that as you tighten the block goes up and down on the bolt.

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

PS you’re wise to be hesitant handling a rooftop tent like ours alone. Mine has a additional mattress as well as I keep our sleeping bags up there so it definitely weighs over 230 pounds

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

I made the cart by first making a tilted base with a back using 2x4’s and heavy duty shelf brackets from Fastcap. Once I had the basic structure for the frame I added plywood for the base and back and mounted it on top of a small harbor freight movers dolly. The key thing about the frame is that I made it to slide on the back of the cart so that the 2x4 sides prevent the cart from sliding off the ramp when it’s in sled mode.

[@macloydangle3612]

I wish you have a video how you make that. I wanna make same like that you're genius!

[@Juggernaut-JL]

Dude! This is badass! I actually have long stainless conveyor rollers that would work well in the center of the ramp frame, and at the very top to where it slopes over smoothly. This is an awesome plan. Do you have the measurements for the ramp frame and the cart? Also instead of the wood ledge at the top, I have heavy duty bicycle hooks that I could bolt to the 2x6 that will sit up against the rack. That way when the cart gets to the top and is on the conveyor rollers, the cart can smoothly tilt and allow the tent to slide on. Those furniture moving blankets work great for cushioning as well. The Harbor Freight special. My tents are the 23Zero Armadillo A3, and the 4x4 Colorado Alto Mini. Both awesome tents, with different purposes.

[@tipsnadvice7284]

The last time I put it on I shot video recording some of these details but I haven’t had a chance to go back through it. I’ve been too busy. I like the ideas that you have.

[@flyingcat2054]

Wow! Your quite the engineer! Love your rack and winch system, I’m not sure I can build it successfully😞, though. I believe the manufacturers of these rtt’s should provide more help or accoutrements to mount these for folks like me 😀. So, after all this, do you think the RT tents are a viable camping option or would you suggest another option? I have a Ford Ranger with the 6’ long bed to play with. However, I don’t like the set up and take down of a tent, with all the poles, on the ground or on the truck bed, and dragging all the bedding in and out. Thanks for sharing!

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

I think rooftop tent is great once you’ve got it on your vehicle and it’s ideal for people who can leave it on their vehicle for a season but if like me you don’t like to leave it up there for too long you need an effective way to get it down. I have mine on a range rover and even with two people it’s just awkward to lift and put it up on top. That being said, I would still get it again, because like you said, I despise taking the time to set up a tent and sleep on the ground. I get a good nights sleep when I’m up in the air like this and you can leave all your bedding in it And close it up if you need to take your vehicle on a ride to the store or for a meal in a restaurant nearby.

[@tipsnadvice7284]

Once the tent is on, it is a nice thing to use for minimalist camping. But it’s a chore to put it on and take it off and that’s why I came up with this.

[@NeronFrancis]

Amazing contraption. This is what i need for my rooftop tent

[@SPL88]

hey there! great idea and well done! What is the angle of incline on your timber frame that the RTT rests on while being hoisted? 35 degrees? Thanks.

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

Use the same incline as you would when using an extension ladder.

[@SPL88]

@@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941 thank you!

[@pablolobo6560]

Great idea. I'm thinking of buying a tent but trying to figure an easy way to mount and dismount. I see a lot of people driving weeks or months around the city with their tents mounted, an idea I don't wish to copy.

[@tipsnadvice7284]

The easiest solution if you have the space and a garage door that is high enough is to drive into the garage and hoist it on and off. That doesn’t work for my situation

[@pablolobo6560]

@@tipsnadvice7284 agree, it would be wonderful to have a garage and mount a system like that.

[@GustavoAcuñaVielma]

Super job i would like to have something like that. But here in Switzerland a lift like that cost $2500

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

I plan to replace the wood frame with an extension ladder now that I know the concept works.

[@darinhodge8015]

That my friend is an awsome invention you should patent it

[@jessielee3984]

Hey boss, what did you use to secure the winch to the cart? My concern is a basic eye loop/hook will not hold all that weight.

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

At the bottom of the cart I have a 2 x 4 so the eyebolt attaches through a 2 x 4. It’s an eyebolt with a washer and a nut.

[@5664788]

Its backwards on your rover,...the thinner end goes toward the front,......,..great idea!

[@donaldgraichen1907]

You should sell the blueprint plans for this. I can build anything by following plans.

[@MilkUnderTheDam]

I've taken your design and it inspired me to build a ramp to get my RTT onto the roof via the back of my Jeep. I'm going back-to-front because I'm able to use my winch to run the synthetic rope over the front bull bar and over the cargo rack all the way to the back of the Jeep. What I need though is that bracket that you used to connect the upright section of your cart. Any chance you can point me to it?

[@crownmoldingbyspectaculart941]

I used a eyebolt through the framing of the cart.

[@tipsnadvice7284]

The brackets that I used to give rigidity and strengths to the cart are ones that I got from Fastcap. I believe they are 12 inches in one direction, and 8 inches in the other.

[@gevorgnazaryan8720]

Genius design

[@terrellroyal221]

WHAT'S YOUR LOAD LIMIT FOR THIS ROOF ????😮

[@tipsnadvice7284]

Been doing this for over a year with no problems. The weight is on the corners of the roof not the center.

[@Min-gj8ri]

Great idea!

[@Crotoua]

Wow, great !!

[@shenwang6552]

wow, smart!!

[@Jim-s6i3b]

Hopefully you don’t off-road with that vehicle. If so, someday the heavy RTT will come crashing down. Those 2 crossbars are not sufficient to hold over the long haul

[@tipsnadvice7284]

We don’t off-road.

[@josefschlintl7673]

0:53

[@josefschlintl7673]

0:53 Thank's a lot for this great idea. (Greats from Austria)