Pioneer platform and Yakima RTT
- Thread starter Tvv
- Start date
MattJ
Adventurer
This project nearly killed me, but I did figure out how to mount my Tepui tent completely flush onto my Rhino Rack. I hated the idea of adding another set of crossbars (more height clearance, more wind noise, more top-heavy). But I wouldn't recommend this project to anybody. It was way too much work. I am interested to see if anyone else has a system for a completely-flush mounting system for a RTT on a Pioneer or Rhino Rack, though! I couldn't figure out how to make it work with quick release clamps, so I just created new mounting plates.
dstock
Explorer
I'm hoping to finish up mine this weekend with the flush mounted Rhinorack accessory bars and the Frontrunner QR brackets. I'm not worried the extra 1 1/2" of height is going to add any substantial wind noise or top heaviness increase to the foot tall block of a RTT. Just my opinion of course, but as soon as you put a block on top of a block, all bets are off! Haha! Also, with the QR brackets, the RTT will come off after each trip.
MattJ
Adventurer
How about a block in front of a block on top of a block?
I'm about as aerodynamic as an aircraft carrier sailing sideways, I figure.
dstock
Explorer
How about a block in front of a block on top of a block?
Hahaha! I hear ya!
baggio1616
Member
I took a couple pictures this weekend of how the setup would work with the accessory bars and the Frontrunner brackets. The brackets come with M8 bolts but the whereas the Frontrunner rack just uses the slot to hold the hex head bolt, the Rhinorack uses M6 slot nuts to bolt on accessories. I ordered some M8 slot nuts but they are too fat to fit in the channels. M8 slot nut on the left, M6 on the right.
I could just use M6 bolts and the slot nuts but because the RTT is a large object that I don't want to become a projectile in an accident type scenario, I'm going to drill out the M6 slot nuts to use as a spacer in the accessory bar which will keep the hex head of the bolt in the channel and prevent it from turning. Here's the drilled out slot nut:
An then of course the bolt, slot nut and bracket attached. The Frontrunner bolts are only an inch so I will be swapping those out for 1 1/4" so the nylock nut has enough to do it's job:
Hope this helps clarify a few things. Is it overkill? Perhaps, but I'm in the I'd rather be safe then sorry camp, so the little bit of extra work is worth it to me. YMMV!
I know this a bit older of a post, but how is your experience with this setup?
I currently have the Rhino Rack Platform on my JL with a James Baroud tent and I would like to be able to this with the Front Runner Releases. It's a pain to try and get the tent on and off right now. Ugh.
dstock
Explorer
I'm actually just finishing up the setup this coming weekend (hopefully). I have all the pieces I need to complete it, I've just had a bunch of other projects and travel that got in the way.
I can tell you I have 2 friends that have the Frontrunner QR setup and I have seen it in action, which is what made me go this route in the first place. It's so much easier then the nightmare of trying to get your wrench between the RTT and the rack. The only tent manufacturer that seems to have figured this out is Ikamper, where the new mounting brackets use one allen bolt on the side which would easily be reached with a long extension.
https://www.ikamper.com/collections/accessories/products/mounting-bracket-2-0#
Granted, this doesn't change the spacing of the slats issue I ran into with our CVT RTT, but it may be an alternate solution for you James Baroud. At $90 is much more affordable option. Report back if you give this a go!
dstock
Explorer
Finally got the Frontrunner Quick release brackets installed on the the RhinoRack this weekend. As mentioned before, because my RTT crossbars run front to back, I elected to go with 2 sets of accessory bars to give me a full range of adjustability instead of drilling the rack. Really happy with the setup and using the drilled out M8 nuts as a spacer worked great. I have the tent mounted to open passenger and cheated towards passenger to allow use of the annex and to have room for our Batwing awning on the driver side if we want it. I measured it all out ahead of time so any further adjustments if needed will be made on the RTT side when I go to mount it. By the time I was done installing it was high noon with 90+ temps so the tent fitting will happen another day.
baggio1616
Member
Finally got the Frontrunner Quick release brackets installed on the the RhinoRack this weekend. As mentioned before, because my RTT crossbars run front to back, I elected to go with 2 sets of accessory bars to give me a full range of adjustability instead of drilling the rack. Really happy with the setup and using the drilled out M8 nuts as a spacer worked great. I have the tent mounted to open passenger and cheated towards passenger to allow use of the annex and to have room for our Batwing awning on the driver side if we want it. I measured it all out ahead of time so any further adjustments if needed will be made on the RTT side when I go to mount it. By the time I was done installing it was high noon with 90+ temps so the tent fitting will happen another day.
Awesome! I can't wait to do this myself in a couple weeks. I'm thinking this will make my life sooooooooo much easier.
I tried the iKamper things, but they won't work with the James Baroud tent.
dstock
Explorer
Awesome! I can't wait to do this myself in a couple weeks. I'm thinking this will make my life sooooooooo much easier.
I tried the iKamper things, but they won't work with the James Baroud tent.
Thanks! Just out of curiosity, what didn't work about the iKamper mounts?
dstock
Explorer
Just an update, I got the RTT mounted up using the Frontrunner quick release mounts. In the end, it all worked out but there was one gotcha that is worth noting which would have saved a good hour of unnecessary monkeying around.
Before mounting any of the QR mounts, double check that both halves of the quick release mounts latch together BEFORE you mount them! I know I did this with a couple of them just to see how they functioned but I should have tested out all 4. As it turns out, one of my mounts would not latch because there was a little excess metal on the back side of one of the mounts that attaches to the tent rail. Apologies for not having a picture, but I was getting pretty frustrated at this point. Basically, it was impossible to latch the mount without removing about 2 mm of metal that was interfering with the latch. It was nothing that couldn't be fixed with a grinder in about 2 mins, but we probably spent a good hour thinking the brackets weren't aligned on the roof rack properly, until we figured out the issue.
All that said, the mounts work as advertised and I'm happy with the setup. The RTT sits up a little higher then expected but I'm not hearing any additional noise or whistling from the rack or the mounts.
Before mounting any of the QR mounts, double check that both halves of the quick release mounts latch together BEFORE you mount them! I know I did this with a couple of them just to see how they functioned but I should have tested out all 4. As it turns out, one of my mounts would not latch because there was a little excess metal on the back side of one of the mounts that attaches to the tent rail. Apologies for not having a picture, but I was getting pretty frustrated at this point. Basically, it was impossible to latch the mount without removing about 2 mm of metal that was interfering with the latch. It was nothing that couldn't be fixed with a grinder in about 2 mins, but we probably spent a good hour thinking the brackets weren't aligned on the roof rack properly, until we figured out the issue.
All that said, the mounts work as advertised and I'm happy with the setup. The RTT sits up a little higher then expected but I'm not hearing any additional noise or whistling from the rack or the mounts.
baggio1616
Member
Just an update, I got the RTT mounted up using the Frontrunner quick release mounts. In the end, it all worked out but there was one gotcha that is worth noting which would have saved a good hour of unnecessary monkeying around.
Before mounting any of the QR mounts, double check that both halves of the quick release mounts latch together BEFORE you mount them! I know I did this with a couple of them just to see how they functioned but I should have tested out all 4. As it turns out, one of my mounts would not latch because there was a little excess metal on the back side of one of the mounts that attaches to the tent rail. Apologies for not having a picture, but I was getting pretty frustrated at this point. Basically, it was impossible to latch the mount without removing about 2 mm of metal that was interfering with the latch. It was nothing that couldn't be fixed with a grinder in about 2 mins, but we probably spent a good hour thinking the brackets weren't aligned on the roof rack properly, until we figured out the issue.
All that said, the mounts work as advertised and I'm happy with the setup. The RTT sits up a little higher then expected but I'm not hearing any additional noise or whistling from the rack or the mounts.
I'm working on doing mine this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the idea on doing it this way. I'm also working creating a platform to use my winch to lift it off the Jeep. Should be an interesting weekend. Ha.
dstock
Explorer
Ha! I'm modifying a hitch mounted game hoist to lift mine on and off. It will indeed be an interesting weekend!