Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

I'm working on a design for the RTT annex sides to roll up and stay in place when the RTT is folded for travel. Each of the 3 sides of the annex would roll up as shown here:

When the RTT was folded for travel, the rolled-up annex sides would stay in place; they'd end up on top of the folded RTT and the RTT's travel cover was put on, the rolled-up annex sides would be covered by it.

When the RTT travel cover is removed and the RTT unfolded and set up, the rolled-up annex sides would be as shown above, and then they'd roll down like this:

The rear panel might be a challenge due to interference from the ladder. I think the annex panel should be inside the ladder when deployed so the ladder is available for access to the tent above, but if it's inside it may not be able to stay in place when the RTT is folded for travel. I'll have to put the RTT on top of the Jeep to see how best to design the rear panel.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Hi Jeff,

What if a light weight water resistant fly type material was used to attach around the tent cover at the rear to extend the rear room, so the ladder was enclosed with enough room to climb up?
This lighter material would roll up pretty small.
The entrance Door could then be on either side at the rear. It may require a couple of folding tent poles for support, and would probably need to be tied out at the ground.
It could velcro to the side panels, and up the sides of the tent.

This would extend the room, and provide a way to the tent that is enclosed.
Near the top it could have a sewn in mesh screen, like the tent side windows, to improve ventilation.
The heavier side panels could be sewn into a pretty straight rectangle this way, to keep it simple for storage.

 

[rubicon91]

I'm working on a design for the RTT annex sides to roll up and stay in place when the RTT is folded for travel. Each of the 3 sides of the annex would roll up as shown here:

When the RTT was folded for travel, the rolled-up annex sides would stay in place; they'd end up on top of the folded RTT and the RTT's travel cover was put on, the rolled-up annex sides would be covered by it.

When the RTT travel cover is removed and the RTT unfolded and set up, the rolled-up annex sides would be as shown above, and then they'd roll down like this:

The rear panel might be a challenge due to interference from the ladder. I think the annex panel should be inside the ladder when deployed so the ladder is available for access to the tent above, but if it's inside it may not be able to stay in place when the RTT is folded for travel. I'll have to put the RTT on top of the Jeep to see how best to design the rear panel.

Yeah i like that especially if it could stay attached to the RTT. Would probably have to make a new cover as well as for instance when I shut mine it is tight so I dont know if adding this would hamper putting the cover on for storage.

 

[rubicon91]

Scott,

Thanks, discounting your standard cup holder and step features, there are some good ideas in there...

Will you make that man his cup holder and step already Jeff

 

[rubicon91]

Donny,

Thanks. I like the ARB unit, but seems like it might take longer to set up/take down than a tent-based annex which simply hooks to the tent bottom? (Or per my previous response to Scott, stays hooked to the tent when the tent is folded and as the tent is deployed the sides simply are unstrapped and they roll down by themselves?)

But it does look like it provides "living space" vs. the tent annex which at best is a changing area and place to shelter the kitchen from rain.

Does the ARB unit have a floor? The Mombasa annex doesn't have a floor; maybe adding a floor is a good idea?

I dont know how hard it would be to put up take down but I do watch Venture4wd videos and he seems to put it up every weekend by himself so i cannot imagine it would be too difficult. It does have a floor. You actually can buy the floor piece and have it for just the awning as well. I will get this eventually to add to my awning just for the fact that when I get the wife and kiddo out camping they can take the RTT and I can put a hammock on the stand i have inside this and sleep without being kicked all night

 

[jscherb]

Hi Jeff,

What if a light weight water resistant fly type material was used to attach around the tent cover at the rear to extend the rear room, so the ladder was enclosed with enough room to climb up?
This lighter material would roll up pretty small.
The entrance Door could then be on either side at the rear. It may require a couple of folding tent poles for support, and would probably need to be tied out at the ground.
It could velcro to the side panels, and up the sides of the tent.

This would extend the room, and provide a way to the tent that is enclosed.
Near the top it could have a sewn in mesh screen, like the tent side windows, to improve ventilation.
The heavier side panels could be sewn into a pretty straight rectangle this way, to keep it simple for storage.

Thanks, interesting idea. I haven't decided yet if I should extend it beyond the size of the RTT platform or just keep it smaller. Worth thinking about.

 

[jscherb]

Will you make that man his cup holder and step already Jeff

I designed a step for him on the rear flat fenders, jeez does he want cup holders in it too?

I wish he'd be satisfied with the two cup holders I designed into the top of the Storegate.

 

[jscherb]

Yeah i like that especially if it could stay attached to the RTT. Would probably have to make a new cover as well as for instance when I shut mine it is tight so I dont know if adding this would hamper putting the cover on for storage.

I believe the cover on mine has enough room in it to hold the rolled-up panels, but I'll have to test it. It easily accommodates the ladder extension, and in this photo it looks like it's a bit loose, so I think it may work, at least for the side panels. The rear panel I'm not so sure about, mostly because of interference from the ladder.

 

[unkamonkey]

I was out this morning and my neighbor was out pushing her grand daughter around in a stroller. A baby needs 2 cup holders? My cup holders in the 3B are 2 end caps for 3" PVC pipes bolted to some sort of a seat cross member. I need to cut in a bit of a slot for the handle of my coffee mug to sit in. My needs are fairly simple. I bought a center console for the other Jeep. Alright, it has cup holders, great. It is also where I hid the radio that actually works. The one in the dash sort of lost it's magic smoke one day. I left it in there so if anybody wanted to steal It, they would get nothing and it fills the hole.

 

[jscherb]

I was out this morning and my neighbor was out pushing her grand daughter around in a stroller. A baby needs 2 cup holders? My cup holders in the 3B are 2 end caps for 3" PVC pipes bolted to some sort of a seat cross member. I need to cut in a bit of a slot for the handle of my coffee mug to sit in. My needs are fairly simple. I bought a center console for the other Jeep. Alright, it has cup holders, great. It is also where I hid the radio that actually works. The one in the dash sort of lost it's magic smoke one day. I left it in there so if anybody wanted to steal It, they would get nothing and it fills the hole.

Either you don't have kids or you're old enough that your kids grew up before the "sipee cup" era. Mine were never without a sippee cup nearby. They needed cupholders .

https://www.google.com/search?q=sippy+cup&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

 

[unkamonkey]

Either you don't have kids or you're old enough that your kids grew up before the "sipee cup" era. Mine were never without a sippee cup nearby. They needed cupholders .

https://www.google.com/search?q=sippy+cup&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

No wife or kids but I have certainly picked up enough sippy cups and refilled them for the neighbors kids and my nieces.

 

[Comanche Scott]

I designed a step for him on the rear flat fenders, jeez does he want cup holders in it too?

I wish he'd be satisfied with the two cup holders I designed into the top of the Storegate.

Oh I'm very happy with the Storegate, :victory:
But it's like traveling across country in a mini-van. 4 hours into the journey, the cup holders are all full of empty drinks, and the family is calling for bathroom breaks.
Come to think of it, maybe no cup holders really is best!

On the rear panel, if you used a lighter ripstop nylon cloth, it could be folded up and lashed to the ladder for storage pretty easily, with the tent poles (if required).

 

[Hogzilla]

Sorry but I haven't been following this thread for a while. Are these safari tops available anywhere yet?

Thanks

 

[jscherb]

Here's a little project I thought up a few days ago... a DIY awning. When I have the RTT installed to open off the back, it provides shade from the sun for the kitchen area. I was thinking it might be nice to have some shade on the trail for the majority of the time when I'm not carrying the tent, so I made this. to provide shade for the rear kitchen area. It's self-retracting like a window shade (because that's what it is ). I've got about $45 invested in it. I still need to finish up some details like some paracord tie-downs with tent stakes to keep it from moving around too much in a breeze.

 

[jscherb]

A few more photos of the awning project.

The support rods stow in the zippered cover: