Nothing but problems with my Tepui, advice?

[Box Rocket]

You know i find the whole smittybuilt not being a tepui hard to believe, the patterns, the bolts, the hoops, the stitching... it all seemed identical on close up inspection. Except for the color the mattress and the ladder i couldnt find a difference when parked side by side. So we might have to agree to disagree there. Also the tent looks exactly the same as the one sold on alibaba for 300-600 bucks, which if i could figure out how to fill out customs forms i would have purchased instead https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...6807502.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.zKjjao&s=p

I appreciate your response. I think the bad ladder was actually the new design, both the ladders are identical in every aspect except for the stability once they are set up. When they sent me the new one i torqued every single bolt on it to the same spec (i think like 12 ft lbs). It doesnt take any force to put the cover on, thats why i don't store the sleeping bag or pillow in it, so that specific situation doesn't happen. The cover fits with a little room to spare. Maybe i should try the luxury mattress, as i said in an earlier post i have some pretty severe back problems so i need a flat comfortable surface to sleep on or else i get nerve pain. This is incredibly difficult to find when im camping for days at a time so i feel some loyalty as im not sure id be camping still without this tent! Since the hook and loop side straps became frayed i stopped using them, i just thought maybe that could have contributed to the hinge getting slightly bent. As im offroading the tent could be moving up and down an inch or so and wobbling side to side?

These nuts were not overtightened, the nylock part is literally disintegrating or tearing apart which is something i have not seen. The nylocks that hold my front coilovers have been torqued to 60 ft lbs for at least a year and get brake fluid and power steering fluid on them regularly with no loss in torque or degredation of the material. I kept the nut and bolt from the side of the ladder that didnt back out, and i can tighten the nylock nut by hand the whole way through the bolt. To me this is the #1 inexcuseable failure i have had, cheaping out on hardware.

These problems really dont seem typical but i think i also use the tent and offroad with it on more than most of the end consumers its designed for. I would have purchased a ruggedized in the first place but it never occured to me that offroading with the tent on would be a problem since i thought that was it's whole deal. Does anyone sell a hardware upgrade kit for these tents, with american nuts and bolts?

Again, thanks for the response. What are the Chinese best known for beside Kung Pao Chicken? Making convincing knock offs. There are dozens of factories in China making tents and there is definitely all kinds of copying going on. Fact still remains, the Smittybuilt is not the same as the Tepui. Whether or not you believe that is up to you.
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Offroading with the tent isn't the problem. There are hundreds of people, myself included that regularly offroad with standard tents without issue. As I said before I believe you've had a series of unfortunate and atypical issues. What led to those issues is hard to say. What I do know is that these are not common issues.
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As for the hardware and other problems I still think it's worth your time to go back to REI for warranty. Replacement hardware can be sourced at your local hardware store if you find the supplied hardware insufficient. I'm still confident that REI and Tepui will be willing to help you sort it out, unless you don't think REI will take the tent back for some reason.

 

[v_man]

Is there any chance this tent is going to behave and be trouble free for the rest of its life? No. Cut your loses before the year runs out and get something that works...my .02$

 

[rnArmy]

Two (or more) comments.

1. Return and/or exchange your tent while you can. You know the weak points; address them before your first outing with your new one (replace hardware, etc.).

2. Someone mentioned tent cots. My buddy and I took two two-man tent cots (from Cabela's) on a three-week trip up through Canada/BC/Yukon (we also drove the Dempster Highway). So I kinda know tent cots (especially Cabela's double sized tent cots).

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...gclid=CMSopo6u-NICFQ9rfgodIRoEwA&gclsrc=aw.ds

a. They aren't very tall inside (24"). Not easy to change clothes in.
b. They take up a lot of space when folded up (the picture just shows one in the back of a Jeep ZJ with the rear seat folded down [and we took two]).
c. They do have a bar down the middle; that's why my buddy and I each had our own two-man tent cot (plus I didn't feel like spooning with him). It is ok for one person as you can also have some of your luggage in there with you. But with the bar down the middle, you still have to pick a side to sleep on.
d. They are a bit of a pain to set up and take down and put back in their carrying bag (it isn't as quick as you'd think). It was almost a two-man operation. And then back in the vehicle. Even folded they are big, bulky, and heavy (56.5lbs). They are portable only as far as from the vehicle to where you're going to set-up (which you will hope is close to the vehicle).
e. You can mount a tent-cot on top of a trailer if you'd like to use it like a RTT (which I did after our Yukon trip). I just removed the outer set of legs. But then you need to have a cover made. And buy a ladder. For what it cost me to do all that, I could have bought an entry-level "real" RTT. But it was an excuse to try something different, and I'm happy with how it came out. Pictures of the tent cot open on the trailer don't show the rain cover installed. Mounted on the trailer cuts down a whole lot of the set-up and take-down effort.
f. You can't leave a pad or a sleeping bag in there - everything comes out before you fold it up (or it won't fold).
g. It is about half the weight of a "real" RTT with a similar footprint.
h. At least you're off the ground.
i. If I were in a one-man tent cot, I'd feel like I was in a coffin.
j. Go to Harbor Freight and buy one of their 2' x 6' rubber floor pads (they have a diamond-plate pattern on them). Cut it in half so you have a 2' x 3' pad. Put it on the ground at the entrance to your tent cot. Because you'll be spending time on your knees before getting into your tent-cot (the entrance is low), so you'll be glad you have some padding/cushion on the ground. It can easily fit in the storage bag with your tent cot. They're often on sale (or use one of their coupons).
http://www.harborfreight.com/anti-fatigue-roll-mat-61241.html
k. Buy some good quality tent patches. With the tent cots in its envelope, chances are while traveling packed among other things it will continually rub on something and you may get a hole somewhere. I don't remember if they came with a patch kit or not. Obviously there's a reason I'm mentioning this.
l. They come with cheap tent stakes (for the rain fly poles). Buy better tent stakes (I like the ones that look like huge nails with a plastic end).
m. I slept well in mine. I had a cot-sized foam pad under me (Army sleeping pad). It was as comfortable as sleeping on a cot would be.
n. Keep air flowing in the tent cot; otherwise you'll get condensation from your breathing if it is all closed up.

 

[dman93]

if you want to return it, go back to REI. If you'd like to better understand the problems and get them fixed, contact Tepui. Their service is very good. You did mention "smacking the cover" on a tree; it's pretty hard to ********** the cover without hitting the tent and that could certainly cause damage to the frame. I put about 10-15K miles on my Tepui Kukenam, maybe 20 -30 uses, some desert and wind, and it basically looks and works like new.

 

[laneyloose]

Dang, thanks for all the info on the tent cots! i was looking at one on amazon in the 250 dollar range that didnt have a pole down the middle. It's crazy that they weigh even half as much as a roof top tent! I'd have to fab up some kind of permanent mount for it as well... but it would definetly be an option right now. Im going to have my wife read your post and well talk about it together. Fortunately with a truck platform i have a bit more free space than others but id still have to come up with some good mounting system for it.

I'm positive REI will let me return it... hell even if i rolled the truck and crushed the tent, the way REI words there warranty i could just say i wasn't happy with it and they would have to take it back (not that i would do that). One of my friends works there and he says its company policy that if someone brings back a wrapper from a candy bar they ate and says they aren't satisfied they have to give them their money back... something about positive customer experiences. That was actually one of my main deciding factors for getting it there (besides the 25% off). I think ill probably end up returning on it then stewing on the idea of a RTT for a while... maybe if i find another good sale on a ruggedized one ill get it and replace all the hardware with locktite'd grade 8 nuts and bolts and straps before i mount it to the truck.

I think the combination of not being able to use the side straps almost from the beginning and the constant vibrations shaking the hardware loose has been my main problem. Anytime i try to set it up without every single bolt 100% tight it's bound to cause problems. Probably a tube of locktite 8 months ago would have solved 99% of my problems. I just went over the tent with a wrench and almost every single bolt had backed out by almost a full turn. Someone mentioned the tree hitting it, that could definetly be part of it, but the hinge stopped lining up before it, i have a picture of the hinge hitting the bottom of the alluminum lip instead of aligning properly while the cover still looks brand new, also with the cover tear the corner piece underneath it still looks untouched, even the plastic is fresh without a scratch. And that doesnt explain having my ladder only half held on from bolts backing out, or the main hoop screws coming completely loose, or the bottom bolts pulling through the alluminum frame (which i noticed on the freeway as my tent raised and lowered itself 2 or 3 inches from the wind), or the bottom bolts coming completely loose on me through the nylock nut, or the part of the cover that slides into the alluminum base ripping after only taking it off maybe 5 times. Or the fact that the first time my friend tried to use his tent which may or may not be a tepui clone he experienced the same issue with a bolt backing out on him, brand new. Even if it's not identical to the tepui tent and just a copy, the bolts have the same writting on the heads of them so they are using the same hardware, AZ-70 or something like that.

I do love the idea of the tent, it's so easy to set up and with the memory foam the mattress is great on my back! I was thinking about how i have it mounted and i bet a crossbar would reduce some of the vibrations transfered to the tent. I took it off the mounts and the bottom of the tent has seen better days, also all the bottom bolts are already backed out 2 to 3 turns after 400 miles.

Thanks for following us on IG, I just got into IG a few months ago and im amazed at how fast the page is gaining followers and I'm even gaining some traction from sponsors lately. I've got a magazine shoot coming up for the truck this week, and that's all because of IG. I'm very excited people think what i like to do for fun is cool and not just white trash and lame haha.

I'm so glad this hasnt devolved into a pissing contest about tent brands or something similar, its a refreshing change from hanging out in the hardcore section of pirate4x4.
Thanks everyone for the responses, i have alot to think about.

 

[whitenoise]

A2-70 (not AZ-70) is the grade of stainless steel bolt, similar to (and a bit weaker than) Grade 5 steel bolts. So it doesn't necessarily mean Tepui and Smittybilt are using the same hardware, only that they're using the same grade.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

 

[A.Wilson013]

Sorry to hear your problems with the Tepui tent. I don't personally have one (I went with CVT though had a known Tepui would get in w/ REI I probably would have waited and went that route =p ) but many of my friends and adventure buddies do. They're great tents!

The only possibly helpful comment I have is that the velcro on my traps went too (however mine lasted a year or so with a LOT of use) and I replaced the straps that hold the platforms together with little ratchet straps, and the straps that go over the cover with some cam straps. Upgrading those pieces s revolutionized my roof top tenting experience (mild exaggeration, but it has made life easier!).

Take yours back to REI and get a new one- that's what I would do.

 

[laneyloose]

Replacing the 2 velcro straps that broke in the beginning with pull straps was a huge upgrade, i wish i did that to all the 4 velcro straps that stopped working within a week or 2. For a while i was holding the top strap on with electrical tape haha.

Thanks! That's what i was trying to think of. If it means anything the coloring on the nylock part of the nylock nuts that failed on both mine and my friends is 100% the same (as well as the base plate and the pattern and the tent poles etc. but i digress). The bolts themselves would be fine if they stayed tight since they shouldn't be under hardly any load, bolts half as strong should work fine as long as they stay torqued to spec i would think.

I think ill take the tent back to REI this weekend and cut up the mounting bars and re-use the DOM for my transfer case skid/mount extension. REI has a yakima RTT in stock on display, ill be interested to check it out while im there to see any similarities or differences, it looks like a slightly different design but same basic template.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Only minor issues

I'm a little surprised to read this. I've had a tepui on top of the jeep through several years and 40,000 miles of abuse, including slamming it into a parking garage beam in Hollywood. The cover shows the age, and I replaced most of the bolts and nuts as I was mounting it the first time, but I haven't seen the issues you are facing. I suspect you have a vibration or torque transfer issue in your mounting system. No double nutted bolt, properly installed, should ever back out. The tent needs basic maintenance, like anything else. I pretty much do an annual overhaul and tightness check. My biggest issues have been minor gripes about reaching and buckling in a few places.

Although you sound like a return to REI is inevitable, I would also consider running up to Show it to Tepui themselves. I picked mine up in Santa Cruz when I bought them and they were extremely helpful.

On edit, after looking at your mount pics again, I promise you that you are twisting the tent because your mounting system isn't rigid enough. You will likely destroy any tent.