replace loose ladder for RTT - stored out of tent and attached solidly to vehicle

[livingmoving]

I was looking for a way to replace the loose ladders (as with the maggiolina and columbus) with ones that are attached firmly to the vehicle, and a way to not store them in the tents.

Searched for 'sliding roof racks' and found this.. basically a roof rack that slides partly off the side of the vehicle, the ends lock and hinge, and then the extended rack tilts down.

video of the sliding rack product/idea..
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVtdBZaDnmg&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVtdBZaDnmg&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

Instead, the ladder could be stored on a sliding rail underneath the tent... and you slide it out and tilt it. It would be stable to use, store outside the tent, and give easier access to the roof for any other cargo.

Any ideas on this? DIY or manufactured? Any similar products already out there that could be modified?

 

[BigDaveZJ]

So rather than having the ladder attach to the RTT you want it to to attach to the roof? I guess it would really depend on the type of RTT you're using, with my Mombasa the ladder helps support the tent itself.

 

[Lemsteraak]

The ladder on AutoHome's OverCamp does what you are talking about and may be a good guide. Because the tent is long and thin when closed, you can't really telescope it like you can with a more conventional folding rooftent. They welded two steel bushings or rings to the tent's subframe so that you can slide a hollow pivot rod in to lock the ladder in place. The ladder can pivot to a point, hold up the tent when mounted cantilevered yet still be disconnected and stored on top of the tent under the travel cover when folded.

I wouldn't recommend the OverCamp's ladder because it is purpose built. The concept is sound, attach the ladder securely to your tents subframe in such a fashion that is can pivot and still support the tent when open. Takes a little engineering.

Rich

 

[livingmoving]

thread meant for the RTTs with "loose ladders"

The concept is sound, attach the ladder securely to your tents subframe in such a fashion that is can pivot and still support the tent when open.

On the Maggiolina and Columbus, the ladder does not support the tent, so the attachment only needs to handle the weight of people climbing it.

One idea is to use a roof rack that leaves open space between the top of the roof and the bottom of the roof rack.. enough space with the ladder.

attach a sliding track to the existing roof rack. attach the ladder to that rack, so it functions just the like rack in the video ( extend, lock at the end, and pivot downward ).

If the vehicle is as wide as it is tall, then the ladder could be a single length. For taller vehicles (using the Columbus with rear door) the ladder could be oriented to store, extend and pivot lengthwise; off the rear of the vehicle (allowing the ladder to be long enough to use a single section).