Sure-Fire Ways to Improve Your Roof Top Tent

[Stabwell]

Added a fairing to the front of the Alu-cab RTT. A friend fabricated some brackets out of some steel angle. We also cut up a piece of ABS I had from another project. We followed the Gamiviti fairing template. I made a couple cross bars out of aluminum angle for stiffness. Barely any wind noise now. I noticed a pretty good whistle after I added the Alu-cab load bars, but that's gone as well.

 

[jacobconroy]

Added a fairing to the front of the Alu-cab RTT. A friend fabricated some brackets out of some steel angle. We also cut up a piece of ABS I had from another project. We followed the Gamiviti fairing template. I made a couple cross bars out of aluminum angle for stiffness. Barely any wind noise now. I noticed a pretty good whistle after I added the Alu-cab load bars, but that's gone as well.

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Nicely done!

 

[VTR]

Any know if the Tepui table can be mounted to supports that are not perfectly vertical? Does it swivel on its attachment? What diameter poles can it be mounted to?

I was searching for something else, but saw this. Look for a Guitar Center in your town. Being a musician, they have various accessories for mic stands. One is a little table with cup holder, clamps to your pole inside you tent, mic stands are same size. They also have iPad holders for mic stands, clamps anywhere on a pole in your tent. Probably cheaper, and there great. Search at guitar center, just type in mic stand accessories. Some guy put this on You Tube a while back also. I forgot my table this first spring trip, really missed it. I put glasses, cup,transistor radio keys, etc. on it.

 

[REasley]

My wife was having trouble getting in and out of the tent, so I added a grab handle on either side of the ladder. Only ten bucks for the pair. They sit below the top of the mattress and are invisible until you reach for them. While I installed them for the wife I find myself using them every time I climb in or out.

 

[Lucky j]

I know that My ARB has two strap that can be used on both sides just for this. But good job. How vertical is you ladder?

 

[REasley]

Not vertical. Long enough to set the angle as needed. The tent is a 23zero Byron no straps.

 

[teotwaki]

Originally my RTT came with two thin straps over the outer cover, one on each side of the cover's bulge over the ladder.

Eventually the straps needed replacing as the Velcro was losing its grip. I also noted how the cover would balloon up as I drove along at freeway speeds because
air was finding its way under the cover. I was guessing that the raised profile of the tent cover was hurting gas mileage. I tried 4 small straps that came from
Harbor Freight to see if the extra two straps would eliminate the ballooning effect. (They did)

Next I installed some wider black straps from Strapworks to replace the cheap straps which were markedly suffering from UV exposure after a few short months. The thinner straps tended to flutter in the wind quite a bit.

After 5 years of being out in the elements the straps were looking worn so I ordered up a new set form Strapworks but this time in a tan color to blend in a bit.

More pictures and build detail about my trailer and 4Runner can be found here Sun To The North

 

[Lucky j]

The tent is a 23zero Byron no straps.

Some of the differences between tent models and company.

Nicely done.

 

[tae73]

I love my new Alu-cab gen 3 tent. However, on a recent trip to Monument Valley, we got hit with a bad windstorm. I listened to the zippers jangling all night long. Decided right then they needed to be silenced before another trip. So I cut all 24 zipper pulls off and replaced them with reflective 3mm cord.

Hows the plastic tabs holding up? Still glad you cut the metal portion of the zippers off?

 

[jacobconroy]

My wife was having trouble getting in and out of the tent, so I added a grab handle on either side of the ladder. Only ten bucks for the pair. They sit below the top of the mattress and are invisible until you reach for them. While I installed them for the wife I find myself using them every time I climb in or out.

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That's one hell of a good idea. My trailer RTT tilts when the lid is open and I've wound up with my mattress on the ground more than once because I forgot to close the entry door before opening the box.

Putting a handle like this in there would hold the mattress in place and give me a convenient place to attach the ladder. Thanks for posting.

 

[Stabwell]

Hows the plastic tabs holding up? Still glad you cut the metal portion of the zippers off?

Everything is holding up well. No issues. Definitely happy that I cut the metal pulls off. Haven't been in a wind storm lately, but I do find that they are easier to see now and easier to use (not by any huge measure, but easier nonetheless).

 

[Mykh]

...
This past September, we camped at 9,200ft on Cinnamon Pass, CO, and it was unbelievably cozy! The insulation adds R3. Just enough to really make a difference. Now we have a 3.5 season tent. Hope this answers someone's questions about doing this.
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Just curious, how much noise does this make at night?

 

[Beowulf]

I was searching for something else, but saw this. Look for a Guitar Center in your town. Being a musician, they have various accessories for mic stands. One is a little table with cup holder, clamps to your pole inside you tent, mic stands are same size. They also have iPad holders for mic stands, clamps anywhere on a pole in your tent. Probably cheaper, and there great. Search at guitar center, just type in mic stand accessories. Some guy put this on You Tube a while back also. I forgot my table this first spring trip, really missed it. I put glasses, cup,transistor radio keys, etc. on it.

Thank you for pointing those out. That is exactly what is was looking for.

 

[Beowulf]

Who all makes a shoe bag for the RTTs. The Yakima and Tepui look good. Any others?

 

[tae73]

Who all makes a shoe bag for the RTTs. The Yakima and Tepui look good. Any others?

CVT also makes shoe bags.