**Tepui RTTs and Accessories**

[Box Rocket]

Replied to your PM. The Snugtop XTR would be a great top with the tent but might need some small tweaks to make it work just right.

 

[Stovey]

Great information and support from Adam at Tepui, thank you...

Thank you Adam,

You've be of great assistance to me in this so far, and I appreciate the back and forth comms via PM.

Much appreciated, Good Sir!

Stovey

 

[radorsch]

Yes. Thanks Adam for supporting ExPo and for this very informative thread... I just read the whole thing.
I have an E350 extended van and was looking to do a pop top, but it has become apparent that I won't have funds for that for a while. We had consider a RTT earlier, but are thinking more seriously about one now. I'm thinking of possibly a Gran Sabana for me, the wife and two kids vs one of the 3 man tents for 2 of us (and put the other 2 in the van).
I was wondering how easy it is to remove these RTTs. I couldn't leave it on the van full time, so I'd have to take it off and on for each trip - probably once every other month to once a month. Besides the obvious weight issue, is this reasonable/feasible?
I'm in the market for a roof rack, but didn't want to spend $1k on one. What racks are people using and what works well? Sounds like the Thule load bars work pretty well. In light of frequently needing to remove/install the tent, are certain designs better/easier?
I also noted that Tepui does rentals. Is that out of Santa Clara? I'm heading up Jed Smith state park in April and will be driving right by there, so I was thinking strongly about stopping in, checking out the tents and renting one for a few days for a test run. Would I need my roof rack set up prior to rental?
Sorry for the long post... Just a RTT noob looking for advice

 

[Yarjammer]

My Gobi Stealth crossbars are very low which makes it a huge PIA to get between the rack and basket bottom to manipulate the fasteners with a socket set. If I had a couple more inches of clearance it would be easy-peasy.

If you can get away with using a Thule or Yakima crossbar and tower setup I would go that route if you plan on removing and reinstalling it often.

1. Start by mounting the rack and getting the towers positioned relative to each other on the bars.
2. When you get the RTT, remove the bars and mount them to the RTT on the ground.
3. Mount the entire assembly to the roof.
4. Remove the entire assembly when needed for storage.

 

[Box Rocket]

Yes. Thanks Adam for supporting ExPo and for this very informative thread... I just read the whole thing.
I have an E350 extended van and was looking to do a pop top, but it has become apparent that I won't have funds for that for a while. We had consider a RTT earlier, but are thinking more seriously about one now. I'm thinking of possibly a Gran Sabana for me, the wife and two kids vs one of the 3 man tents for 2 of us (and put the other 2 in the van).
I was wondering how easy it is to remove these RTTs. I couldn't leave it on the van full time, so I'd have to take it off and on for each trip - probably once every other month to once a month. Besides the obvious weight issue, is this reasonable/feasible?
I'm in the market for a roof rack, but didn't want to spend $1k on one. What racks are people using and what works well? Sounds like the Thule load bars work pretty well. In light of frequently needing to remove/install the tent, are certain designs better/easier?
I also noted that Tepui does rentals. Is that out of Santa Clara? I'm heading up Jed Smith state park in April and will be driving right by there, so I was thinking strongly about stopping in, checking out the tents and renting one for a few days for a test run. Would I need my roof rack set up prior to rental?
Sorry for the long post... Just a RTT noob looking for advice

My Gobi Stealth crossbars are very low which makes it a huge PIA to get between the rack and basket bottom to manipulate the fasteners with a socket set. If I had a couple more inches of clearance it would be easy-peasy.

If you can get away with using a Thule or Yakima crossbar and tower setup I would go that route if you plan on removing and reinstalling it often.

1. Start by mounting the rack and getting the towers positioned relative to each other on the bars.
2. When you get the RTT, remove the bars and mount them to the RTT on the ground.
3. Mount the entire assembly to the roof.
4. Remove the entire assembly when needed for storage.

Yarjammers method will work just fine. Personally I prefer to leave the load bars or roofrack in place on the vehicle before mounting the tent. It makes for less chance of scratching the roof of the vehicle with the feet of the rack/load bars. Thule or Yakima bars will work just fine on the van. Depending on the tent you select, you may consider using a third or fourth load bar to help support the load better than just two bars.
Radorsch, a Gran Sabana would be a fantastic family tent with lots of room. With two kids you could also consider one of the Autana models and have you and your wife sleep in the top and the kids sleep in the annex. That's what I did with my family (but we slept 4 kids in the annex). Two kids would be perfect with one on each side of the ladder and still have room behind the ladder for gear and no obstruction in front of the ladder. The same thing could be done with the Gran Sabana, but it will also sleep 4 in the upper area just fine.
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This was our Autana setup with our family.

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[_Daveo_]

Any update on the potential olive drab autana ruggedized?

 

[Stovey]

Snugtop XTR load rating - is it even conceivable?

I spoke with mu local Snugtop dealer today who told me she was informed, (presumably by Snugtop?) that the load rating for an XTR shell is 550lbs with the reinforcement upgrade, but that the 2" diameter roof rails that come integrated from the factory are only rated at 140lbs.

Now, nobody on planet Earth will ever accuse me of being GOOD at math, but even I can see some sort of a hole in this logic.

I have heard from reliable sources and seen pics on the net of people mounting RTT's successfully on this Snugtop XTR, a cap I had all but settled completely on until the local dealer gave me this math lesson today.

Any better wisdom from you folks following this excellent thread?

Thanks for all!

Stovey

 

[Box Rocket]

Any update on the potential olive drab autana ruggedized?

I'll see if I can get any more detailed info but last word was sometime late May we should see them.

I spoke with mu local Snugtop dealer today who told me she was informed, (presumably by Snugtop?) that the load rating for an XTR shell is 550lbs with the reinforcement upgrade, but that the 2" diameter roof rails that come integrated from the factory are only rated at 140lbs.

Now, nobody on planet Earth will ever accuse me of being GOOD at math, but even I can see some sort of a hole in this logic.

I have heard from reliable sources and seen pics on the net of people mounting RTT's successfully on this Snugtop XTR, a cap I had all but settled completely on until the local dealer gave me this math lesson today.

Any better wisdom from you folks following this excellent thread?

Thanks for all!

Stovey

The weight ratings that most places will give you for toppers or roof racks or load bars etc are for dynamic loads, meaning that is the recommended weight capacity while driving. Static loads can be much higher typically for obvious reasons, since you aren't moving and there isn't the risk of the vehicle tipping over in a corner because of too much weight up high. I can say from personal experience I've had well over 140lbs on the 2" tubes on my personal Snugtop XTR in the past with no hint of any imminent failure. Clearly, I can make no guarantees but like you I have seen and witnessed people who are successfully using tents on this very topper.

 

[Stovey]

Thakns again Adam...

Real customer service from Tepui here on these forums...SALUTE.

All the best,

Stovey
***************************************************

I'll see if I can get any more detailed info but last word was sometime late May we should see them.



The weight ratings that most places will give you for toppers or roof racks or load bars etc are for dynamic loads, meaning that is the recommended weight capacity while driving. Static loads can be much higher typically for obvious reasons, since you aren't moving and there isn't the risk of the vehicle tipping over in a corner because of too much weight up high. I can say from personal experience I've had well over 140lbs on the 2" tubes on my personal Snugtop XTR in the past with no hint of any imminent failure. Clearly, I can make no guarantees but like you I have seen and witnessed people who are successfully using tents on this very topper.

 

[radorsch]

Thanks Yarjammer for the advice.
I was leaning towards a safari type rack, but if I'm gonna go with a RTT, I'll probably start looking at Thule or Yakima. Actually, with the van, I probably could do a set of load bars for the tent and a jeep sized safari rack too. If needed.
Adam, thanks for the pics. I figured I could sleep people below, but I'm surprised at how spacious the annex actually looks for 4 kids. I could do mine, plus friends, and the wife and I can escape upstairs!

 

[dstock]

My Gobi Stealth crossbars are very low which makes it a huge PIA to get between the rack and basket bottom to manipulate the fasteners with a socket set. If I had a couple more inches of clearance it would be easy-peasy.

An easier route is getting a pair of the Gobi Accessory load bars and mounting the tent to them instead of the crossbars on the Gobi rack itself. Then you just drop the whole setup on the Gobi rack and only have to attach the bars to the rack, which is just 4 bolts total at the outer ends of the bars and not under the rack/RTT.

 

[Wilyone]

PM's sent

 

[whatevah]

Any suggestions for a trailer-mounted tent with an annex like the Autana, but for a low mount? My trailer should sit around 42-44" at the top of the body when it's complete and I'm trying to avoid adding a rack to it. It seems like all of these are intended for a roof top mount (heh, I wonder why) and will need a rack to raise the height from a trailer.

 

[Yarjammer]

An easier route is getting a pair of the Gobi Accessory load bars and mounting the tent to them instead of the crossbars on the Gobi rack itself. Then you just drop the whole setup on the Gobi rack and only have to attach the bars to the rack, which is just 4 bolts total at the outer ends of the bars and not under the rack/RTT.

They're on my list, but didn't want to wait until Gobi got around to "making" a set of crossbars and actually shipping them to me before I could mount my tent. The RTT is on there now, so I'll get them eventually (it pretty much lives full time on my rack). I love Gobi, but their batch processing manufacturing is a killer when you're in a pinch and need an accessory. I did discover that the Yakima mounts work pretty well for a one bolt solution if you put some tread tape on the crossbar.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: I can't help with the annex, but

Any suggestions for a trailer-mounted tent with an annex like the Autana, but for a low mount? My trailer should sit around 42-44" at the top of the body when it's complete and I'm trying to avoid adding a rack to it. It seems like all of these are intended for a roof top mount (heh, I wonder why) and will need a rack to raise the height from a trailer.

I've got mine mounted direct to the trailer top/w 1/2" gap underneath and it's solid as a rock-

If you wanna annex, it'll probably have to be modified !

Good luck

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO