themcnertney
Member
Just wanted to share a couple photos of my winter storage setup of my CVT tent and KB Voodoo bed rack. Any questions, ask away.
Winter Storage: RTT
- Thread starter themcnertney
- Start date
themcnertney
Member
Haha. No.
When I was building it, I did have a few revisions that were worked into making it better. The hope and plan is to raise and lower it all by myself.
I felt it was much easier to leave the bed rack attached to the tent then storing just the tent. Although I would like to have my rack for various reasons, just was easier to keep it attached.
I’ll throw out my prediction for your safety:
I don’t know if this will happen, but I would plan for it just in case…
Ratchet straps seem great for lifting but they release tension somewhat violently. You will be up on a ladder and each corner will drop fast and cause the weight to try and swing. Yes, your hoist will keep it from dropping far, but then you shock the hoist and it doesn’t take much swing to knock you off the ladder.
The weight isn’t the issue so much as the inability to release the whole thing at the same time.
maybe building a rigid spreader bar instead of using the yellow strap could get you closer to the ceiling and allow a simple release mechanism that allows the hoist to control all the weight? Maybe cut a “well” into the ceiling and mount the hoist up on the trusses instead of under them to gain more height?
Just please be careful on a ladder when you try and release this system. It might not be pretty.
I don’t know if this will happen, but I would plan for it just in case…
Ratchet straps seem great for lifting but they release tension somewhat violently. You will be up on a ladder and each corner will drop fast and cause the weight to try and swing. Yes, your hoist will keep it from dropping far, but then you shock the hoist and it doesn’t take much swing to knock you off the ladder.
The weight isn’t the issue so much as the inability to release the whole thing at the same time.
maybe building a rigid spreader bar instead of using the yellow strap could get you closer to the ceiling and allow a simple release mechanism that allows the hoist to control all the weight? Maybe cut a “well” into the ceiling and mount the hoist up on the trusses instead of under them to gain more height?
Just please be careful on a ladder when you try and release this system. It might not be pretty.
themcnertney
Member
Wow. Really appreciate this post. Thank you for that.
I suppose the first photo that I posted is not what the latest rendition is that we currently are using. We got rid of the yellow strap you see up to the hoist. We went with a much shorter strap (sort of like a spreader that you mention). This brought the tent much closer to the hoist.
Last night, I did a test run, just to remove the four ratchet straps from tension and get to just the hoist support. I found that there was very little distance between the hoist and four corner straps. I had minimal swing of the overall tent and rack. I think this design will work just fine.