Roof tent removal, storage, etc.

[Animal Mother]

I know many of you are using roof tents, of various shapes and sizes, from full length, to folding, clamshell, etc.

Out of season (e.g. during UK winter) what do you do with the tent?

How do you remove it?
Where do you store it?
Anyone have a fancy solution?

I'd love to be able to reverse the 120 into the garage and ratchet strap the tent to the roof joists but my 120 wont fit in (or out again) with the tent fitted.

 

[fbnss]

I got me a rosy to help lift it off the roof and then lean it against the garage wall.

 

[Animal Mother]

I've only got a 4'11" wife. Hence my need for an elegant solution.

 

[fbnss]

S thats not the perfect height then?

 

[AndyCook]

I have a jib crane I fabricated on side of garage to lift my maggionlina rigid RTT on and off car, or use family or friends to help lift it in and off
I then trolley it into garage on a small trolley I made
Then another electric hoist hauls it up to rafters in garage, and ratchet straps hold it in place

 

[StarCruiser]

I've only got a 4'11" wife. Hence my need for an elegant solution.

Snap! Barring an extra inch!

I’ve partly made a trolley and slides to take our 1.6m Howling Moon over the back and down so it sits on its side. I then wheel it into the garage where it gets in the way all winter. I say partly as I’ve yet to fabricate the winch side of things. 60kg that size is a bit of a lump to shift about. It’s ok but not perfect and I may dream up something else.

 

[Animal Mother]

I've got the trolley bit sorted, it's bringing it down which is the PITA.

I'll report back at the weekend with how many scratches and broken windows I have.

 

[nick_the_fish]

2 thoughts

firstly, I got one down using a pulley on the limb of a tree (a very big, STRONG limb) once

Secondly, 2 long lengths of timber secured to the back of the roof rack to be used as a slide. Use a piece of rope to control the decent??

I guess it just takes some creative thinking and SAFETY FIRST

Dare I say getting it off is the easy bit. Getting it back on next spring on the other hand.....

 

[Bmonck]

I like the winch and slides idea.
I normally invite a mate for a beer and then say “oh by the way could you lend me a hand with something on the Totyota ......”. Then we come close to putting our backs out lifting the Hannibal tent over the back of the car and tucked into the garage. I am 6 2” and can only just lift it high enough to clear the roof rack and off the back.
However the beer then tastes richly deserved!

 

[Bmonck]

Dare I say getting it off is the easy bit. Getting it back on next spring on the other hand.....

Different mate but same beer ploy.....

 

[karl webster]

ive done the plank idea.
lifting one off myself (dont reccomend this)
also pully system off roof of the shed

 

[chapel gate]

I know many of you are using roof tents, of various shapes and sizes, from full length, to folding, clamshell, etc.

Out of season (e.g. during UK winter) what do you do with the tent?

How do you remove it?
Where do you store it?
Anyone have a fancy solution?

I'd love to be able to reverse the 120 into the garage and ratchet strap the tent to the roof joists but my 120 wont fit in (or out again) with the tent fitted.

Cheap ebay electric hoist from the rafters. Lifts it on and off the rack. Stays up there in between..

 

[StarCruiser]

The curved rails slot into the ends of similar rails on the roof rack and into slides in the trolley. A bit of silicone spray makes the whole thing work a bit too well. Ally channel on the bottom of the tent with PTFE strip in the root of it.

It’s not perfect by any means but might be good if/when I figure out how best to do the winching.

 

[Animal Mother]

View attachment 149716
The curved rails slot into the ends of similar rails on the roof rack and into slides in the trolley. A bit of silicone spray makes the whole thing work a bit too well. Ally channel on the bottom of the tent with PTFE strip in the root of it.

It’s not perfect by any means but might be good if/when I figure out how best to do the winching.

That is very cool.

 

[StarCruiser]

That is very cool.

It’s doable AM but it’s far from easy.

 

[Bmonck]

View attachment 149716
The curved rails slot into the ends of similar rails on the roof rack and into slides in the trolley. A bit of silicone spray makes the whole thing work a bit too well. Ally channel on the bottom of the tent with PTFE strip in the root of it.

It’s not perfect by any means but might be good if/when I figure out how best to do the winching.

Thats very tidy indeed- but my roof rack (frontrunner) has no slots to join and my tent has 4 bolts that hang down, hence tent has to lifted clear before it can be moved backwards.

 

[StarCruiser]

Thats very tidy indeed- but my roof rack (frontrunner) has no slots to join and my tent has 4 bolts that hang down, hence tent has to lifted clear before it can be moved backwards.

Indeed, mine has been bolted to the custom made runners (inverted ally channel) that run on the rails (ally box section) that are bolted to the roof rack, a quick release system if you like.

 

[AndyCook]

My system

 

[Firewout]

My setup.

 

[grantw]

How do you guys go with storing the hard top style tents on their side? I've been scared to do that in case I damage it (Maggi airtop)