Step By Step Guide To Mounting A Roof Top Tent

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Mount A Roof Top Tent:

All tents have a similar installation process, but they might vary a little, that is why we recommend you reading carefully THROUGH EACH PRODUCT MANUAL, as well as watching their videos (most are online, or you can ask us to send them to you).

Tools needed: A Phillips head screwdriver, a box cutter, a second 13 mmm ratcheting wrench, a 10mm ratcheting wrench and a heck saw.

Before mounting them onto a roof rack, flat rack or crossbar, the first step is removing your newly bought RTT from the box, as well as all the bits and pieces included (all RTTs WILL include all the necessary installation parts and a manual).

Take the tent out of the box and place it on a clean surface with the straps faced DOWN. Set aside the mounting racks. Remove the protective plastic from the tent with the box cutter. Undo the straps from the sides of the tent and across the base.
Open the tent, and take from inside of it all the contents. Most brands will include a tent cover, rainfly, ladder, mattress, and a pouch with the hardware, tools and parts.

Most RTTs will include the following tools and hardware (see Image as an example): 2 bungees, 2 ladder brackets, 8 aluminum channel sliders with bolts and nuts, 4 end caps, four steel mounting plates, the needed wrenches, and four medium sized bolts with washers.

Then, time for the action. Grab the mounting tracks of the RTT; place them on the tent base parallel to the hinges, aligning the holes in the tracks with the holes in the base.
Grab the nuts, remove them from the four medium sized bolts and slide them into the mounting channels, as to align them to the holes in the base.
Then take the bolts each with two washers, and slide them between the mattress and the tent base.
Screw them into the pre drilled holes and the nuts you just put in the tracks.
Once the tracks are on, you need turn/flip the tent over to install the ladder.
Grab the Ladder Brackets and unscrew the bolts on each bracket, so that you can position over the pre-drilled holes at the edge of the tent base.
Take the longer bolts each with the washer, and slide them between the mattress and the tent base, into the pre-drilled holes and up through the ladder bracket.

Then grab the ladder and through the holes at the end of it, join it to the by passing the remaining length of the bolt through the holes in the ladder end. Then add another nut and tighten it on both sides.

Then rotate the ladder a few times, before tightening the bolts of the brackets to the base.

Then secure the ladder with the straps (most tents should have them), and then reattach the side straps of the tent to secure it.

Once all the parts have been installed, make sure you put the travel cover on top of the tent. It is a very easy process that barely needs explanation; just make sure you close the zippers carefully to prevent the tent fabric catching to the zipper.

Time to place the tent on top of the vehicle. Since they weigh over 120 lbs, you will want the help of someone to do it.

Mounting the tent mounting tracks depends on whether you have side rails or cross bars, and if you want the tent to open towards the side of the car or towards the back. In this step-by-step guide we will use a side mounting as an example on top of cross bars.

Place the mounting racks in the base of the tent, PERPENDICULAR to your roof rack bars.

Then, fit two aluminum channel sliders and bolts into each end of the mounting track, so that there is a bolt on either side of the roof rack bar. Repeat this process at each of the 4 points where the racks and mounting racks cross.

Once this is done, fit a steel mounting plate on the bolts and under the roof rack bar, and secure them with nuts and tighten them with a wrench.

Insert the rubber end caps into the end of the mounting tracks to avoid water or other materials going in there. You might need to hammer them in, but don’t be too aggressive.

Now, to open it, release the side straps, pull back the ladder until it locks out and use it as leverage to open the tent.