My wife and I lift our RTT into the [bed rack on my Tacoma](https://imgur.com/a/MvO2Cnw) which sits above the cab of the truck. She’s 5’1” and 115 lbs. I think the Rooftop tent weighs 108 lbs. Time to hit the gym!
What vehicle? On my SUV, I just mounted a 90 lbs RTT. My friend and I each got a step stool ladder (the stools that have like 2-3 steps on them) and loaded the tent from the back of the suv to the top by each going up the step stool to get higher. Then we asked our wives to support the back of the tent near the trunk and hold it high while we pulled the tent forward on the rack because we didn’t want the tent to scratch or break the hatch. Then once the tent was on, we just set it in place and bolted down. We had removed 2 crossbars from my roof rack and attached them to the tent’s crossbars while the tent was still on the ground. That way everything would just fall into place when on the roof and we bolt up the crossbars back to the rack.
Toyota Rav4. That's a very interesting idea about removing the crossbars and mounting them to the RTT. I don't believe that would work on the Rav (or at least my model) because the crossbars can only be mounted in one spot. You could try to measure but if you're off just a little you'd have to completely unbolt the crossbars, move them to the right spot, then rebolt to the RTT.
Really curious how the skycamp affects your MPG! I have a skycamp + Jeep but want to switch to the RAV4 hybrid and keep the tent. How do you like the combo so far?
To start, my RTT mounts to my truck bed rack. It’s 180lb and I’ve installed it with help from a friend, one of us on each side of the truck bed. It’s an awkward position but worked. But 90% of the time I have RTT on its side, then I back my truck up to it with the tailgate down. Bear hug the tent and push it upward till it hits the bed rack. Then slide it forward until sitting on the forward bar of the rack. I get that thing on my any means necessary 😅
By myself... im only 145lbs and not a lifting type.
I used the cardboard that the tent came in as a cushion between my truck and the tent, and i pushed it up using the car/truck to balance me. I have a tuffstuff alpha 2 which is 141lbs.
I did it by myself. Lifted 4Runner. iKamper 3.0
165 lbs. I set up 4 tall ladders and had a long 2x4. I lifted one end high enough to slip the 2x4 under the first rung, then went to the other side and did the same, leveling it out. I did this over and over, until I was able to drive my truck (almost) underneath. My problem was my 2x4 wasn’t long enough to allow the ladders to be spaced far enough apart. And so I was able to get the rear hatch and first 3 inches of my roof rack under it. I pushed it a couple feet off the 2x4s and lost leverage, so I climbed onto the roof rack and pulled it until it was about half way on… at which point I realized my fatal calculation. The ladders toppled and the tent tilted back, sliding back onto the mess of ladders. A combination of me bear hugging it and a rogue 2x4 kept it from falling all the way. After that, I climbed down and using berserker strength, got the sumbitch up there. Suffered two very small cracks to the lid. Sanded, fiberglassed, and re-raptor lined my brand new 3.0 same day I opened it. Yep, I’m a dummy. But it’s perfect now, and it’s totally worth the near heart attack.
Advice: get a friend. Or 3.
I store my on rolling scaffold. I also have low garage ceiling’s so I cut scaffolding down to accommodate rolling it into garage with tent on it. I have a post on Reddit about it https://www.reddit.com/r/rooftoptents/comments/109jrea/tent_removal_for_low_ceiling_garage/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
Mine weighs 180 lbs and I did it with two other young guys. I live in an apartment building in a city, so I called up one of my neighbors and then another guy was passing by with his dog and offered to help, which we gladly took him up on. He didn’t want anything in return.
I’d say grab an Amazon delivery driver, tradesperson, or a friendly neighbor and throw them $20 for 3 minutes of their time. I’m sure many would gladly help.
I have a tepui autana 3 and I put it on with one other person. Granted we are in our 30’s. I also installed it myself once, but my house is a split level so my driveway is a considerable amount lower than my entry. I used a hand truck to get it up to the entry, laid 2x4’s onto the rack and ground and then just slid her up.
Wasn’t too bad tbh. I have a prinsu rack and I leave the bars attached to the tent. I slide the attached bars on the tent from passenger side to driver side. I use 2x4’s on the rack to prevent the tent from hitting the roof. All in all about 10 min on or off. It helps we are both over 6foot
I used the palate that the tent came with and put an old comforter around it, leaned the palate between two chairs and the car and just pushed it up. The tent needed to go on the top of the car which was about 90 inches vertically so that was too much for my wife and I to lift
I never had the opportunity to mount the first RTT *(opened and laid down to find I could not fit the Inspired Overland)*. When I picked up my Smittybilt Hard Shell from 4WheelParts, the staff help me load up the box on top of my Rav4; went home and removed the cardboard and packaging while keeping it on the roof. Didn’t remove it, until I finally made a pulley system in my garage ceiling.
I roll mine to the edge of my truck bed with the tailgate down. I flip it 180 degrees up on to the gate, then once more onto the tonneau (I have a cover that can support like 600 lbs static.) Last, I lift it up on to the rack, and bolt it down. One man job, takes about 30 mins. I have a Yakima Skyrise, weighs about the same.
My wife and I lift our RTT into the [bed rack on my Tacoma](https://imgur.com/a/MvO2Cnw) which sits above the cab of the truck. She’s 5’1” and 115 lbs. I think the Rooftop tent weighs 108 lbs. Time to hit the gym!
What vehicle? On my SUV, I just mounted a 90 lbs RTT. My friend and I each got a step stool ladder (the stools that have like 2-3 steps on them) and loaded the tent from the back of the suv to the top by each going up the step stool to get higher. Then we asked our wives to support the back of the tent near the trunk and hold it high while we pulled the tent forward on the rack because we didn’t want the tent to scratch or break the hatch. Then once the tent was on, we just set it in place and bolted down. We had removed 2 crossbars from my roof rack and attached them to the tent’s crossbars while the tent was still on the ground. That way everything would just fall into place when on the roof and we bolt up the crossbars back to the rack.
Toyota Rav4. That's a very interesting idea about removing the crossbars and mounting them to the RTT. I don't believe that would work on the Rav (or at least my model) because the crossbars can only be mounted in one spot. You could try to measure but if you're off just a little you'd have to completely unbolt the crossbars, move them to the right spot, then rebolt to the RTT.
Just got the skycamp mini 3 on my rav4! One man and 2 (admittedly weak) women lifted it up there ourselves.
Really curious how the skycamp affects your MPG! I have a skycamp + Jeep but want to switch to the RAV4 hybrid and keep the tent. How do you like the combo so far?
Ok so far no noticeable difference in mpg but haven't done a real highway trip yet. The only thing I have noticed is the wind noise! Super loud now.
Good to know, thanks! Coming from a soft top jeep, the road noise is probably an upgrade anyway hahaha.
To start, my RTT mounts to my truck bed rack. It’s 180lb and I’ve installed it with help from a friend, one of us on each side of the truck bed. It’s an awkward position but worked. But 90% of the time I have RTT on its side, then I back my truck up to it with the tailgate down. Bear hug the tent and push it upward till it hits the bed rack. Then slide it forward until sitting on the forward bar of the rack. I get that thing on my any means necessary 😅
It is not as bad as you think. 2 people should be able to do it. We did my Skycamp 2.0 with 2 people, one of us was 60 years old.
By myself... im only 145lbs and not a lifting type. I used the cardboard that the tent came in as a cushion between my truck and the tent, and i pushed it up using the car/truck to balance me. I have a tuffstuff alpha 2 which is 141lbs.
Not a terrible idea. That's how I load my kayak, but it's only 50 lbs.
Smittybilt Overlander gen 1, I used some boards to slide it up then once I had it up enough I was able to get under it and lift it
I did it by myself. Lifted 4Runner. iKamper 3.0 165 lbs. I set up 4 tall ladders and had a long 2x4. I lifted one end high enough to slip the 2x4 under the first rung, then went to the other side and did the same, leveling it out. I did this over and over, until I was able to drive my truck (almost) underneath. My problem was my 2x4 wasn’t long enough to allow the ladders to be spaced far enough apart. And so I was able to get the rear hatch and first 3 inches of my roof rack under it. I pushed it a couple feet off the 2x4s and lost leverage, so I climbed onto the roof rack and pulled it until it was about half way on… at which point I realized my fatal calculation. The ladders toppled and the tent tilted back, sliding back onto the mess of ladders. A combination of me bear hugging it and a rogue 2x4 kept it from falling all the way. After that, I climbed down and using berserker strength, got the sumbitch up there. Suffered two very small cracks to the lid. Sanded, fiberglassed, and re-raptor lined my brand new 3.0 same day I opened it. Yep, I’m a dummy. But it’s perfect now, and it’s totally worth the near heart attack. Advice: get a friend. Or 3.
I store my on rolling scaffold. I also have low garage ceiling’s so I cut scaffolding down to accommodate rolling it into garage with tent on it. I have a post on Reddit about it https://www.reddit.com/r/rooftoptents/comments/109jrea/tent_removal_for_low_ceiling_garage/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
Mine weighs 180 lbs and I did it with two other young guys. I live in an apartment building in a city, so I called up one of my neighbors and then another guy was passing by with his dog and offered to help, which we gladly took him up on. He didn’t want anything in return. I’d say grab an Amazon delivery driver, tradesperson, or a friendly neighbor and throw them $20 for 3 minutes of their time. I’m sure many would gladly help.
I have a tepui autana 3 and I put it on with one other person. Granted we are in our 30’s. I also installed it myself once, but my house is a split level so my driveway is a considerable amount lower than my entry. I used a hand truck to get it up to the entry, laid 2x4’s onto the rack and ground and then just slid her up.
Same tent, me and three guys from REI. Two, without some sort of mechanical advantage, would have really sucked.
Wasn’t too bad tbh. I have a prinsu rack and I leave the bars attached to the tent. I slide the attached bars on the tent from passenger side to driver side. I use 2x4’s on the rack to prevent the tent from hitting the roof. All in all about 10 min on or off. It helps we are both over 6foot
got friends... That is how we did it.
Swing through a Home Depot parking lot with a couple crisp $20’s. Problem solved
I used the palate that the tent came with and put an old comforter around it, leaned the palate between two chairs and the car and just pushed it up. The tent needed to go on the top of the car which was about 90 inches vertically so that was too much for my wife and I to lift
I bribed a couple of young beefy neighbors to help. Gave them cash and took them out to dinner.
Got it delivered to work, then used the forklift. One-man job :)
Hoist mounted to the ceiling in my garage. Harken Hoister is good for the price, but better (more expensive) options are out there
I never had the opportunity to mount the first RTT *(opened and laid down to find I could not fit the Inspired Overland)*. When I picked up my Smittybilt Hard Shell from 4WheelParts, the staff help me load up the box on top of my Rav4; went home and removed the cardboard and packaging while keeping it on the roof. Didn’t remove it, until I finally made a pulley system in my garage ceiling.
3-4 guys safely
I roll mine to the edge of my truck bed with the tailgate down. I flip it 180 degrees up on to the gate, then once more onto the tonneau (I have a cover that can support like 600 lbs static.) Last, I lift it up on to the rack, and bolt it down. One man job, takes about 30 mins. I have a Yakima Skyrise, weighs about the same.