Rooftop Tents

[Andy D]

Greetings all,
My name is Andy D from Qld and I am a committed member of QNP4wd Club, today is my 1st occasion to log in to this wonderful site, and I thank Andy B for assisting me with that particular function.
I have been trawling through your site this morning and felt amused, enlightened, uplifted and keen for more. At 64 years of age, I really struggled to place my no longer needed TV set out on the footpath, as I will have no further need of it with this site available.
I digress, the reason I have jumped in here, is that I sport an Oztrail 2.5m x 2.1m side awning on the GQ, and have found any easy way to encompass it with walls, is to use either shade cloth, or the cheapo blue tarps, these are so easy to attach using those spring clips which open easily to encapsulate 25mm tubing, and are available from Crazy Clarks. As you may appreciate, this will deflect a minor shower and is really more a shade and privacy benefit. I have found it to be ideal for an overnighter in the swag. Rain blown in under the top where it is mounted to the roofrack is a nuisance and would need a small tarp to carry over the top of the car to alleviate this problem.
Prior to a VHC trip in April- May at - 6degrees, this year I looked for another option and bought an Ironman Room Cover identical to the photo earlier in this thread. The fully enclosed room slides in under your awning and is attached by pulling a leader rope through the open groove which is on the bottom of the profile of all the awnings on the market. Hadn't noticed?
On the outer side there is a a zipper slide attached to the outer support held up by the upright posts.
When the tent/ room is then fixed to the zip slide then the support clips at each end are clipped to the aluminium spreader tubes. The room is completely flyscreened and has a door and large windows at each ends and with access to your car through the backwall. $400.00 new in Feb.
Regards Andy D.
Sorry so long

[Bigrig]

Greetings all,
My name is Andy D from Qld and I am a committed member of QNP4wd Club, today is my 1st occasion to log in to this wonderful site, and I thank Andy B for assisting me with that particular function.
I have been trawling through your site this morning and felt amused, enlightened, uplifted and keen for more. At 64 years of age, I really struggled to place my no longer needed TV set out on the footpath, as I will have no further need of it with this site available.
I digress, the reason I have jumped in here, is that I sport an Oztrail 2.5m x 2.1m side awning on the GQ, and have found any easy way to encompass it with walls, is to use either shade cloth, or the cheapo blue tarps, these are so easy to attach using those spring clips which open easily to encapsulate 25mm tubing, and are available from Crazy Clarks. As you may appreciate, this will deflect a minor shower and is really more a shade and privacy benefit. I have found it to be ideal for an overnighter in the swag. Rain blown in under the top where it is mounted to the roofrack is a nuisance and would need a small tarp to carry over the top of the car to alleviate this problem.
Prior to a VHC trip in April- May at - 6degrees, this year I looked for another option and bought an Ironman Room Cover identical to the photo earlier in this thread. The fully enclosed room slides in under your awning and is attached by pulling a leader rope through the open groove which is on the bottom of the profile of all the awnings on the market. Hadn't noticed?
On the outer side there is a a zipper slide attached to the outer support held up by the upright posts.
When the tent/ room is then fixed to the zip slide then the support clips at each end are clipped to the aluminium spreader tubes. The room is completely flyscreened and has a door and large windows at each ends and with access to your car through the backwall. $400.00 new in Feb.
Regards Andy D.
Sorry so long

G'day boss - welcome aboard and feel free to join in and make the most of it mate!!

[rottodiver]

And it's strong enough sitting on top? I have seen that before but was unsure!

I have had it on for at least 3 years and have had countless nights in it and many many tracks and beach runs and it is still perfect.. Only problem is the extra height with the lift I needed an extra extension on the ladder

[Leighw85]

do you think it would be fine to hold about 190kg?
It would definitely be the way to go, because as you said extra storage!

[rottodiver]

i am about 103 kg,s and my girl is about 60(i huge guess there......she would never tell me) and that is no worries at all!!!! what i have also done is bought a cheap extension ladder ($80) from bunnings, i then pulled the 2 lenghts apart and the narrower one with the hook that sits on the rung of the ladder when extended, i reversed the hook and now i have a perfect ladder that hooks on to the top of the roof rack so i can climb up and down without any problems and it stores perfectly in the roof rack under the tent.

[rottodiver]

leigh... when i am back in 16 days i am happy to meet up and you can have a look and check it out... i think i am only around the corner from you!!!! my car is fairly well modified for touring so you can have a look at things you might like or not like!!!!

[Leighw85]

sounds brilliant mate. Would love to check out the beast you have
would be good to get some ideas

[rottodiver]

too easy i will be back in a few weeks (well 16 days and counting), will pm you before getting home and arange a time!!!

[Leighw85]

While I'm on the roof rack subject anyone know where I can get a ladder done to go from the rack to the car? I think it will be hard getting to the tent without one lol

[Skull]

Do you mean a ladder so you can get into your roof cage or into the tent? The tents have there own ladder to suport them when they fold out. I was able to buy the extension when I bought the tent, just slides onto the bottom of the original ladder and clips in. By the way my wife, two kids and I often climb into one of the two tents to watch a movie or whatever. Never looked like falling in mate. 190kg should be easy. Just try to keep most ya weight ( hips up) over the half that is on the roof rack not the half supported by the ladder.