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: 

• Phillips head screwdriver
• Box cutter
• 13 mmm ratcheting wrench
• 10mm ratcheting wrench 
• Hack saw

Before mounting your new roof top tent onto a roof rack, flat rack or crossbar, the first step is to remove it from the box of course, as well as all included items including installation parts and instruction manual.

• Take the tent out of the box and place it on a clean surface with the straps faced DOWN. 
• Undo the straps from the sides of the tent and across the base.

Most brands will include a tent cover, fly, ladder, mattress, and a pouch with the hardware, tools and parts. Including 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. (Please see image below)

Ok, Ready to install!

• Grab the mounting tracks of the tent kit; place them on the tent base parallel to the hinges, aligning the holes in the tracks with the holes in the base.
• Grab the mounting nuts, then remove them from the four medium sized bolts and slide them into the mounting channels, so 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. Fix them into the pre-drilled holes and the nuts you just made in the tracks.
• Once the tracks are on, you need flip the tent over to install the ladder. 
• Find your 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.
• Attach each one with a nut and leave them loose.
• Find the ladder and attach 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.
• Rotate the ladder a few times, before tightening the bolts of the brackets to the base.
• Secure the ladder with the straps (most tents should have them), and then reattach the side straps of the tent to secure it.
• Once installed, make sure you put the travel cover on top of the tent.(just make sure you close the zippers carefully to prevent the tent fabric catching to the zipper).
• Place the tent on top of the vehicle. Since they weigh over 120 lbs, (This is a 2 person job)
• Mounting the tent tracks depends on whether you have side rails or cross bars, or if you want the tent to open towards the side of the car or towards the back or not. 

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.

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.

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. 

Now It is INSTALLED!

How To Open The Roof Top Tent

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

Make sure all rungs of the ladder are locked into the edge.Before getting into the tent, make sure the hinges are properly engaged.

Unclasp the awnings and find the drilled holes for the fly rods.

Insert at a 45-degree angle and hook it through the grommet.

Now You are READY to Roll!