DIY Rooftop Tent Ideas

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lkrasner

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Contributor I

233
West Lafayette, IN
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3812

Alright, I've decided to attempt to diy build a rooftop tent. I've seen some good stuff on the market, but for the most part well above my budget. So like any good DIYer, I'm going to try to do it myself, probably end up spending more money anyway, and waste way to much time... in the name of adventure.

SO, I'm calling on all of you for any and all ideas. I have very little experience with most of the tents already on the market, mostly just from poking around at expo. If you own or have owned a RTT before, what about it did you like, and what no? What features would you have liked to see added. Any and all bits of information would be helpful in early planning.

I have access to a variety of machining tools, and I'm looking to do this right. Obviously easy of build is a factor, but I'm not opposed to having to machine stuff outside of what might be considered typical of a diy build.

Things I'm looking for:
1. My rig is my daily driver. Ideally the tent will be able to stay on without hindering its driveability too much.
2. Comfortably sleep 2 people. In general I will probably go towards the bigger side for comfort.
3. Universal. I want whatever I do to be useful for other people as well. As anyone who drives something other than a Jeep or Toyta knows, cool specialized stuff sucks.
4. Relative ease of setup. I don't mind a little bit of work, in fact I'd gladly trade it for simplicity, cost, and weight saving, but this ideally shouldn't take longer to deploy than a typical ground tent
5. Weatherproofing: Nothing extreme, but I do plan to be out in cold weather and occasional rain.

Thanks! Looking forward to ideas and I'll update as I start coming up with my own.
 

gandrimp

Rank III

Advocate II

One of the complaints of the RTT is that you cant stand up in it. As I have gotten older, I realize I should have taken better care of myself, and dressing, while laying down is enough to keep me from a RTT. Make it tall.
 

Gary Stevens

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Reseda California
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four'running

Rank 0

Traveler I

I don't have the photos on my iPad, however, if you go to my profile and under recent activity you will find my DIY rtt. Cost less then what's on the market and I can strap things to the top. I'll post more photos when I get a chance.
 

lkrasner

Rank I
Launch Member

Contributor I

233
West Lafayette, IN
Member #

3812

Good points from everyone. I will certainly look into adapting that.

Four'running: That looks fantastic! It is honestly much simpler than I expected, which is a good thing. Come to think of it, a tent really doesn't have to be that complicated. I need a comfy place to sleep. most of my other setup is probably going to be out of the tent any. I will likely want to build a side annex as well to accommodate changing and possibly a built in shower. How much did that build cost you in materials and labor to get it built? I can't weld for shit myself, and I don't know anyone who is really proficient with Aluminum.
 

Red Beard

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That Popular Mechanics article at the end is beyond cool!

Yep!

Hinge plan I laid out one afternoon. Built one just as proof of concept and it worked. Wound up with a smoking deal on my current tent so I never followed through.
The squared off area on the hinge should be bent at 90*.
IMG_2134.JPG IMG_2276.JPG

Some of my best laid plans have been drawn on a shop table.
 

four'running

Rank 0

Traveler I

Good points from everyone. I will certainly look into adapting that.

Four'running: That looks fantastic! It is honestly much simpler than I expected, which is a good thing. Come to think of it, a tent really doesn't have to be that complicated. I need a comfy place to sleep. most of my other setup is probably going to be out of the tent any. I will likely want to build a side annex as well to accommodate changing and possibly a built in shower. How much did that build cost you in materials and labor to get it built? I can't weld for shit myself, and I don't know anyone who is really proficient with Aluminum.

I had a local fabricating shop do all the aluminum work, then a local boat top fitter do the tent portion. I then finished the details. All in I was about 2/3rds the cost of a typical hardshell tent. HOWEVER, the tent needs no roof rack or cross bars it bolts directly to the stock roof rails. Which reduces cost further and more importantly reduces overall height.

It's 1/8" thick aluminum sheets with 1.5" deep channel welded in the top and bottom for reinforcement! So I can strap almost anything directly on top of it without worrying about damage!
 
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Gryf

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Launch Member

Enthusiast III

2,133
Towson, MD, USA
First Name
Michael
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Weber
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15003

Thread resurrection to see how these have come to fruition. I have been hot on the trail of a RTT myself and am considering building one. Wife hates the idea and wants some "professional".

I was hoping to see some DIY outcomes and think about the possibilities.

BONUS: wife is working away from home on a contract until late December. That gives me nearly 7 weeks to make something that works :)