Install rooftop tent straight to yakima bars? (1 Viewer)

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Portland Oregon, Keeping it real in Lents
So I just got done installing my smittybilt awning to my yakima bars. I just drilled through the yakima bars and bolted the brackets straight to the bars. Is it possible to do the same thing with a roof top tent? I have the smittybilt tent which is similar to all the other ones that use an aluminum mount with sliding bolts that you mount whatever direction you need for how you want it to open. Are the aluminum mounts structural in any way? They are about 1.5 inches so if I just drill holes in the bars and the base of tent would I be good? May be a lot of trouble to save 1.5 inches in height.
 
Pictures?
 
ImageUploadedByIH8MUD Forum1448133860.174717.jpg


ImageUploadedByIH8MUD Forum1448133860.174717.jpg
 
So I just got done installing my smittybilt awning to my yakima bars. I just drilled through the yakima bars and bolted the brackets straight to the bars. Is it possible to do the same thing with a roof top tent? I have the smittybilt tent which is similar to all the other ones that use an aluminum mount with sliding bolts that you mount whatever direction you need for how you want it to open. Are the aluminum mounts structural in any way? They are about 1.5 inches so if I just drill holes in the bars and the base of tent would I be good? May be a lot of trouble to save 1.5 inches in height.
No disrespect to you or Smittybilt, but is drilling through the Yak bars how their instructions said to mount your awning and/or RTT? Reason I ask is that you are now forced into keeping your bars & mounts at that spacing. One of the nice features of the Yak or Thule bars & mounts is the ability to adjust them forward or backward on your roof for flexibility in carrying different loads. The awning & tent, if they were designed to mount to either system should have come with a mounting kit to allow for bar adjustment.

About mounting a RTT to your Yak bars, my CVT hardshell RTT had brackets attached on the bottom that allowed it to be mounted at almost any bar spacing. I added a 3rd bar to my original 2 Yak bars (I have a Yakima Load Warrior roof rack that I used before my RTT) for more support for the RTT. Attached are views of the way my RTT is mounted. The 2x6 is my redneck way of protecting the ends of my Yak bars plus they assist in RTT entry and exit.
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Smittybilt just supplied the bracket and U shape bolts. Their instructions were more along the lines of U bolting to a bar that follows the length of the truck. I just cut the brackets shorter and mounted straight to the Yakima by drilling through them. Worked fine and I can adjust the distance of the bars for to aft by loosening the bracket that attaches to the awning. The bracket is mounted in a sliding track. Worked fine this weekend. My question had more to do with removing the aluminum mount on the RTT to lower the tent closer to the yakima. Decided the 1 1/2 inches height saved doing this wasn't worth the trouble.

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It is hard to tell from the pic but I also have a home made roof rack towards the front made of square tubing and Confer mounts. It is capable of holding a second spare (main spare is mounted upright inside) and has a small platform I use for a small rubbermaid box or firewood. The Yakima bars were just taking up space in my garage until I went with this roof top tent because I prefer the Confer style mounts. When I take the RTT and awning off for the winter I plan on just removing the bars with everything attached and storing on some saw horses.
 
Smittybilt just supplied the bracket and U shape bolts. Their instructions were more along the lines of U bolting to a bar that follows the length of the truck. I just cut the brackets shorter and mounted straight to the Yakima by drilling through them. Worked fine and I can adjust the distance of the bars for to aft by loosening the bracket that attaches to the awning. The bracket is mounted in a sliding track. Worked fine this weekend. My question had more to do with removing the aluminum mount on the RTT to lower the tent closer to the yakima. Decided the 1 1/2 inches height saved doing this wasn't worth the trouble.

It is hard to tell from the pic but I also have a home made roof rack towards the front made of square tubing and Confer mounts. It is capable of holding a second spare (main spare is mounted upright inside) and has a small platform I use for a small rubbermaid box or firewood. The Yakima bars were just taking up space in my garage until I went with this roof top tent because I prefer the Confer style mounts. When I take the RTT and awning off for the winter I plan on just removing the bars with everything attached and storing on some saw horses.
Yep, a pic says 1000 words. Good job! My hardshell RTT stays on my rig all year. I've often thought about if I took it off for some reason, doing it as you suggested. Don't know, though if I'd carry a spare on the roof. They're a lot of weight, but if you have the need for a 2nd spare - anywhere it will fit is probably the route ya have to take. :cheers:
 
No disrespect to you or Smittybilt, but is drilling through the Yak bars how their instructions said to mount your awning and/or RTT? Reason I ask is that you are now forced into keeping your bars & mounts at that spacing. One of the nice features of the Yak or Thule bars & mounts is the ability to adjust them forward or backward on your roof for flexibility in carrying different loads. The awning & tent, if they were designed to mount to either system should have come with a mounting kit to allow for bar adjustment.

About mounting a RTT to your Yak bars, my CVT hardshell RTT had brackets attached on the bottom that allowed it to be mounted at almost any bar spacing. I added a 3rd bar to my original 2 Yak bars (I have a Yakima Load Warrior roof rack that I used before my RTT) for more support for the RTT. Attached are views of the way my RTT is mounted. The 2x6 is my redneck way of protecting the ends of my Yak bars plus they assist in RTT entry and exit.
View attachment 1168253
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Reviving a long dead thread. Did you just have the third bar as a support or did you have the tent bracketed to it. (4 vs 6 attachment points)
 
Reviving a long dead thread. Did you just have the third bar as a support or did you have the tent bracketed to it. (4 vs 6 attachment points)
It was entirely my choice. CVT told me 2 bars & 4 mounts were sufficient. At 1st, the 3rd bar was just for support. As time went by and I used it more off road, I fabbed up 2 more mounts. So while it was mounted to the Yak bars on my '94, it was secured with 3 bars and 6 mounts. Later I moved it to a util trailer that had 2 stout RTT brackets and 4 mounts. I briefly had it mounted back on my '94 for a trip with out the trailer. But I have a Prinsu rack that has replaced the Yak bars, so I figured 4 mounts were sufficient with the mulitple cross bars. One thing that helped me decide was the limited access to mounts between the Prinsu and the top of my LC.
 

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