DIY Roof Top Tent Hoist

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Lanlubber In Remembrance

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This is genius. Our house is currently be built so I’m not sure if the garage door height will be tall enough for driving in and out with a tent mounted. HOA wouldn’t let us have a taller garage door than anyone else. If not I’m totally using this idea, so simple and easy. Bravo
Standard doors are 7'
 

PapaDave

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I just moved so I had to redesign my hoist configuration so I built a beefy pergola looking 4 corner hoist which lifts my rack and tent off as one unit. 4 bolts and my truck is outfitted without lifting anything. :)

I used a cheap $99 harbor freight hoist, ceiling mount pulleys to work the cable around the frame, and 4 vertical pulleys to all pull evenly. Works great and looks nice when the gate is closed was well.
0B88BD95-774E-44E1-A42D-7E47205AC0A7.jpegFB8AB2EB-7601-436D-9930-9208281A4F26.jpeg4BB23BFE-9973-49A8-86A2-1C9CA90D9BD9.jpeg992EA722-E762-47FD-ACCD-8D32B7BA8B9F.jpeg40420EB2-2026-4E73-857B-08DAB7DBF934.jpeg
 

PapaDave

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Couple more photos of my solution. Ceiling mount pulleys are awesome, I have a side space that my rack and tent can stay on saw horses under a car cover

My rig loaded up
5538ED85-2BC2-49AE-A95E-6A40DCF047FA.jpeg

From the street
4D9BE992-3EA3-4558-907B-201C3AC24625.jpeg

Winch pulling 4 cables
7BD4FE89-1B64-4C2E-A8D9-BA0B745D1E70.jpeg
Ceiling Mount pulleys
04ED288A-49CE-40DE-8E3E-DB4E26ECB86C.jpeg

Down pulleys
D166A19C-9C0B-4A32-A71D-CB95B8111773.jpeg

How it looks stored
C2025A54-44D6-4BC1-9363-8EE25E163105.jpeg

I just unloaded my truck, and it takes about 5 minutes. :)
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Couple more photos of my solution. Ceiling mount pulleys are awesome, I have a side space that my rack and tent can stay on saw horses under a car cover

My rig loaded up
View attachment 152753

From the street
View attachment 152754

Winch pulling 4 cables
View attachment 152755
Ceiling Mount pulleys
View attachment 152756

Down pulleys
View attachment 152757

How it looks stored
View attachment 152758

I just unloaded my truck, and it takes about 5 minutes. :)
I like your solution even though I am not a RTT fan (Because of my age) . Neat little car port too. :-)
 
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Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Mimbres, NM, USA
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10' is your maximum limit, two ways to adjust for lower ceiling by shorting "block and tackle" or " drop ropes"

View attachment 152948
I need something like this for my large roof rack that I dont want on the rig all the time. Thanks I will save this site.
 
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Grumpy's Travels

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I have a back patio cover that I use to be the framework for my hoist. I got a $99 Harbor Freight hoist, used some ceiling mount pulleys, and it works great!
I decided on a 4 corner lift and used pelican cases to adjust the cable lengths
View attachment 88648

The last set of pulleys are squared up to the pull line for an even pull
View attachment 88649

The vertical pulleys transistions to the ceiling mount
View attachment 88651

Nice even lift (I hadn’t tied up the extra cable yet in the foreground of this photo)View attachment 88652

Good little hoist for $99

View attachment 88653
Nice... that's about what I want to do for mine under our carport!
 

Grumpy's Travels

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Hey everyone. I was searching the web to find a solution for installing my rooftop tent by myself, and I came across this thread of ideas. I liked some of the ideas on here, but they weren't quite exactly what I was looking for - so I made my own version!
Like many of you, my garage roof is tall enough for the tent to be installed on the Jeep on the inside, but the garage door is too low to be able to drive in or out of the garage with it on top. The garage door opening is only about 7' tall, and I need at least 8' to clear. So I needed a way to install it on my driveway.
I decided to use the receiver hitch and make my hoist attach to the Jeep. I basically used 2" square tubing with 1/8" walls, a couple of pulleys, and a hand crank winch to accomplish this. I used a 1 3/4" OD round tube inserted in the vertical part of the lower receiver portion to allow the crane to pivot around. The crane comes apart so it's easy to install/remove/store.
To test it initially, I hung off the end of the crane and it held me just fine (I weigh 220 lbs), so I knew it would hold my 116 lb tent.
I have about $100 in this project, and it works great! Yes, I realize knowing how to weld helps, but this could also be made by bolting it all together with some modifications. If you have any questions, I would be more than glad to answer them.
Now that ingenious!!! I like it, good job!
 
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bachuus

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So after a lot of online searching, I couldn't find a compact solution to hoisting my RTT on to my truck. My garage is too low so I can't lower it off the ceiling and drive away unfortunately. After a lot of brainstorming and about 3 trips to Lowes, below is my working hoist. I tested it with my weight (185lbs) first to be sure it would hold, and it didn't budge at all. My tent weighs about 135lbs so this solution works great.

I have 3 pulleys on it so the pull weight is down to 1/3 of the weight of the tent. It breaks down into two main pieces, the hoist arm, and the a-frame. The a-frame folds up so both pieces fit nicely in a small corner in the garage. If anyone is interested in further details let me know.





 

jasonthorell

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I was reading through this thread in the spring, but just muscled the tent up on top with help from the father in law. But, since I almost killed him (the new hardshell is close to 200lbs), I had to come up with something mechanically advantageous for in the fall.

I wanted to use a hoist, and my alley slope + garage peak was high enough to do the trick.

I have several unused network racks, that come with 2x 90'ish" 1/4' aluminum c-channel, and some even thicker angle plates. These are going to become a powder coating oven frame, but I used three up for the hoist main beam, and load spreader.

the hoist is the cheapest Princess Auto / Harbour Freight chinese special 200/400lb winch.

I used the pulley block, and doubled it, to just slow down the movement.

I didn't have enough webbing to make the spreader slings I wanted today, but I will for next spring.

I make a couple pieces out of angle steel, welded and powdercoated them myself. The interface for the hoist to beam, and the saddle for the beam. When I went to use my sandblast cabinet for the powder, I had to take it apart and repair, and made a new bottom feed metering valve in the process. (would have bought a already made one, but they are sold out everywhere).

All in cost was really just the hoist, as all the aluminum was free. The angle steel I had already. I put in about eight hours, and lots was tinkering, and overbuilding.

Happy with the result. And, no one died!IMG_1858.JPGIMG_1860.JPGIMG_1906.JPGIMG_1894.JPGIMG_1895.JPGIMG_1897.JPG
 

dstock

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Couple more photos of my solution. Ceiling mount pulleys are awesome, I have a side space that my rack and tent can stay on saw horses under a car cover

My rig loaded up
View attachment 152753

From the street
View attachment 152754

Winch pulling 4 cables
View attachment 152755
Ceiling Mount pulleys
View attachment 152756

Down pulleys
View attachment 152757

How it looks stored
View attachment 152758

I just unloaded my truck, and it takes about 5 minutes. :)
Love this setup!!!
 
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