Using a Plaster Lifter to install/remove Roof Top Tent

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 19:51

ThreadID: 117025 Views:11516 Replies:11 FollowUps:5

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Phil P

Hi all,

Anyone tried using one of these to make installing a Roof Top Tent easier ?

http://www.stiltsman.com/cp/lifter-f.jpg

I don't have the option of lifting it on/off the car in the garage due to clearance issues. I have an ARB Kakadu tent that weighs around 50kg and it is very awkward to fit to the Hlux.

They sell on eBay for under $150.

Thanks
Phil

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Reply By: gbc - Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 20:10

Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 20:10

They wobble about and you will still need a mate to wind it down while you wrestle the tent off the bars which means you could have lifted the tent on with the help of a mate and no sheet lifter. It would be possible to use single handed if your roof rails are a fair bit higher than the bars of the lifter?

AnswerID: 549792

Reply By: Member - John - Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 20:22

Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 20:22

Borrow a mate, a six pack and the job is done.................. or maybe that should be, borrow a mate, job is done, then a six pack.....................

John and Jan

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Follow Up By: Member - Young Nomads - Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 20:47

Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 20:47

We have one of the original ARB roof top tents and side awning(hard case). My husband made the alloy roof rack to which the tent is permanently mounted . i.e. We remove the roof rack with the tent & side awning in place. Whilst we have a fork lift to lift it on & off, we still use a sling arrangement to evenly lift it off the roof mounts.
HOWEVER..we are no longer using our RTT and will be removing it soon. As we will one day not have the fork lift, we had planned to make a light weight frame, ropes & pulleys, to lift it up off the roofrack.. We have a shed with high clearance, so we were going to hoist it up to the roof inside the shed, secure it and store it there until we wanted to use it again. All we would then do is drive the car into the shed. Locate the roofrack & tent to the car mounting points and lower it down to fit...This would work well for you if you have a high clearance shed...maybe this may give you a few ideas.:)
Cheers
Robyn

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FollowupID: 835193

Reply By: Member -Pinko (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 21:17

Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 21:17

Phil
If you cant find a mate when you need one this is what i'm geting to lift my boat on to the roof. It will carry 80kg.
http://www.rhinorack.com.au/products/water/kayak-loaders/nautic-kayak-lifter_nkl

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Reply By: Crusier 91 - Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 21:43

Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015 at 21:43

There is a video on youtube demonstrating how to safely load and unload a roof top tent on your own without any assists.

And there are plenty of other videos on youtube showing many made gadgets to help loading and unloading....................pick one...................

AnswerID: 549796

Reply By: vk1dx - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 08:24

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 08:24

I use a system similar to this one only I use chains and lift the corners myself one at a time. We leave our roof rack on the car. It would be nice to have it in the garage but the garage door is too low. A pity. The RTT is stored under the front verandah.

I like the way he lifted it with the straps but prefer the chains for securing it up high. But it has given an idea to change mine and still use the chains.

AnswerID: 549813

Reply By: Crusier 91 - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 08:33

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 08:33

How To Install Roof Top Tent (without help)

https://youtu.be/W7r0hGS5uDM

AnswerID: 549814

Reply By: Danna - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 09:30

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 09:30

Hi mate
OOOu, no you wouldn’t want to RTT end up on your toes, would you?
It is quite dangerous to lift it with something you suggested and
kayak lift would set you $ almost as much as RTT it self.

Why not to use engine lift and slings? We bought it from Hare & Forbes
for about $300,~ . Good one should lift high enough, or you extend
the arm by adequate square tube. If you have to do that, you must
also securely install counter lift to the back of the lift. We used 6 concrete
blocks tide together with builders steel strap and screwed securely to
the base of the lift. But I don’t thing you have to do the extension as
you have much lover distance to go. We did used this contraption for
a number of years as we had the same dilemma. We use to have our
(still) much loved Disco 1998 Tdi with suspension lift. So, height was
much, much greater than yours and it worked marvelously.

Cheers Dana

AnswerID: 549817

Follow Up By: Member -Pinko (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 09:57

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 09:57

Dana
I suggested the Kayak lifter because it is safe and yes it is $799.
A crushed corner or a damaged roof or even damage to the rooftop camper itself would however exceed your insurance excess and affect your no claim bonus not to mention the possibility of personal injury.

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Follow Up By: Danna - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 14:34

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 14:34

Yes, Pinko
I just pointed price otherwise if you want to spend money,
as I usually say "De gustibus non est disputandum"

Cheers Dana

FollowupID: 835245

Reply By: CraigB - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 11:26

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 11:26

I use an engine crane with an extended arm. Works a treat.

AnswerID: 549823

Follow Up By: Danna - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 14:36

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 14:36

So did we as you can read in my thread ......

FollowupID: 835246

Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 11:52

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 11:52

That plaster board lifter does not look like it would handle 50 kg. Plaster board is a lot lighter than that.

PeterD
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AnswerID: 549824

Follow Up By: gbc - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 13:13

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 13:13

6m x 13mm sheets are easily 50 k.g. and the lifters handle them no probs.

FollowupID: 835242

Reply By: Member - Cuppa - Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 13:37

Thursday, Mar 12, 2015 at 13:37

Glad to see that others have the same problems lifting their RTT’s on & off. Thought maybe I just hadn’t eaten enough Weeties. Our Shippshape was put on top of our ex telstra canopy (i.e. higher than most 4wd’s) using a combination of 3 people, a ladder to slide it up from the rear of the vehicle, & ropes through snatch blocks hung from the rafters of our shed to take up the slack & secure progress as it was made. It was a cumbersome but successful process.
We have since moved, our new shed does not have suitable rafters & now I wish to remove the tent. ( currently for sale in the classified section here). It’s coming off tomorrow evening (hopefully) with the assistance of two mates & my wife. Hopefully we’ll manage with the 4 of us.

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Reply By: Gazza11 - Friday, Mar 13, 2015 at 10:43

Friday, Mar 13, 2015 at 10:43

Guys,

I use a boat winch mounted on my shed wall with wire ropes and a set of pulleys under the shed roof to lift my roof rack on and off the PATROL.

I have four chains with clips to take the strain off the winch ropes after the lift has been completed.

This is the second house were i have used this setup and it works a treat, but it does need enough headroom to make it possible.

Gazza

AnswerID: 549876