My New RTT Lift - Assembled, Used, and Then Hauled Off to Storage

[dalton108]

Assembled, used, and then hauled off to storage my new rtt lift.

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[SlegMD]

Was funny. I was thinking I’ve seen this house. Then I thought it’s Dalton’s house. Wait did Dalton post this… he did! Hi Dalton! Nice rig!

 

[dalton108]

Was funny. I was thinking I’ve seen this house. Then I thought it’s Dalton’s house. Wait did Dalton post this… he did! Hi Dalton! Nice rig!

Technically, I tucked this into a response on a different thread - I guess admin thought that it should be its own thing. ?

I’ve been struggling to find a solution that will allow me to remove my Mars Base Camp at will, without needing two additional dudes and a spotter.

My garage is kind of weirdly configured and I don’t have a good place to hang a simple lift/hoist like I had in my old house.

So, until I build out my new (6 car) garage I need solution.

I’m not willing to modify a harbor freight cherry picker like some folks have been doing, and while I love their gantry option it’s a little big for my garage and probably overkill for now. No promises garage 2.0 won’t have one though.

Two rotator cuff tears make hitting the gym and just manhandling an awkwardly shaped, easily scratched, and dented 150 pound rectangle an nonstarter. I am hoping that the much lighter Areo blade opens up some options though.

I have to say, I’m not entirely in love with the RollnJack. It’s limited and does not lower the RTT all the way to the ground.

The design is it supposed to help you get it off and then it stores it elevated until you’re ready to put it back on. You can see the minimal height of the forks in the photo with it on my trailer. It does fold up and you gotta have space to push that to the side and leave it in your garage or whatever space it’ll be in.

I don’t have the space for that, thus, it had to be hauled to storage. Not far from home, but not particularly convenient.

 

[SlegMD]

What’s the mass weight of the base camp?

 

[dalton108]

What’s the mass weight of the base camp?

150 lbs. I edited my reply to you above with a lot more detail.

 

[Whmorken]

Assembled, used, and then hauled off to storage my new rtt lift.

Creativity, unveiled & then unleashed.

 

[dalton108]

Creativity, unveiled & then unleashed.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

I have to say that right after I got my Mars tent a few weeks ago I had to start looking for a solution. It was only out of the good graces of the clerks at my UPS Store who helped me put the tent on top of the car before I drove off with it that I was able to even manage it in the first place.

My handyman was supposed to be with me to get it loaded but he had a conflict so they did me a real favor. I do have friends but this was during the middle of a workday.

Anyway, my search began actually with a ChatGPT query and I was very satisfied with all of the info that I got. It’s a bit long but I’ll share it here in case somebody finds one of these alternatives useful for their situation:

-————————————
My query:

“I don’t know what to call it or where to look for it but I need a platform that I can winch my rooftop tent off of my car with I’m not going to be able to attach it to the ceiling of my garage so I kind of need it to be something that stands alone that I can move over to my vehicle raise the tent and then either move the vehicle or move the platform.”

THE ANSWER: [ChatGPT 4o]

For a freestanding, mobile solution to remove and install your rooftop tent without ceiling mounting, consider the following options:

1. RollnJack Bad Boy RTT Lift

• Designed specifically for rooftop tents, this device allows one-person operation.
• Supports up to 195 lbs and is compatible with various SUVs.
• Priced at $895 with complimentary shipping.
• More details available at RollnJack.

2. Harbor Freight Shop Crane (Engine Hoist)

• A cost-effective solution, typically under $300.
• Some users have modified it with a 10-foot unistrut for extended reach.
• Consider adding counterweights to prevent tipping.
• Available at Harbor Freight.

3. Telescoping Gantry Crane

• Offers adjustable height and mobility.
• Suitable for lifting heavier rooftop tents.
• Priced around $800.
• Available at Harbor Freight.

4. DIY A-Frame Hoist

• Constructed from wood or metal, this design resembles a sawhorse.
• Equipped with pulleys and a winch for lifting.
• Cost-effective and customizable.
• Detailed discussions and examples can be found on Overland Bound.

5. Modified Drywall Lift

• Originally designed for lifting drywall, this tool can be adapted for rooftop tents.
• Provides stability and ease of use.
• Available at various hardware stores.
• User experiences and modifications are discussed on Overland Bound.

Each of these solutions offers a different balance of cost, complexity, and functionality. Depending on your specific needs and budget, one may be more suitable than the others.

—

 

[dalton108]

Oh, I guess I could explain why I was taking the tent off in the first place. I got the wind deflector for the adventure rack from @Mars Adventure Gear and wanted to get that installed.

Heads up, if you’re planning on getting this and you’re using a rooftop tent you are going to want to get that bad boy installed first, if you can. I suppose you could just slide the tent back and mount it, but I also needed to install longer carriage bolts on this quick release system so removing the tent was the best solution.

If you have any interest in the Vanultra system and you’re using the Mars adventure rack “Option A“ of their system works but you will need these.

 

[Hookalakupua]

Looks like a great product! How are you actually lowering it or picking it up with your Mars Expedition Rack System on? Thanks

 

[dalton108]

Looks like a great product! How are you actually lowering it or picking it up with your Mars Expedition Rack System on? Thanks

if I understand the question, they include spacers that are slightly bigger than the cross-section of the forks that you have to get in before you can really begin your lift. To get the tent high enough off of the rack in order to get the spacers in I used these furniture jacks and did one side at a time. Definitely took some noodling to get all of this to work. The jacks are probably the sketchiest part of it. At one point it did feel like the tent was going to slide off towards the passenger side so four and lifting all sides at the same relative height is a lot safer/smarter if you’re doing this by yourself.

I wasn’t really planning on posting about this and if I had a I would’ve taken some pictures. But if you follow the link to the RollnJack above they have videos for everything.

 

[Hookalakupua]

That makes sense now! Haha. I was trying to figure out how you were getting your forks underneath it, given the setup of your racks. Haha. Thanks!!

 

[BillSirloin]

Looks like a great item to have! How do you like the Mars tent? I have the rack as you have but still deciding on the tent.

 

[Gritted Cybe]

looking clean Dalton..

 

[dalton108]

Looks like a great item to have! How do you like the Mars tent? I have the rack as you have but still deciding on the tent.

I really like the tent! It’s so convenient! It’s spacious, well ventilated and looks sharp! It fits me and two standard poodles just fine! Wife hasn’t been in it yet.

But, they have a new one coming out that was announced right after I got this one called the aero blade which is much lighter and considerably thinner.

So, I’m going to get my hands on one of those and check it out. But the Base Camp is very nice!!! Very highly recommended, but since you’re a CT owner you probably want to give a close look at the newer one because of the weight savings and better aero!

I really can’t say enough about Mars’ designs and customer service. Great folks over there!

*I may have thrown a bit of a hissy fit when the new tent came out, so I know how good their customer service is firsthand. ?

 

[BillSirloin]

I really like the tent! It’s so convenient! It’s spacious, well ventilated and looks sharp! It fits me and two standard poodles just fine! Wife hasn’t been in it yet.

But, they have a new one coming out that was announced right after I got this one called the aero blade which is much lighter and considerably thinner.

So, I’m going to get my hands on one of those and check it out. But the Base Camp is very nice!!! Very highly recommended, but since you’re a CT owner you probably want to give a close look at the newer one because of the weight savings and better aero!

I really can’t say enough about Mars’ designs and customer service. Great folks over there!

*I may have thrown a bit of a hissy fit when the new tent came out, so I know how good their customer service is firsthand. ?

Thank you for sharing! Yes, I just saw the other thread which has some good info as well. I don’t blame you since the new tent was announced just as you received your purchase.

I’m all about aerodynamics and range as well. My only concern with the new tent would be the absence of that ~1ft raised area where the hinges are. I’m 6’3 and could probably benefit from the extra height but it looks like the aero tent is a couple inches longer. I also wish the Mars tents came with integrated interior lighting/shoe bags like some other brands I’ve researched like this one by Topoak. Not a huge deal but would’ve been nice.

I hope you enjoy the new tent when you get it! Would love to hear your thoughts.

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