07-24-2020, 04:57 PM
|
#16
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 91
|
|
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 91
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sn_85
@btcxsj Awesome work. I think we'd all love to see the brackets and I'd be interested in seeing how you did the antenna delete. I saw the one GFC does for our 2016+ 4Runners and it's an absolute joke. https://trail4runner.com/wp-content/...compressed.pdf
And yes, more details on how you sourced the tent!!!
|
I would provide more detail on the import process, but honestly, it's more than I care to support with questions and everything.
It is quite easy to find the manufacturers on Alibaba, and honestly the process and dealing with manufacturers in China was the easy part. They have representatives who are quite responsive and correspond in perfect english and are very helpful. This tent, with choice of exterior color and fabric colors, was about $1,400 shipped to AZ. Yeah, they are really that cheap... but then there are several hundred dollars worth of customs, brokers, taxes and tariffs that you also have to pay for and navigate. The process is, in one word, frustrating.
I took it on as a learning experience and I think it was definitely worth it in the end, but it's not something everyone will be willing to go through. And if something goes wrong or the product gets damaged, you have almost zero recourse. So it's definitely a gamble.
Frankly, If you're the kind of person willing to undergo this process, you shouldn't need my help.
__________________
Super White 2016 4Runner Trail Edition
Last edited by btcsxj; 07-24-2020 at 05:34 PM.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-24-2020, 08:21 PM
|
#17
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Lafayette, Co
Posts: 194
Real Name: Joe
|
|
Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Lafayette, Co
Posts: 194
Real Name: Joe
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by btcsxj
I would provide more detail on the import process, but honestly, it's more than I care to support with questions and everything.
It is quite easy to find the manufacturers on Alibaba, and honestly the process and dealing with manufacturers in China was the easy part. They have representatives who are quite responsive and correspond in perfect english and are very helpful. This tent, with choice of exterior color and fabric colors, was about $1,400 shipped to AZ. Yeah, they are really that cheap... but then there are several hundred dollars worth of customs, brokers, taxes and tariffs that you also have to pay for and navigate. The process is, in one word, frustrating.
I took it on as a learning experience and I think it was definitely worth it in the end, but it's not something everyone will be willing to go through. And if something goes wrong or the product gets damaged, you have almost zero recourse. So it's definitely a gamble.
Frankly, If you're the kind of person willing to undergo this process, you shouldn't need my help.
|
I would think that doing all that for 1 tent is going to be different if you have some buddies get together and order 10. Customs, brokers, taxes etc, would be rolled together and only dealt with once right?
__________________
2015 T4R Trail Red, 3” lift, 285s, Niserack, HF rock sliders, BA bumper
2006 4runner sport, v6, Tacoma TRD springs front, airbags And 2” spacers in rear. 440k and still chuggin along.
1977 FJ40, V8, lifted, Warn 8274 winch etc.
2006 GX470, 285s, 2” lift, C4lo sliders
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-24-2020, 08:38 PM
|
#18
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 91
|
|
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 91
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jpilot
I would think that doing all that for 1 tent is going to be different if you have some buddies get together and order 10. Customs, brokers, taxes etc, would be rolled together and only dealt with once right?
|
Yeah, it would be much more worth the hassle in that scenario. Same process whether you're importing 1 or 100 and many of the fees I paid were flat charges.
__________________
Super White 2016 4Runner Trail Edition
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-25-2020, 03:56 PM
|
#19
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: CA
Posts: 351
Real Name: Nick
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: CA
Posts: 351
Real Name: Nick
|
Awesome setup sir!
__________________
'18 TRD Off Road Premium w/KDSS.....and Kings, etc...
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-30-2020, 02:43 PM
|
#20
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Louisville CO
Posts: 34
Real Name: Dave
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Louisville CO
Posts: 34
Real Name: Dave
|
Let me know if you start making more of these. I have the CVT version in 56". I just fit in the garage with this on my roof rack but would love to have a little more room up top
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-31-2020, 01:04 AM
|
#21
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: RIVERSIDE, CA
Posts: 291
Real Name: Chris
|
|
Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: RIVERSIDE, CA
Posts: 291
Real Name: Chris
|
I too would be interested in purchasing a set of brackets of you plan to make some for others.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-31-2020, 07:45 AM
|
#22
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Monument, CO
Posts: 319
|
|
Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Monument, CO
Posts: 319
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jpilot
I would think that doing all that for 1 tent is going to be different if you have some buddies get together and order 10. Customs, brokers, taxes etc, would be rolled together and only dealt with once right?
|
Sounds like an unofficial/group buy for people all in a relatively close area needs to be looked into ;) lol
__________________
2019 TRD ORP w/KDSS: Dobinsons IMS Lift (front C302 - 3" / rear C725 - 2.5"), Freedom Offroad UCA's, Falken Wildpeak AT3W 255/80R17, RSG Angled Kickout Sliders & Skid Plate, C4 Lo Pro, Warn Evo 10S, Agency 6 Flatlink, Diode Dynamics SS3 Fogs, Desert Does It Seat Jackers, Sherpa Crestone Rack, Outer Tents RTT
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-31-2020, 07:47 AM
|
#23
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Monument, CO
Posts: 319
|
|
Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Monument, CO
Posts: 319
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by btcsxj
Here's a picture of one of the brackets in CAD and another close up on the truck. They are fairly simple, but interestingly, the roof rack mounting locations on the truck are not parallel. They actually taper towards the rear. Also, they aren't flat, they are angled outwards 6-7deg. So it took a bit of precise measurement and couple mock-ups.
The brackets were cut on my CNC plasma table and TIG welded.
If anyone has one of these tents, I would entertain the idea of selling them... something else do other than drink beer in these crazy times!
PM me if you're interested. I will want to verify some measurements on your tent and the first 'customer' will have to be a bit of a guinnea pig to make sure my tent is in-fact exactly the same as the Roofnest and Falcons.
|
These brackets turned out AWESOME! I like the idea, but highly dislike the profile you get once you add an aftermarket rack or LFD bars, plus the tent height - you setup is super streamlined!
I'm not sure if you're looking for a little side hustle, but making these and selling, or teaming with someone to fab, and I'm sure you'd have quite the order list!
__________________
2019 TRD ORP w/KDSS: Dobinsons IMS Lift (front C302 - 3" / rear C725 - 2.5"), Freedom Offroad UCA's, Falken Wildpeak AT3W 255/80R17, RSG Angled Kickout Sliders & Skid Plate, C4 Lo Pro, Warn Evo 10S, Agency 6 Flatlink, Diode Dynamics SS3 Fogs, Desert Does It Seat Jackers, Sherpa Crestone Rack, Outer Tents RTT
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
07-31-2020, 07:57 AM
|
#24
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Missouri
Posts: 48
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Missouri
Posts: 48
|
Your skills are yet another check mark on my list of how lame I am at basically everything. Awesome.
__________________
Her, Him & The Moose (RIP Moose 2010-2020) - Adventure bound
2018 TRD Off Road - First 4Runner!
@mooset4r on Instagram
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-27-2020, 11:24 PM
|
#25
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 1,589
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 1,589
|
I've been down the alibaba RTT rabbit hole before.
Unless the OP managed to get confirmation from CVT or Tempui or any of the others, they are not the same quality as the name brand tents. Some of the same generic components like extrusions and what not which are common to most of the made in China tents (OP probably came across the name "Sunday Camper" I'm guessing), but having seen alibaba tents side by side with several different branded tents, I can say with absolute certainty that they are not the same.
Alibaba tents typically use rivets rather than welded aluminum bases, use thinner poles, thinner canvas which may not have the same waterproofing, and will not come with some of the niceties that the name brands have.
If all you're looking for is a cheap price and/or occasional weekend use, I'm sure a $600 rtt will do the job just fine. Increasingly hard shell rtts are made in the US (ie. Go Fast, Roofnest etc), and the prices around $3500ish reflect that reality.
Not trying to 💩 on the great work the op did, but this tent is not an equivalent to others on the domestic market.
__________________
2012 Magnetic Grey Metalic SR5 w/ upgrade pkg (Canada)
pretty much bone stock
Instagram: ab4runnin
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-28-2020, 12:31 PM
|
#26
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,508
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,508
|
Terrapod's new hardshell RTT mounts directly to the 4Runner and no antennae delete but I haven't seen how it is done. If you are going to sell it, you better get a patent.
__________________
2017 Off-road Premium w KDSS, moon roof, sliding rear cargo deck,3" Toytech Boss lift, SPC upper control arms, Sonoran Steel High Articulation KDSS Trac/PanHard Bar, RCI sliders, RCI skid plates aluminum including gas tank, C4 Fab diff skid plate, SCS Ray 10 Wheels Matte Gray, 285/70R17 Hankook Dynapro AT2 RF11 E-load RWL, Cali Raised LED 3x2 fog-light pods, Lock'r Down EXxtreme console safe with electronic lock, Auto Heat Shield all windows, Raingler rear cargo net, Canvasback rear covers, LFD Off-Road cross bars aluminum, LFD Hybrid bumper, LFD wind fairing, LFD Hi-lift jack mounts, Goat Armor, Blackgate Custom KDSS spacers, Ironman 2.5 awning with quick release mounts, Ironman 12,000 lb synthetic line winch.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
12-07-2020, 05:12 PM
|
#27
|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: SoCal
Posts: 20
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: SoCal
Posts: 20
|
Are you selling these mounts? I'm not sure how I can PM.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
12-07-2020, 09:18 PM
|
#28
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 1,952
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 1,952
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mteolus
Terrapod's new hardshell RTT mounts directly to the 4Runner and no antennae delete but I haven't seen how it is done. If you are going to sell it, you better get a patent.
|
The Terrapod is not a direct mount tent. It mounts using the Rhino Rack backbone and 80/20 extrusion crossbars. It doesn't need an antenna delete because the RR backbone clears the shark fin.
__________________
2016 Nautical Blue Metallic Trail | SCS | Falken Wildpeak AT3/W | Icon CDCV | Heftyfab Front Bumper | 4x4 Labs Rear | Shrockworks Sliders | RCI Skids | Warn VR10S | OGE Dual Battery System | sPOD | Katzkin
2013 Blizzard Pearl LE 4WD - SOLD!!!
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
12-16-2020, 06:42 PM
|
#29
|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 10
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 10
|
those brackets are rad!
i'm super interested in the brackets as well! i did the antenna delete from GFC. couldn't believe how unimpressive the part was for $60!
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is On
|
|
|
|