Equipt1 Eezi-Awn k9 rack Roof Top Tent (RTT) mounting options

[darenwelsh]

On the Equipt1 site, I see a couple different options for mounting a (non Eezi-Awn) roof top tent:

1. Flush Mount
2. Hat Mount

The Hat version seems pretty intuitive. I am new to racks and RTTs, but this looks pretty straight-forward.

How does the flush mount version work? Does anyone have any pictures showing how it mounts a tent to the rack?

Does anyone have good rationale to choose one over the other? I ordered my k9 rack with the hat mount set in anticipation of ordering a tent soon since I didn't understand the other option. But now I'm wondering if I should swap.

 

[jbstrd]

On the Equipt1 site, I see a couple different options for mounting a (non Eezi-Awn) roof top tent:

1. Flush Mount
2. Hat Mount

The Hat version seems pretty intuitive. I am new to racks and RTTs, but this looks pretty straight-forward.

How does the flush mount version work? Does anyone have any pictures showing how it mounts a tent to the rack?

Does anyone have good rationale to choose one over the other? I ordered my k9 rack with the hat mount set in anticipation of ordering a tent soon since I didn't understand the other option. But now I'm wondering if I should swap.

Looks like the flush mount brackets are meant for hard shell rtt's.

 

[transistor]

Your flush mount link isn't going to the right page, but if it's the one I'm thinking of, according to [MENTION=44305]weeeee[/MENTION] you should get the front runner version instead. See: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/112823-weeeees-build-thread-30.html#post2752033

 

[weeeee]

It looks like the K9 RTT hard shell mount has been revised from when I used it. I'm still not a fan of the single bolt attachment point to the rack. The Front Runner mount is way beefier and uses two bolts to attach to the rack. Also makes it sit flush on the rack instead of sitting on metal brackets.

 

[transistor]

It looks like the K9 RTT hard shell mount has been revised from when I used it. I'm still not a fan of the single bolt attachment point to the rack. The Front Runner mount is way beefier and uses two bolts to attach to the rack. Also makes it sit flush on the rack instead of sitting on metal brackets.

I haven't bought my RTT yet, so dumb question, but it doesn't matter that the Front Runner brackets are made for horizontal slats vs the vertical slats on the K9? It still matches up in the right places?

 

[darenwelsh]

Thanks - I fixed the link.

... and just to clarify - I intend to buy a soft-sided folding style tent. So with that in mind, are the Front Runner mounts still better in your opinion? I was looking at their "quick-release" option.

 

[weeeee]

I haven't bought my RTT yet, so dumb question, but it doesn't matter that the Front Runner brackets are made for horizontal slats vs the vertical slats on the K9? It still matches up in the right places?

Correct, you can still run the Front Runner brackets as you can bolt them to the horizontal beams under the K9 rack. Even though the K9 rack has the vertical slats, there are horizontal beams underneath. I've been running them attached to there for about a year now with no issues.

Thanks - I fixed the link.

... and just to clarify - I intend to buy a soft-sided folding style tent. So with that in mind, are the Front Runner mounts still better in your opinion? I was looking at their "quick-release" option.

The flush mount/quick release option is exactly what gave me issues. If you look at how it's attached, its just the non-slip material that's holding the tent on. Underneath the rack (where the mount sits), the slats aren't flat giving it limited purchase. Coupled with the fact that its a single bolt per corner, it's a failure waiting to happen which is what I ended up with. Luckily the tent didn't come crashing down on my hood but it was very close to doing so.

The hat mount is easy to take on/off, but you might get some wind noise from underneath.

Save some pennies and skip the K9 mounts. You can easily the RTT on with standard tent hardware/plates and longer bolts.

 

[Teamoatmealpie]

I am using the K9 quick release with K9 rack and CVT Mt.Rainer Summitt - 200lbs tent. We just did a 30 day trip thru Idaho Colorado and Utah - tons of trail miles, wash board, including Moab. The quick release mounts never budged and the Moab portion really tested it. Rock crawling with over 300lbs on the roof is not ideal. But it all held together and very happy with the whole set up.

 

[darenwelsh]

I'm reviving this thread because now that I finally got a tent (23Zero Bundaberg), I'm noticing that both the hardware that came with the tent and the hardware that came with the k9 "hat" mounts that I already bought both have nyloc nuts. Since I have already seized up one nyloc nut when I installed the Rago panels, I'm hesitant to use these for mounting the tent because I don't want this thing permanently stuck on my rack. I want to be able to remove the tent in between trips. Can someone help me understand how this should work? I'm fine permanently attaching the rails and/or mounts to the bottom of the tent, but I want to be able to remove the tent (and its mounting hardware) from the rack.