Roofrack

[milli]

OK, here is my idea. I'd like to see if some of you think it might work, or if there is something I might be overlooking.

Flip the roof rack basket so it is facing forward over the hood.
I would use the same front "crossmembers" and just put the back of the basket out over the front bumper, then support (somehow).
Roof tent goes on the rear 3/4 of the roof and out the back a little ways with support from the front basket to the rear ladders.
HD Front Springs?

Anyway, just a thought!

[rover4x4]

:confused

[Mike Hippert]

Sounds Cool. I think if you had an ARB front bumper you could attach to it for support. Just think of it as the biggest brush cutter you could ever make. I don't know how leagal it would be as it inpaies vision. You would never be able to see a traffic light.:rolleyes

[milli]

Yea, really. See, that's what I'm talking about. It would be a great excuse for running red lights / sun visor!
How about some lights mounted on the flooring out front (it is lexan so I can see through a little). Would there be any strange glare?

[Mike Hippert]

How about a convex mirror mounted on the front??? Or even Better a Parascope!!!!!

[milli]

Yes, perfect! That would be worth cutting some holes for!
Where do you get those strobe lights that the state police have to switch the lights? That could be handy too.

[Mike Hippert]

Why not make the tent open over the hood and leave the rack in its current location? And make a ladder that supports the front that runs all the way to the ground then it folds up with the tent.

[milli]

All of the tents that fold out that I have seen need to be mounted on a flat surface. I don't want to grow the vehicle any taller and I dont want to cut the front of my basket off so I can set the tent inside.
I was looking through some mags last night and saw a couple of 110 racks extended over the windshield, but not quite as far as this would be. They were braced to the bulkhead. My other evaluator thinks the looks alone would mess up a pretty clean looking vehicle.
I think there are some tents that would fit nicely on the back 1/2 of the roof and fold out over the back with a ladder, etc. like you said. I'm sold.

[Hans]

I've been considering a roof-tent for mine also and have the same problem. I was probably just going to bolt some plywood or something to the top of the roof rack when I use the tent, and remove it when not using the tent. Some stiffeners underneath the wood probably are a good idea to keep it from being too weak to sleep on.

I just wish I could find a tent that I liked, saw a picture of one but I think it was a custom job.

-Hans

[dmarchand]

Why not cut down the rack to suit? It's easy to take 3 inches out of the height of the basket and reattach the top rung.

You could then do the plywood method Hans recommended.

Also, not sure how much rain you get. But from what I hear, because almost all of the tents are canvas, they leak fairly easy, especially when you touch the fabric from the inside.

[milli]

Not a lot of rain here in Boise. Boy do I miss that PNW slop! I will use the tent in the snow for sure. I can't speak for the water resistance of any rttents yet but hopefully they have thougt about that one!
I measured how the roof would set up with the basket facing front and the tent is an exact fit on the back.
Here is a cool website. Paul "the crazy African" was a fish and game dude and claims to have used many of the tents (not the hanibal though). He likes the HM and the people at the company. Says they're the best.
Action Africa (http://www.actionafrica.com)