Roof top tent on sports bar

[albatross]

Was toying with the idea of putting the roof top tent on the sports bar by welding on some attachment pieces to the flat part of the rear facing bars and making the frame run all the way back and drop down to make the rear mounting posts in one piece. My question is, as Im in tassie atm and my sports bar is back in my shed in melbourne, the base of the sports bars that attach to the tray, they look to have a plastic ring around them. Is this just a cover or does the attaching bolt sit in this making it a weak point?
If its just a cover I will beef up the attachment and go from there.
Has anyone tried this? I like the tent but I find it too much of a pain in the butt having it sit streemlined to the roof as not to add too much drag... I cant see out the back when backing up!!!

Cheers, Ill try get some pics of my plans to make it easyer to understand what im attempting.

 

[Tryharder]

I wouldn't put too much weight on that sportsbar mate. She's a dressing only! Do yourself a favour, take it off (only takes two minutes) and see what actually holds it there...... A few self tapping bolts..... I wouldn't like to be in a tent held up by it that's for sure.

 

[sparra04]

the sports bars are only held on with 4 bolts
i wouldnt reccomend them as a load carrying device

 

[FatBoy89]

I don't understand the design?

 

[qqc d22]

the plastic collar is just there for looks but the bar does mount through it and sit on the plastic not the tub itself. that said ive got sports bar front and rear with 3 bits of sheet joining the front and rear bar i have removed the littlw support bar all toghether so there are only the big loop that are the same shape as the cab and have a roof rack mounted on top.they are only mounted by a small bolt in the bottom of each rail approx 8mm from memory but it feels very solid. i havent had any weight up there yet but cant see any issue with putting the weight of a rooftop tent on there myself. i probably wouldnt put much more up there than that tho.
it cost me $150 for the sheet and to have it folded if your just using it for a carry rack it would cost you less than that in rhs to buy the steel if your handy and have a welder so yeah hope that helps some what

 

[FatBoy89]

I jumped up and down on my roof roach which is mounted on my sports bara and no problem. Rooftop Tent goes on there fine?

 

[albatross]

So hear is a very rough paint image of what I want to do.
With the weight on the sportsbar been spread over the 4 points, id imagine it should be able to take it pretty well!

 

[FatBoy89]

If you're mounting on top of the sports bar then yeah fine. I wouldn't mount on the connecting arms as they are only plastic knobs holding them in.

 

[albatross]

Righto, See the plan is to make up the frame (im black on the crappy pic) and weld on some attachment plates to the flat part of the bars were the black lines go, the theory been it can be attached and removed all in one piece with the tent on it ect. as I keep the tent lifted up on the roof of the garage so its like a drive in/drop down and bolt up, drive away operation that allows for the factory sports bar to stay there, as currently I have to remove it to fit the tent and im getting sick of stuffing around with it all!!!

 

[FatBoy89]

Yeah that would work I guess. Kit make it with a couple gussets on the corners keep it from flexing

 

[albatross]

Yeah that would work I guess. Kit make it with a couple gussets on the corners keep it from flexing

Are you calling me fat??
Nar jk, cheers yea will do. Time to see if my welding skills are as good as I presume they are! Having never welded alloy before, but gotta start somewear right!!!

 

[FatBoy89]

Use steel and make a bracket plate to bolt the alloy bar

 

[albatross]

Yea I was thinking that. The frame was always going to be steel, but was going to weld mounting brackets to the sports bar, but I think Il make up a coller to bolt onto it with a securing bolt through the guts of it. Anyway, Il get to it end of next week when time permits and see how we go. Altho the more I look at it, the more im thinking of just building a compleate new set up with all new sports bar design.

 

[albatross]

Hear is my current set up...

 

[FatBoy89]

My bar design seems to work well and it worked out that I get plenty of "dry" space in rainy times. Here she is