I was hoping to use that type of insert too. I’l plan on sanding mine down too.
Feedback from having the the tent mounted a few days now. Worth it!
I’ve previously had an classic bookfold style RTT tent. The weight (140lbs) and bricklike aero of that RTT created real compromises to drivability in cornering and freeway. The Superlite really lives up to it’s namesake with barely any impact to my full size SUV. Only perhaps some mild more noise on the freeway but otherwise, she wears it well.
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Anyone here using the QR locks?
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Maybe dumb question. What are the supplied tie downs used for?
I’m using my own telescoping ladder and thought maybe it’s use for that but it’s not obvious?
Using this inflatable pool noodle to maximize foot room. Couldn’t have worked better. Collapses to nothing. Is 48" wide. And will max the vertical headroom at the foot of the tent.
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Had the Superlite out for a quick overnight trip to test it out.
Have a few issues with it.
First and probably the hardest to fix would be on the passenger side of the tent I’m missing one of the door tie back loops. I have the elastic loop with the plastic bit, but there is no loop to tie them into. I am missing one on the outer door closest to the rear of the car and missing one for the screen door closest to the hinge of the tent. I’m less concerned with the screen side of things as I rarely have the screen rolled up but the tent door doesn’t want to stay rolled up with only one tie back point. See photo of it throw over the top of tent
Second would be the straps. They seem to loosen overnight as the temperature swings. I had several come loose on the highway now. There is one strap on the front of the tent that was sewn way too. See photo.
Lastly I cannot get the tent to fully compress down when closed. I took the mattress out and still on the passenger side of the car then velcro doesn’t even come close to touching.
So a couple minor, but annoying, issues aside the tent is exactly what were looking for.
I can only post 1 photo per post for now…
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Can you please share where you obtained those aluminum extrusions?
Haha I have the same strap issue when it rains or gets cooler. The front passenger strap and side strap comes undone.
That’s the same strap that flies loose on mine too!
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we lost some mounts on our last trip out and had to limp home with a ratchet strap holding the tent to the truck. TOTALLY a user error on my part and didn’t get them up tight nor did I use any Loctite both will be double checked before going out on the road again. Love it. Waiting on spare parts from GFC and the Rain-fly Pole Holders from GZila. So far we have been happy campers.
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Sure. So everyone is clear, these do not drop in.
I believe the slide brackets are 1.25" wide, which is too wide for the Superlite mounting channel. I grinded these down to 1" wide which takes some work. Coarse grinding, them smooth down with sandpaper so they glide in.
The tie strap which comes with it have holes spaced too far also, which may need some customization with a new hole if you choose to use them. I did not.
Otherwise the stainless metric bolts and nylon lock nuts work great.
Had this all setup on over 100miles of washboard roads this past weekend and it worked like a champ. Not sure I’d trust the provided T-nut style brackets provided in this high vibration type of use as that’s just asking for issues between the small surface area and potential to unfasten.
Someone should try to contact GFC to see if they can provide these type of mounts, but drop in.
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Thanks. I’m looking for a source just for those aluminum inserts, but at least I could buy more at the link. Thanks!
Another couple sources (but on backorder/pre-order):
I did something similar to that hardware mounting kit. I’ve got a Prinsu rack, so it’s unique to that, but the concept is similar. I mounted two “L” 80-20 mounts to a middle crossbar on my Prinsu Rack. I then got a strip of 1"x 3/16" steel about 6" long and marked two holes where the “L” brackets lined up. I drilled and tapped some 1/4-20 holes in the steel. I now have the tent mounted in 3 locations per side.
All that said, if you’ve got the tools, getting some 1" steel bar and tapping holes in it would work well for a more permanent mount rather than the T-nuts.
How did you mount your superlite to your prinsu with the lightbar? I have a similar setup and the superlite extrusion interferes with my lightbar. I tried shimming the mounting locations which works though it makes for a tricky install.
Also, anyone else have any tips for quickly mounting and unmounting the superlite on a 5th gen 4runner and prinsu? Its pretty unwieldy to have 2 ppl lifting from the sides since the 4runner is so wide.
I don’t have a lightbar. and to remove the tent I just unbolt the crossbars that the tent is mounted too. much easier leaving the crossbars attached.
I saw the image Pino posted about 8 posts back with the lightbar and was wondering about that setup.
Originally I also left the crossbars attached. and it def makes accessing the hardware easier. However, its very awkward on my 4runner to lift onto the rack bc of how wide and high the roof is. I cannot lift onto the side and slide it bc the mounting hardware will gouge the top of the car in the middle of the roof. trying to think of a better order of operations
Edit: I am starting to think that the best solution might be taking an angle grinder to the aluminum extrusion and cutting out about 3" of the extrusion track to clear the light bar. Anyone have any thoughts on cutting the extrusion, without damaging the fabric obviously
I made a custom bracket for the lightbar that has it sit as low as possible. I have about 1/8" of clearance between the extrusion and the top of the lightbar. The lightbar bracket that came with my rack was too tall.
The Superlite is mounted using the factory hardware
So is the extrusion resting on the light bar?
Nay see above. It’s about 1/8" above lightbar
So far no contact