OEM RTT Replacement Mounting Hardware This hardware kit is designed to replace and upgrade the aluminum slider plates that are supplied with most roof top tents. Kit includes: Washers, Carriage Bolts and Flanged Nuts. Note that the metal mounting strap (flat bar) is not included. What are RTT aluminum sliding mount plates? Standard Roof Top Tent Mount Plate Standard Roof Top Tent Mounting Hardware The sliding mount plates are inexpensive parts used for capturing a hex bolt and positioning it anywhere along the length of a roof top tent frame rail. What is the problem with the aluminum sliding mount plates? With repeated use of the slider plates, the aluminum deforms as the bolt pulls down towards the roof rack. Additionally, if the nut is over torqued when installing the roof top tent, the stainless steel hex head of the bolt can rotate and spin through the two ribs of the aluminum slider. Once this occurs, the constraining feature preventing the hex head from rotating becomes compromised. The result is a stripped slider plate – once the nut is torqued loose for removal, the head of the bolt spins inside the roof top tent frame rail, preventing removal of the nut. What is the solution? The solution is to replace the soft aluminum slider plates with 304 stainless steel laser cut square washers that add rigidity and prevent stripping. When combined with stainless steel M8 x 60 mm carriage bolts, the square neck of the carriage bolt nests inside of the square hole of the CNC laser cut square washer and enables a high torque capacity for the lock nut. What makes this kit unique? Vanultra specializes in mounting solutions for roof top tents, we have tested most of the popular brand tents and have spent hours installing tents. This experience and knowledge has led us to create additional value for the end user by combining the lock nut and flat washer commonly used in RTT mounting kits. After many frustrating occurrences of dropping the washer just before threading on the nut (while standing on one tire with one arm elbow deep into the roof rack) we have learned that life is so much easier when the washer is built into the nut. This is why we spent the extra effort (and cost) to include flanged lock nuts with this hardware upgrade kit. What is the take away? Vanultra created this hardware kit after many customer requests for a better hardware solution. Does the original roof top tent hardware work just fine? Yes, as long as you don’t over tighten the nuts. Sometimes it’s hard to tell, sometimes you won’t know until its time to take the tent off. Either way, after stripping out the siders once, you will understand that the problem is slider plates. If you plan to lock or remove your roof top tent frequently – check out Vanultra roof top tent quick release mounts here.
