Posted 14 February 2025 by Trevor Stark
Episode 6: Testing Our Low Profile SUV Roof Top Tent Mounts
At Vanultra, we are committed to developing the best low-profile SUV roof top tent mounts, ensuring a smooth, squeak-free ride even in the toughest off-road conditions. In Episode 6 of our YouTube series, we put our latest design through rigorous testing to identify and eliminate unwanted movement and noise. Here’s what we discovered.
First Round of Testing: Initial Observations
Our primary goal was to eliminate rattles and improve stability. We found that while the mounts themselves performed well with minimal movement, the tent exhibited excessive motion. The root cause? The two crossbars supporting the tent lacked sufficient rigidity, causing noticeable flexing under the tent’s weight (approximately 200 lbs). To address this, we introduced high-density rubber pads on the crossbars to help distribute the weight more evenly.
Second Round: Refining Support & Load Distribution
After lowering the tent onto the rubber pads and securing the mounts, we ran another round of tests. While results improved, we noticed that big hits still allowed the tent to flex all three crossbars and occasionally contact the roof rack. Our next approach was to distribute the load further by adding rubber pads at additional points, spreading the weight across four crossbars.
Third Round: Identifying Key Noises
With additional padding in place, we identified four distinct noises:
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Tent Contacting the Rack: Caused by minimal clearance between the tent and the side plates.
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Creaking Sounds: Likely due to metal-on-metal contact between the crossbars and side plates.
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Soft Thuds: The belly of the tent tapping the rubber pads.
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Plastic Tapping: The ABS plastic slider assembly making contact with the extrusion.
To address the creaking, we added nylon washers between the mounts and crossbars, aiming to isolate movement and reduce friction.
Fourth Round: Major Breakthroughs
The nylon washers made a significant difference, substantially reducing creaking noises. With a quieter setup, we were able to isolate additional noise sources, including minor tapping from the ABS plastic slider assembly. However, a major concern remained: the tent still had too little clearance, causing occasional contact with the rack.
Fifth Round: Advanced Testing & Final Adjustments
After consulting with Sherpa Equipment Company, we reintroduced the rear crossbar, which improved rack stability. However, the tent was still too close to the rack, so we added quarter-inch spacers, raising the tent by half an inch. This effectively eliminated the clunking noise. To take testing to the next level, we used an accelerometer to measure movement and fine-tune our design.
Conclusion: A Smoother, Quieter Ride
By making strategic adjustments, we successfully minimized movement, eliminated clunking, and significantly reduced creaking. The final tweaks included repositioning the crossbars closer to the mounting points for better stability. Our data confirmed that these refinements led to less rack movement and a quieter ride.
This testing process was invaluable in pushing our SUV low-profile mounts toward perfection. Stay tuned for our next episode as we finalize our design and prepare for production!
Watch the video here: