Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform + Maximus-3 mounts + Maximus-3 bolts + Roam RTT

[shacdaddy]

A few months ago my friend and I installed the @Rhino-Rack Pioneer using the @Maximus-3 mounting brackets (https://maximus-3.com/2018-jeep-wrangler-jl-jlu-roof-rack/maximus-3-jl-roof-rack-system-long). I liked that Maximus-3 had a system for the Pioneer on the market before Rhino Rack themselves finally released the Backbone. 900 pound weight capacity! It wasn’t easy, but not too complicated. I’ve been going back and forth between what RTT to get, but I finally decided on a Roam Adventure Co. tent (https://www.roamadventureco.com/collections/tents/products/the-vagabond?variant=15423441862702)

Given the low profile of the Pioneer and the Maximus-3 mounts, I wanted to keep the RTT as low as possible. After considering several mounting options, I trusted Maximus-3 enough to go with their low-profile lag bolt set-up for RTTs (https://maximus-3.com/home/lag-bolt-tent-mounting-hardware)

I wish I had taken photos of the install w/ my buddy, but honestly it got a tad frustrating. I started the install myself, then got pissed and quit for an hour or so. Bottom line, the Maximus-3 lag bolt system is: 1. 100% designed to work w/ the Rhino Rack Pioneer and 2. Advertised to work with “most” RTTs.

That’s the sticking point: how do you know which RTT will work and which won’t? They won’t tell you (I asked). After drilling 2 holes in the base of the Roam RTT w/ questionable measurements by me, I called my buddy over for a second set of eyes. He provided some valuable insight and hole marking techniques, which I wish the @Maximus-3 instructions could try to provide more of. All they say is 927mm spacing, and that wasn’t enough for me. Perhaps more photos of how you align the holes and mark them?

Then, once we lifted the RTT onto the Pioneer, that started the hardest part of our day: trying to get the bolts drilled into the RTT to align w/ the Pioneer’s channels. It seems easy, but w/ zero spacing between the tent’s base and the Pioneer, it’s honestly a “let’s just lift it up and hope for the best” scenario.

2.5 hours later, we were done.

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[Helajames]

I did the same with a James Baroud tent but I just bough some rhino rack eye bolt and used the channel base from them, went to the hardware store and got some metric bolts that fit one set the correct length to instal the tent and a longer set to put the tent on. We slid the mounting feet in to the track already mounted to the tent on the longer bolts for slack and it worked ok.

I took it off once to mount an awning and the easiest way to put it back was with a couple long screw drivers through the holes, line up the brackets in he slots while the tent is sitting up on some 2x4s then set one side down at a time.

 

[EB12]

Ill be getting my tent Saturday so i will be in the same boat as you. Im still considering using the rails the tent comes with and the included hardware to bolt it to the lower slats on the pioneer platform but these bolts seem interesting and I also would like to keep the tent as low as possible. How do they tighten once you slide the tent with them installed onto the platform? Do you have to go inside the tent once positioned to tighten them up so it wont slide out of place?

 

[Helajames]

I drilled though the tent floor lining up with the slots on the rhino rack.

To get the holes to line up with the inserts on the track I put the tent on the rack sitting on 2 2foot long 2x4s I then opened the tent and put a long screwdriver through the hole and lined up the insert in the track with the hole for both mounts on the driver side, pulled 2x4 out with the screwdrivers still lining up the holes, put a bolt in loose and did the same for the other side.

Once all 4 bolts were started I slide the tent to where I want it to sit on the rack then tighten it down

 

[Helajames]

Another option would be the front runner quick release mounts

 

[shacdaddy]

Ill be getting my tent Saturday so i will be in the same boat as you. Im still considering using the rails the tent comes with and the included hardware to bolt it to the lower slats on the pioneer platform but these bolts seem interesting and I also would like to keep the tent as low as possible. How do they tighten once you slide the tent with them installed onto the platform? Do you have to go inside the tent once positioned to tighten them up so it wont slide out of place?

Yep you tighten them from inside the tent once it's on top of the rack and the bolts are inside the channels.

 

[shacdaddy]

Another option would be the front runner quick release mounts

Yeah I saw those, but I definitely preferred $24.99 compared to $299

 

[EB12]

Let us know how it holds up. Im interested in those mounting bolts from Maximus also. I didnt see any weight restrictions or any specs on their website. Do you know the material and size of the bolts?

 

[shacdaddy]

Let us know how it holds up. Im interested in those mounting bolts from Maximus also. I didnt see any weight restrictions or any specs on their website. Do you know the material and size of the bolts?

I don't recall the size of the bolts, but the weight limits are 300 lbs dynamic, 900 lbs static.

 

[shacdaddy]

Let us know how it holds up. Im interested in those mounting bolts from Maximus also. I didnt see any weight restrictions or any specs on their website. Do you know the material and size of the bolts?

No issues since my last post...the tent hasn't moved/shifted/flexed a bit.

 

[BroncoHound]

No issues since my last post...the tent hasn't moved/shifted/flexed a bit.

Have you left the tent on the rack the entire time or do you take it off for daily driving and/or topless driving?

This rack setup and this tent are both on my respective short lists so I'm interested in your feedback for both after having lived with them for nearly a year.

How many nights have you spent in the tent? I see you're from the high desert but your avatar shows you like the northern lands as well; is this tent a true 4-season option?

Judging by the specs of the Vagabond compared to the Pioneer table, it looks like you have about 16" of rack space in front of the tent; do you find that's enough room to store all the additional gear you'd like to keep above the Jeep, or do you find yourself wishing you had more roof rack space?

Do you have any comments (good or bad) on the quality of either the Roam tent or the Rhino Rack...rack?

 

[lsmaverick]

A few months ago my friend and I installed the @Rhino-Rack Pioneer using the @Maximus-3 mounting brackets (https://maximus-3.com/2018-jeep-wrangler-jl-jlu-roof-rack/maximus-3-jl-roof-rack-system-long). I liked that Maximus-3 had a system for the Pioneer on the market before Rhino Rack themselves finally released the Backbone. 900 pound weight capacity! It wasn’t easy, but not too complicated. I’ve been going back and forth between what RTT to get, but I finally decided on a Roam Adventure Co. tent (https://www.roamadventureco.com/collections/tents/products/the-vagabond?variant=15423441862702)

Given the low profile of the Pioneer and the Maximus-3 mounts, I wanted to keep the RTT as low as possible. After considering several mounting options, I trusted Maximus-3 enough to go with their low-profile lag bolt set-up for RTTs (https://maximus-3.com/home/lag-bolt-tent-mounting-hardware)

I wish I had taken photos of the install w/ my buddy, but honestly it got a tad frustrating. I started the install myself, then got pissed and quit for an hour or so. Bottom line, the Maximus-3 lag bolt system is: 1. 100% designed to work w/ the Rhino Rack Pioneer and 2. Advertised to work with “most” RTTs.

That’s the sticking point: how do you know which RTT will work and which won’t? They won’t tell you (I asked). After drilling 2 holes in the base of the Roam RTT w/ questionable measurements by me, I called my buddy over for a second set of eyes. He provided some valuable insight and hole marking techniques, which I wish the @Maximus-3 instructions could try to provide more of. All they say is 927mm spacing, and that wasn’t enough for me. Perhaps more photos of how you align the holes and mark them?

Then, once we lifted the RTT onto the Pioneer, that started the hardest part of our day: trying to get the bolts drilled into the RTT to align w/ the Pioneer’s channels. It seems easy, but w/ zero spacing between the tent’s base and the Pioneer, it’s honestly a “let’s just lift it up and hope for the best” scenario.

2.5 hours later, we were done.

We tried to do the same things yesterday, with the same lag bolt kit from Maximus-3.

However, we can't tighten the carriage bolts that come with the kit; they just keep spinning inside the channel. Worse yet, we can't remove the nuts from the bolts for the same reason.

Has anyone ran into similar difficulties?

 

[xaugievike]

No issues since my last post...the tent hasn't moved/shifted/flexed a bit.

Any chance you've removed the pioneer platform and have pictures of just the mounts exposed? Havent had any luck finding pictures of the exterior side of the mounting.

 

[shacdaddy]

Any chance you've removed the pioneer platform and have pictures of just the mounts exposed? Havent had any luck finding pictures of the exterior side of the mounting.

The mounts between the hard top and the platform itself?

 

[xaugievike]

The mounts between the hard top and the platform itself?

correct.

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