Essential solutions for mounting an awning to a rooftop tent
Essential solutions for mounting an awning to a rooftop tent
By Miles Walker from TOPOAK Overland
Not all customers need to mount an awning directly onto a rooftop tent, and different tent models have different rail and track designs, so most vehicle awnings on the market, including ours, are originally designed to be mounted on roof racks or roof bars.
When an awning and a rooftop tent are installed together, certain installation issues may occur. Below we describe these issues and provide corresponding solutions.
If you have purchased one of our rooftop tents and plan to install an awning, please contact support@topoakoverland.com with your tent order number to receive a solution kit discount.
1. Standard Awning Mounts Are Designed for Roof Racks or Roof Bars
The standard mounting hardware included with the awning is intended for installation on roof racks or roof bars. It cannot be used on a rooftop tent’s side rail or expansion track.
To mount an awning directly onto a rooftop tent, a dedicated Awning Bracket is required.
For example:
2. Long Awning Installations May Affect Tent Functions Mounted on the Rail
Due to its length, installing an awning may affect certain tent functions that are mounted on the same rail, such as rainfly support points. These supports are originally mounted on the rail but may become obstructed after the awning is installed.
To maintain proper rainfly function, we provide a Side Rainfly Support Kit and a Rear Rainfly Support Kit, which raise the support points above the awning mounting area.
For Galaxy Pro and Stellar users, these components are available as a complete Awning-to-Tent Solution Kit .
For example:
3. When the Tent Rail Is Not Suitable for Awning Installation
Some rooftop tents do not have sufficient rail space for awning installation, or the rail itself is not designed to support an awning load. In these cases, mounting the awning directly to the tent is not recommended.
If you still wish to install a 270 awning, ensure that your roof rack or roof bars provide at least 8 inches of usable mounting space. The awning can then be mounted using its standard hardware.
For example:
