AT Habitat, Atlas, & Summit Pictures, ideas, aaand BS

If anyone has a moment, could you measure between the bottom edge is the loft to the lower edge of the cantilever section with the tent stowed?

 

It's due to how far out the lower mount of the strut is. It's mounted so much lower on the side of the Habitat, where it is wider. When you open the habitat and it's straight up at the struts fullest extension it hits (see lines on the pic below). It does NOT stay tight to the truck, as the angles change. That's why I had to add the washers. I thought it would clear... but it was hitting... just barely, but enough it wouldn't go buy without possibly breaking something.




The awning was still within the width of the truck, so unless you were way off camber by a tree it was never a big deal. Image below shows the awning room and how it still draped against the side of the truck.

 

Perfect, that makes total sense, thank your for the info. Our truck is in winter storage so I can’t go look at it.


We are considering adding a 2500 ARB to the truck to gain the screen room and a second option for bad weather camping.

I’m seriously considering using the Ironman off-road quick detach mounts, allowing me to switch the awning side to side, and keep it close. My concern is the thick vegetation we have in MN.... trails are tight.

 

Would you throw the awning on top of the truck, and then just mount it after you've setup the Habitat?

Also, the closer to the truck you get with the awning, the more space you lose inside the Awning Room.

The mounts I made have stood up to some serious abuse. When I was fatter, my 200lb self was able to do chinups off the awning. I've had many a sticks/limbs jammed on the backside of the awning and broken off from trees and such. It's held up very well. Obviously I don't suggest using the thing like a jousting rod, but it's doing well.

 

We’d roll with it in the qd mounts, then pop 1/2 (or 2/3) mounts and swing out to clear the hab deployment, then back on. Or pop 2/2 (or 3/3) mounts and pull it off completely. Add an extra set of truck side pins to the other side for a choice of passenger or driver sided awning.


I’ve got a set of these coming as a proof of concept for another idea.

 

that makes sense. Just popping off to clear. Don't forget, lol.

Make sure if you use those qd mounts you get them up high enough. Unless your truck is really lifted, mounting directly to the side of the Habitat might be too low/close to the ground. That's why I cut those brackets the way I did, at an angle. Needed to get the awning up higher.

 

I’ll fab some brackets to attach to the lower wall and the lower rim of the hab shell itself, then extend up to put the awning somewhere between the top and bottom of the folded overhang.

 

Can anyone grab me this measurement?

 

I feel this measurement can vary depending on how tight the latches are so just keep that in mind. Probably a small variance but worth noting

 

I can't :'(

 

Yeah, just trying to get my head wrapped around a couple ideas. Ideally I’d be sitting there drinking and staring at it, but parents needed siding funded.... no pole barn this year.

 

Wrapped the AT in satin black today

 

Looks good bro, dont fight the tree sap bro...just let it be part of the experience.
My satin wrap was the bomb...tree sap was my nemesis.

 

I assume tree sap hard to remove ?

i live in CO so wheeling is way different then it was when i lived in TN. Trails are wider and no mud. Pinstripes arent really an issue here for the most part but in TN this wrap wouldnt last

 

While getting my habitat wrapped, i had a mounting bolt get seized in the nut in the bed track so i had to cut the button head off of it. As apart of this process, i determined the bolt was seized and the square nut was actually spinning in the track so it was a double whammy. The square nuts are never centered vertically in the track so by default the bolt would thread at an angle easily.

I decided to replace the entire setup with something that wont allow this issue to happen again. I bought aluminum t slot nuts from Amazon and replaced the 1" 5/8 zinc button head bolts with 1" 3/8 grade 8 bolts. Smaller but stronger. Socket head rather than hex button head. The t slot nuts will not move in the track like the square nuts did. Note that i used extra thick washer so they were strong and didnt bend when being torqued down.

Overall, i think this will be a huge improvement and reduce issues in the future so i thought id share.

BEFORE


AFTER




T Slot Nuts

PFCC T Slot Nuts for Toyota Bed Deck Rail, 10 PCS Stainless Steel Nuts for Tacoma & Tundra Cleats, Tie Downs and Accessories 3/8"-16 Thread 304 Steel

https://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Stain...88b8&pd_rd_wg=HH6W9&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d

 

Looks like others have had the same issue and did the same upgrade.

 

I was worried those would be seized up when I was preparing to remove my Habitat. I took the truck to my buddy's in case I needed his help and power tools. Every one of them came loose with a quick turn of a ratchet. I must have been a lucky one. 2.5 years or so on the truck.

 

Swapped third brake light for a more subtle look and +69 horsepower

 

Any one use QUICK FIST CLAMPS to hold habitat poles? Curious if....

MICRO QUICK FIST CLAMP - ITEM #30030 would hold one pole per two micro quick fists

OR

MINI QUICK FIST clamp - Item #30050 would hold two poles per two quick fists

 

I use these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QRR99NQ