Automhome Columbus Variant - Review

[Beowulf]

This thread will be used to document my impressions of Automhome USA, the Columbus Variant, installation on an LJ, and its subsequent use.

After my brother and I spent many hours over multiple days visiting the Autohome booth asking questions and examining the companies offerings, we both decided Autohome was the company to go with. Dealing with Andrew at Autohome was a great experience. He was prompt and knowledgeable. Fast forward a few weeks and two Autohome Columbus Variant - Small - Black Storm, are now in the garage awaiting installation. Both will go on 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicons (LJs).

First Impressions:

• Packing was top notch
  • In the box, the tent was covered in a cloth shower cap. This kept the gel coat from rubbing the cardboard.
  • Styrofoam was place strategically
  • No damage on either tent
• Tent Fit and Finish
  • Outstanding attention to detail.
  • Gel coat is perfect.
  • Rivets are all flush and properly installed
  • Weather seal in straight and adhered properly
  • Zippers work perfectly
  • No loose threads
  • Extra pockets in the corner that were not there on the show models
  • Mattress is incredibly comfortable (will not need any extra topper or underlayment)

Autohome, Maggiolina, Airtop, Columbus, Variant, Black Storm

 

[MANUCHAO]

Great purchase...!!
I have had mine for almost 7 years... living full time on top of my rig..
No regrets !!!

Enjoy it !!!

 

[Beowulf]

Since this is black gel coat I plan on waxing it with a marine grade UV protectant wax every month or two. Probably not needed, but it will give me peace of mind. I do plan on taking it off during the 3-4 winter months, but that is only so I can park the jeep in the garage.

 

[CMARJEEP]

I wish I had just paid the extra for black. I’m probably going to end up getting mine wrapped.

Besides that I’ve been super impressed with my Maggiolina Extreme. I just mounted mine up a couple weeks ago and already have 4 nights in it. Everything you said is true. Build quality is excellent. Mattress is very comfortable. Setup and takedown is fast.

 

[Ray_G]

Love the black. We opted to wrap ours since gray worked better for our truck's paint but yours looks fantastic.

I have loved mine since mounting it last year, we've been using it consistently since-spent every weekend in May in it with no issues at all that weren't self inflicted.
r-
Ray

 

[Beowulf]

Getting closer to mounting this on the LJs.

Attached are several pictures of the tent placed in an older Garvin Wilderness rack (I have a brand new one in a box, because a new tent needs a new rack ). We wanted to test fit our idea before we went too far down the rabbit hole. As you can see if fits incredibly well. The rail is even just barely lower than the lip of the bottom shell. It could not be any more integrated. There is plenty of clearance for opening the tent. The top shell does not pivot into the front rail and there is plenty of clearance on all sides to provide nice hand holds, or places of shoes...etc.

We are looking into modifying the side rails to put extra cross bar sunder each vertical piece in the side rails. This would give us 3 place that we can bolt through directly into nuts placed in the metal track built into the tent floor. Sadly those tracks are not long enough to reach the cross bar section of the end pieces of your rack.

I'm currently talking directly to Garvin to see what they recommend and what is possible. I'd like to give Chris at Garvin a shout out. His customer service has proven I put my money with the correct company.

I'll continue to update the thread on the progress.

 

[spressomon]

Did they <finally> start using zippers for the bug screen closure instead of velcro (a RPITA BTW)? And did Autohome opt for a more quiet fabric for the walls (mine is noisy AF)?

 

[Crazy Schooner]

Did they <finally> start using zippers for the bug screen closure instead of velcro (a RPITA BTW)? And did Autohome opt for a more quiet fabric for the walls (mine is noisy AF)?

I recently picked up an Autohome Columbus built in 2008 and the bug screens are zippered shut (minus the bottom due to flap). I sold an Autohome a couple years ago and had the velcro'd bug screens, so it must have been built a few years earlier. At the time I was told it was newer, but looks like I was just lied too at the time by the seller.

Speaking of both models (the one built in 08) and the one that was older. They both looked mint, with very little gel coat cracking considering their age. I didn't see the same level of quality with some similar chinese sourced units I ran in the past.

 

[Beowulf]

Yes, there are zippers on all the doors and screens.

 

[Beowulf]

Based on this new article posted on the homepage about OK4wd becoming a retailer for Autohome, I'm expecting a lot more folks will be introduced to the Autohome line. OK4wd seems quite adept at marketing the products they sell.

Overland News :: AutohomeUSA and OK4WD form Strategic Partnership - Expedition Portal

Autohome tents have been a stalwart of the overlanding community for over 60 years, and are often credit as one of the first roof tent companies to offer backcountry-suitable models. With the explosion of the popularity of roof tents in North America, Autohome needed to expand their dealer...

expeditionportal.com

 

[MANUCHAO]

OK4wd becoming a retailer for Autohome

pleased, but surprised it took them this long to get an east coast retailer....
These are really great RTT's

 

[Beowulf]

Progress has been hampered by work/life commitments. Have started to put the rack on.

I'd like to give a huge shout out to Chris Garvin at Garvin Industries. After calling Garvin to acquire new parts for some modifications I was going to perform myself, Chris and his team tackled the job for me. The result.....a rack that has the modifications i wanted (with much better welding than I could do) and with complete OE powdercoat straight from the MFG. If you ever have any rack ideas, I would not hesitate to recommend giving Chris Garvin a call.

The key to running the Autohome tents in the Garvin Wildnerss rack are the cross bars. The original design had a single cross bar running perpendicularly and then there were several front to back bars that ran from the front of the basket across that center cross bar to the rear of the basket. With the Autohome you don't need those bars running front to back.

Chris welded in two extra cross bars that now allow the use of the Autohome track with 6 mounting points. Even though I plan to use the Autohome supplied clamping brackets, I will be making custom clamp that utilized the cross bars of the Garvin. Here is a pic of the cross bars (with 1/8" rubber).



So the first thing I did was at least put on the Windshield hinge front uprights. It is the simplest item and at least got me started back on the assembly.

One other thing I added, that will allow me to not use the supplied ladder if I choose, is a Front Runner spare tire ladder. It is rock solid and allows an ease ingress of the tent from the bumper, up the tire and right into the end of tent.

I'll post more as I move along the install.

 

[Beowulf]

Progress has been made. The Garvin rack is on. The Black Sand powder coat from Interpon Akzo Nobel is incredible. Just the perfect amount of texture, but not porous, and for me the perfect sheen. In prep for the Variant, I procured some adhesive backed 1/8" silicone from McMaster and ran it the length of the rails where the tent floor will contact the cross rails.

WARNING:
As for the Columbus Variant, I noticed on major design flaw. With the OEM latch, you cannot mount the tent on a rack with a floor that protrudes beyond the edge of the tent. The latch swings down and must swing below the bottom level of the tent to release enough tension to unclasp the top lid keeper. Even if I was running a FrontRunner or Eezi-Awn K-9, I would not have had the tent back edge flush with the back edge of those racks.

To compenstate, we are using a series 97 latch from Southco that has a shorter latch that swings up to unlatch. Once complete, pics will be posted.

 

[Beowulf]

 

[Lemsteraak]

The Columbus was radically different from the other roof tents when it came out 35 years ago, it didn't need an expedition basket so saved 100 pounds or so and a lot of expense. All it needs is a couple sport bars rated dynamically for the weight of the tent. Simple and easy.

If you want to use the factory latch, just drill out the rivets, and mount it upside down. The latch works just as good and will not interfere with your expedition basket. It isn't a design flaw, it is on purpose.