Updated 21 October 2026 · Australian Cannon tent-fitment guide
Start with where the tent will be supported, then choose the rack. A broad platform or a tidy-looking sports bar can still be wrong for the tent’s mounting rails, opening direction or loaded use.
This guide covers choosing a mounting route and checking physical fit on an Australian GWM Cannon. Use our Cannon roof rack weight-limit guide for the detailed load calculation. Confirm Cannon Alpha and cab-chassis installations separately.
Cab roof, tub rack or canopy: which route suits your Cannon?
Choose a route around how you use the ute. Consider the gear stored in the tub, whether a roller cover must remain usable, how the tent opens and where the ladder will stand. Then confirm that the complete supporting system permits the intended use.
| Mounting route | Useful when | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Cab roof | You want the tub and its storage arrangement to remain independent. | Vehicle roof approval, the complete rail/bar/platform kit, tent support positions and roof clearance. |
| Tub-mounted rack | You want to position the tent over the tub and choose a rack height around your touring layout. | Load path through the rack and tub attachments, roller-cover adapters, support spacing and cab clearance. |
| Structural canopy or tray system | Your storage enclosure or tray is part of a documented tent-carrying system. | Canopy or tray construction, its rack attachments and written approval for travelling and occupied tent use. |
A canopy shell is not automatically a tent-supporting structure. Ask how the load reaches the vehicle and whether the approved system includes internal supports, tracks, bars or another specific assembly. Do not infer capacity from the shell material alone.
Keep all tent supports within one documented mounting system. Do not improvise a rigid platform supported partly by the cab and partly by the tub; that arrangement needs specific design approval for the separate vehicle structures.
Measure the tent’s supports, not just its closed footprint
The tent’s installation sheet is the key buying document. Obtain the support requirements for the exact model and orientation before comparing platforms. A product photo rarely shows the underside rail positions or the space needed to tighten the clamps.
The GWM Australia brochure lists 1520 × 1520 × 540 mm tub dimensions for several dual-cab variants. That is body geometry, not a tent-support drawing, usable rail spacing or proof that a rack fits every Cannon.
| Detail | Obtain from the tent maker | Check on the rack or vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Closed footprint | Length, width and closed height. | Vehicle clearance, overall height and any permitted overhang. |
| Support spacing | Permitted minimum and maximum support centres. | The actual approved support positions, not the platform’s outside length. |
| Underside mounting rails | Rail position, adjustment range and orientation. | Whether the rails align with the rack’s structural mounting locations. |
| Clamp envelope | Permitted bar width/depth, fastener reach and hardware. | Access beneath the bar or platform, including space for tools. |
| Opening movement | Hinge, folding-floor or pop-up travel. | Clearance to the cab, awning, canopy doors and other equipment. |
| Ladder and access | Required support arrangement and setup instructions. | Ground space, vehicle height and access to doors and the tailgate. |
| Mounting approval | Accepted rack/bar/platform type and any restrictions. | The exact rack, feet, brackets and attachment to this vehicle. |
A tent can extend beyond its support bars only within the tent maker’s permitted arrangement and the vehicle’s clearance and road-use constraints. Neither “longer than the tub” nor “smaller than the platform” is a complete fitment rule.
Check roller covers, cab clearance and the opened tent
With a roller cover or tonneau
Confirm the exact cover, rail and rack-adapter combination. A cover channel that accepts an accessory bolt is not automatically a structural tent mount. Ask which components carry the load and how the tent forces reach the tub attachment points.
Check the roller canister, drainage paths, opening travel and access to fasteners. A rack can clear the closed cover yet obstruct its operation or maintenance. Request an installed drawing or a verified example of the same combination.
With an over-cab tent position
Compare the tent underside and rack height with the cab, including the clearance specified for vehicle movement and the tent’s opening path. A stationary side photo cannot establish that the clearance remains adequate during the intended use.
Measure the final closed vehicle height after installation. Use that measured height for your garage, car parks and route planning rather than adding brochure dimensions that were taken on a different build or accessory setup.
Folding or soft-shell design
- Check the folding floor’s swing and support requirements.
- Allow room for the ladder, entry and any annex.
- Confirm whether the ladder forms part of the occupied support system.
Hard-shell design
- Identify whether the shell hinges, lifts or opens another way.
- Check lid movement and entry against cab and awning clearance.
- Use the actual mass and underside drawing; the shell label does not determine fit.
Plan for the campsite as well as the drive. The tent should open without trapping a canopy door, blocking essential gear access or forcing the ladder into an unsuitable position. Follow the exact setup instructions, including any required supports.
Keep driving limits and occupied tent use separate
While travelling, assess the installed rack, mounts, tent and equipment against each applicable driving limit, using the manufacturers’ load definitions. Parked use adds occupants and other loads under the tent’s setup instructions. These are different checks.
Our platform listing advertises 100 kg dynamic and 300 kg static. Those are rack claims, not a verified Cannon vehicle allowance. Do not multiply a driving rating to invent a parked rating or subtract an assumed ladder share from the occupants’ mass.
For the full mass calculation, use the linked roof-load guide. With a tub or canopy setup, check the documented structure and attachments as well as GVM and axle limits. A large apparent margin against GVM does not establish spare capacity at every mounting point.
Which existing rack options should you enquire about?
For a cab-roof platform
EVparts4x4 roof platform: confirm the mounting layout
The Cannon roof platform listing offers Starlight A and Starlight C. Send the tent’s underside drawing with your vehicle details so the proposed platform and mounting kit can be checked as a combination.
The C option is labelled 140 × 115 cm, while its image description says 140 × 100 cm. Confirm the dimensions actually supplied and the usable mounting positions before selecting it. A larger outside footprint alone does not make it the better tent platform.
For a tub rack or sports-bar arrangement
The adjustable chase-rack listing names the Cannon and offers separate tent-compatible variants. Its 300 kg capacity statement does not distinguish the driving and occupied-use cases needed for your setup. Ask for the specific variant’s mounting and load documentation.
Check the tent-compatible variant, not the generic bar
View the Roof Top Tent Compatible Chase Rack option, then confirm your Cannon year, tub, cover and proposed tent. The correct variant name is a starting point for the enquiry, not approval of the complete installation.
We also list a Cannon Bed Sports Roll Rack. Its vehicle-specific name and accessory mounting points do not establish an occupied tent rating. Do not substitute it without the required tent-use documentation.
Compare the complete installed proposal: rack, adapters, reinforcement if specified, tent clamps, fitting and delivery. Check the selected currency and applicable returns terms; an advertised starting price or fitment promise does not replace the technical checks.
Send one complete fitment enquiry before ordering
- Identify the Cannon: model year, exact variant, cab/body type and delivery market; include photos of the existing attachment points.
- Identify the tent: exact model, travelling mass, underside drawing, support-spacing limits and intended opening direction.
- Identify existing equipment: roof rails, canopy, roller-cover make/model, awning and anything that affects the mounting space.
- Ask for the complete arrangement: supplied rack variant, mounts, brackets, permitted support positions and instructions for the intended road conditions.
- Close both checks: physical fit plus documented travelling and occupied-use limits. Resolve any contradiction before installation.
Before travel, secure the closed tent and check the installed height, projections and visibility of lights and plates. Queensland Government guidance covers restraint, mass and visibility. Check your own state or territory’s requirements for the final setup.
Follow the actual hardware and inspection instructions rather than a generic bolt torque. Ask the installer about integrated-light wiring and applicable road-use requirements separately. Confirm insurance and warranty questions for the actual installation before committing to the work.
Browse the GWM Cannon accessories collection for related parts. This article helps choose a tent mounting route; it does not establish blanket fitment for Cannon Alpha, a different canopy or a different tub.
GWM Cannon rooftop tent fitment FAQ
Is the cab roof or a tub rack better for a GWM Cannon rooftop tent?
Choose the route that documents the vehicle attachment, tent support arrangement and intended use. A tub rack may suit a lower touring layout, while the cab roof leaves the tub independent. Neither route is approved just because the tent physically fits or the rack has a high advertised capacity.
Can I mount a rooftop tent on the factory Cannon sports bar?
Only with explicit approval for the exact bar, mounts and tent arrangement. A sports bar’s appearance or accessory mounting holes do not establish a tent rating. Confirm the support positions and both travelling and occupied-use conditions before ordering brackets.
Can the tent be longer than the Cannon tub?
Possibly, if the tent maker permits the support arrangement and overhang, and the installation meets vehicle clearance and road-use requirements. Tub length alone does not decide fit. Check the tent’s mounting rails, required support spacing and clearance to the cab and tailgate.
Can I support one end on the cab and the other on the tub?
Do not improvise a rigid bridge between separate vehicle structures. Keep the supports within one documented mounting system unless the relevant manufacturers approve a designed cab-to-tub arrangement. A platform long enough to reach both does not establish that approval.
What crossbar spacing does a Cannon rooftop tent need?
There is no universal Cannon tent spacing. Obtain the minimum and maximum support spacing for the exact tent, then compare the actual permitted rack positions. A platform’s outside length is not the same as its usable support spacing.
Can a tub rack work with a roller cover?
It can where the exact rack, cover rail and adapter combination is specified for the proposed load and use. Check structural support, the cover canister, drainage, opening travel and fastener access. A channel or a statement that a cover still opens does not by itself establish tent-load capacity.
Does the ladder reduce the load I need to allow for?
Follow the tent maker’s setup and load definitions. Some folding designs use the ladder as a support. Do not subtract an assumed share of occupant weight merely because a ladder touches the ground, or remove a required support while the tent is occupied.
Should I choose Starlight A or Starlight C for my tent?
Compare the actual platform drawing and tent mounting sheet before selecting a size. The listing shows A at 125 × 107 cm and C at 140 × 115 cm, but the C image description says 140 × 100 cm. Resolve the supplied dimensions and support positions in writing before ordering.
