Black hard plastic broke, its where the three poles goes in to hold the tent up. need to find this part so we can enjoy using the tent

I believe I have the same Ridgeway tent - over 20 years old. Red-, Blue- and Green-labeled poles. Best setup will require at least 2 persons. Here is a quick guide to setup:

1. First, stake the tent floor down making sure it is taut.

2. Center poles are labeled with Blue dots. There are 3 separate poles that fit through the center channel - 1 straight pole with 'male' connectors on each end (this will be in the middle), and 2 poles with curved 'female' ends. The curved ends need to slip through the center loops (there's a 'hook' to hold the loop). The center upright poles consist of a bottom pole (which should have a cap on one end and an adjustable ring on the other) and a 2-piece snap pole (with grooves on one end). Make sure to slip the pole with the grooves through the adjust ring (this will allow adjusting the height of the center of the tent). There are also 2 strings at the center of the tent about a foot above the ground. Tie these strings around the upright center pole to ensure that the center upright pole doesn't separate too far from the tent.

3. Poles with Red dots are for the ends of the tent. There is a curved 2-piece snap pole that slips through the end channel. Then, you have a 3-piece straight snap pole that attaches to each side of the curved pole. The bottom end of the straight pole should be placed about a 1.5 feet from the bottom of the center pole (at about a 45-degree angle). The door ends are essentially 'leaning' outward from the center.

4. Poles with Green dots are for the extended door cover on the large door side. These are 2 snap poles with ends that fit through the grommet holes of the cover.

Photos of erected tent are attached.





We don't use our tent very often, but my son just took it camping and it was a breeze to set up. If you still have the plastic stakes, I would recommend replacing those with metal stakes, as the plastic stakes break easily. Also, you may need to find a rain fly that fits the tent.

This tent was made by NorthPole, which has closed its parts department. Check this notice, which does list some places you might be able to get some parts.

I caution you that this was a department store tent, made to hit a price point, and sourcing a few parts might cost far more than the tent it worth.

Instructions

1. Select a flat camping area and clean the area of sticks and rocks. Remove the tent from the bag and spread out the tent body with the floor on the ground. Assemble the tent poles by connecting the attached sections at the ferrules. Set the poles on the ground and separate by size.
2. Locate the three long sleeves on the tent body. One sleeve is horizontal over the screen room and the other two cross the main tent body to create an "X". Locate the three long poles and slide one through each sleeve. Place the corresponding pins in the end of the poles. The poles will flex and erect the tent body. This step is best attempted with two or more people.
3. Attach the clips to the exposed sections of the tent poles. The clips are attached to the ten fabric and will add rigidity to the tent. Locate the next largest pole and insert it through the sleeve on the screen house. Locate the metal grommets where the screen room meets the main tent and place each end of the pole in a grommet.
4. Locate the two smallest poles. These are for the side rooms. Insert one pole through each of the side room sleeves. Attach the ferrule of one steel pole to each end of the side room pole. Insert the corresponding pins in the end of the upright poles to support the side rooms.
5. Pull on each end of the tent to ensure the floor is tight. Use a rock to pound stakes through the ground loops on the tent. Place the floor mat in front of the screen room door and use stakes to secure the mat to the ground.
6. Place the fly on the tent and make adjustments until the shape of the fly matches the tent. The fly will only cover the top of the screen room and the entire body of the main tent. Locate the D-rings on the base of the tent and attach the fly hooks to the closest rings. This will tighten the fly to the tent body.
7. Locate the guy ropes on the fly. Pull the ropes to the ground at an angle and pound stakes through the loops to anchor the tent to the ground.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_8092535_directions-ridgeway-tent-kelty.html

there are four pockets on the inside of the tent which hold the ends of the pole with the string in them. connect all the poles with the string in them. bend it in a (n) shape and stick the ends in the pockets. the poles are bent so as to give the tent height not depth, do the same for the rear of the tent. the twelve other poles are connected using the small connectors. one connector for two poles then stick those poles into the front and rear (n) shaped poles in the empty connector spaces already on the pole you bent. remember when you bend the pole they will not stay bent until you stick them into the inside pockets in the tent. the nylon straps at the bottom of the tent help the tent to hold on to the mattress. its simple enjoy. i put all the poles together first and then had my helper to hold it in a (n) shape until i could stick the legs into the pockets. look inside the tent once together you will see where you need to tie the nylon straps to the poles

I have this tent and have successfully put it up a few times. It's a big tent but it's frustrating to put up sometimes. Plan on having several people to help you. I find that it greatly helps if there are a total of 3-4 of you.
The poles are color coded. The center support are red rods. The two side supports are blue with the graphite looking rod that goes through the tent.
Spread the tent out on the ground and try to square it up and make it even. Run the center pole through the top and connect to the curved pieces which then connect to red dot poles on the side. Hoist the whole thing up. Have two people hold those poles for a while.
Get the bue poles into the black couplings and put the graphite looking rod through the tent. It will be a little tight. Hoist the blue poles into position. The bottom of the blue dot poles should be about two feet from the center. They extend outwards at about a 30 degree angle. Keep your center people holding the center poles and let the two blue dot pole section extend outwards. You'll start to see a tent shape. Your center holder people may need to keep and eye on the poles.
Now, start trying to get some stakes in. Work the corners. Once those are in and things start getting tight, it should start to hold on its own. Work all the stakes in and make adjustments to all the poles as necessary.
Extend the red dot poles up until the roof is at the proper height. I tend to do this last.
The fly basic basically clips on into holes on the blue dot poles.
It's kind of a pain to set up but its a big tent and works well once it is up. Good luck.
I took a ton of pictures after I got it up the first time. As I took it down, I shot the pictures. Then, I reverse the order and printed them to a book and now sort of use that as my manual.
Have fun.

I just put one of these up today with no instructions so I am going to share my experience. In my Disney bed tent there were two long sets of poles held together by an elastic string. 1) put these two sets of poles together. Now you should have two long poles. 2) Turn the three way brackets all the same direction on both long poles. 3) Lay out the tent and look in each corner of the tent for a little pocket to insert the end of a long pole...taking the other end insert into pocket, not diagonally, straight across the long way. 4) Do the same with the other side of the tent and long pole. 5) Now take your ten short poles and attach two together making 5 medium sized poles 6) Push these into the brackets along the long pole, kind of has a ladder effect. You are done!! I use mine with a full size blow up bed, the elastic gets stretched but I can set it up easily outside, or in the livingroom. Enjoy Nancy

We had the same issue. Here's my solution.

Each tent pole is composed of 49.5 inches of half inch pvc pipe cut into three 16.5 inch pieces. This can be purchased at any hardware store. You can cut it into three pieces like the original and string an elastic line through it or just keep a piece of 49.5 inch pipe in storage to use when needed.

G Barth -- [email protected]

TRY DRILLING A SMALL HOLE ON THE INNER POLE SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE SCREW. U WILL WANT TO DRILL SMALL HOELS EVERY FEW INCHES(CM) SO THAT U WILL BE ABLE TO SET THE POLE AT VARIOUS HEIGHTS IN THE FUTURE.

First, I would try Coleman.com and see if they can send you a manual or direct you on their website.

Assuming the picture is the tent I can help (and even if it isn't, these are basic setup steps). Peg the tent down. Lay it out and pick about six spots to peg it down.

Next, get the two or three longest poles. These are the support poles. Run them diagonally or maybe side to side through the pole sleeves on the top of the tent. Once all the way through, put one end in the hole (or possibly in the pin) depending on if you poles have points or holes in the end. You'll then bend the pole, raising a portion of the tent to make the other end of the pole fit. Look for hooks to hold the tent poles to the poles. Do the same for the other pole/s. And it doesn't matter which pole goes together first.

Once you have the two or three longest ones in, the rest is extra. From the looks of it, you may have one pole running from the door area to the rear. If there is one, it's usually slid into a pouch and tied with a plastic string at the top of the tent to the other poles.

Other poles, if they are there are for side support or rain cover support.

Figure out which way the rain cover goes, then attach the bungie to the pole at the base of the pole. It should have some type of hook. Once the cover is on, it may take a pole underneath it. If so, there will be a small pocket or pouch for the pole.

Don't worry about the strings and extra stuff. (Unless you're expecting monster winds). You should have extra pegs, strings and maybe a pole or two. As long as you get the main two or three support poles up, you're solid. Good luck

Well, you should have Three (3) longer poles and Two (2) shorter. Two (2) of the longer poles will be the basic construction poles. They will basically make an "X" across the top of the tent making the four courners of the tent. The other longer pole with also go across the top of the tent and right through the "X" made by the other two (2). This will push out the sides and make is "dome-like".
The two (2) shorter poles will go on either side of the enterance. These will hold up the sides of the tent to give you more volume space on the inside. Not exactly nessasary but if you want more than one or two people to fit inside, you'll need these.
Hope I helped.