2012 FJ with ARB Rack Help Needed

[Psu12]

I am new here and really excited to be a part of the community. I am building an expedition vehicle and the last piece is to install my roof top tent. I have a full size arb basket style rack that I love because of the basket feature, unfortunately it is not the best for roof top tents.

I am wondering how everyone has mounted their tents to their full size arb roof rack or other racks that are not flat. I am going to have to fabricate some sort of bracket but I would just like to see everyone else's setups.

Any help is great appreciated!

 

[Psu12]

Anyone have have a RTT not on a flat roof rack?

 

[kai38]

I've seen people mount Yakima cross bars across the top bars, or just cut the side down into a flat rack and keep the RTT as low as possible.

 

[Psu12]

Thanks Kai, I am a little worried that the yakima bars will sit the RTT too high and cause too much drag. I cannot cut the rack because I use it too much for securing equipment and packing.

 

[kai38]

I had the BajaRack EXP on my FJ, its a flat rack & I was able to secure boxes and odd shaped items on top with a few ratchet straps with no problem.

 

[Psu12]

Makes me wish I had a flat rack haha, but I'm sure someone has mounted a RTT to a safari basket roof rack

 

[xplrn42]

I beleive (hopefully proven wrong) but with the RTT you have to have that straight / flat platform for a solid base. Without doing as Kai mentioned above and using the cross bars or cutting, I don't see how it's going to work.
Have you checked the RTT thread on "The Blue Room" FJC forums? I know there are a lot of people with RTT's on FJ's, but most are probably using flat racks.....

I agree, an RTT on top of cross bars on top of a rack is going to be way to high and wind blocking.

If you haven't already purchased the RTT, you should look at Springbar/Kodiak canvas tents, that's what we use.

 

[VDBAZFJ]

Have you been to CVT's website or talked with them? I know they have mounted RTT's to stock FJ racks. If you look thru their gallery you will see a few. Maybe it can give you some ideas. If not, contact them (Bobby) and ask.

I too think it sits up too high on a stock rack. I have the Baja flat rack. Its gonna have a ton of wind resistance either way so I would try to get it on the stock rack and see how you like the RTT. I love mine, but as you know...the FJ isnt exactly a large vehicle once you start packing for a family of 3. (Or more?!) I also dont like that if I want to leave camp, I have to pack it ALL back in. I am in the build process of my M416 and I anticipate it will make things much easier in a lot of ways. Complicated in others Im sure. But, having a base camp seems like a good idea to me.

My point is...try the RTT on your stock rack...if you REALLY like it up there...buy the baja rack if your stock rack makes it too high. If you end up like me and want it off your FJ, take that $800 and go find a trailer and put the RTT on it!

Best of luck which ever way you go!

 

[Psu12]

I have not yet talked with CVT, but will do so this week. I already have the ARB mounted on my FJ, so I will see if they can possible figure out a way for this to work. I would hate to have to add yakima crossbars as then it will definitely sit to high.

What I am having trouble with is creating a bracket to wrap around the 1" cross bar and mount up to the pre drilled holes on the ARB, if I had the mesh floor that would be so much easier.

There's a few metal fabrication places in Mesa I will checkout if all else fails and throw some ideas around with them.

Have you been to CVT's website or talked with them? I know they have mounted RTT's to stock FJ racks. If you look thru their gallery you will see a few. Maybe it can give you some ideas. If not, contact them (Bobby) and ask.

I too think it sits up too high on a stock rack. I have the Baja flat rack. Its gonna have a ton of wind resistance either way so I would try to get it on the stock rack and see how you like the RTT. I love mine, but as you know...the FJ isnt exactly a large vehicle once you start packing for a family of 3. (Or more?!) I also dont like that if I want to leave camp, I have to pack it ALL back in. I am in the build process of my M416 and I anticipate it will make things much easier in a lot of ways. Complicated in others Im sure. But, having a base camp seems like a good idea to me.

My point is...try the RTT on your stock rack...if you REALLY like it up there...buy the baja rack if your stock rack makes it too high. If you end up like me and want it off your FJ, take that $800 and go find a trailer and put the RTT on it!

Best of luck which ever way you go!

 

[VDBAZFJ]

OOps! Sorry...I missed the part about having ARB rack. Are you in Arizona? Go to AZFJ.org much? Big run this weekend! 30+ FJ's!

 

[Willman]

You can cut it or sell it for a an RTT ready rack. If installing bars across the top is out, i would list it. If it was my rack, I would sell it and get a RTT ready rack.

Here you go:

ARB Touring

Another great option:

Front Runner

 

[escadventure]

If you like the rack you've got, this is easy to deal with. For some dumb reason I like the factory rack my FJ has, so I made an adaptor mount for my RRT. I've had it offroading several times and been on a few long trips with it with no problems. It makes the RRT sit a bit high, but I can also store my Expedition One jerri cans in the space between the tent and the roof. No noticeable diminished driving characteristics of the FJ. I cost about $100 to make. Oh and a few Red Bulls for my friend who helped with the welding. a few more pics in the album.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=1791

 

[Psu12]

OOps! Sorry...I missed the part about having ARB rack. Are you in Arizona? Go to AZFJ.org much? Big run this weekend! 30+ FJ's!

What are the details on the run, I don't go as much as I would like because most of my friends do not have to vehicles to tag along!

 

[woooody]

I had an ARB tent rack, which is actually 5 inches wider than the basket style (49" vs 44"). I but the front sides off when I bought my Columbus RTT. However, After a couple of years, I wound up buying a Baja Rack flat rack, as they had one that was the same with as the Medium.

Overall, I feel that the ARB is a much better rack, I don't like how flimsy that Baja Rack feels. The paint quality is terrible, essentially rattle can (peeled off when rubbed against). However, I like the full width of the rack.

If you mount your tent on top, what will you do with that wasted space? Do you think you'll be able to use it? I prefer having the tent as close to the roff as possible.

 

[Dennx]

You don't have to have a flat rack. Mine is mounted on a Baja Rack low profile rack (5" version) using 4 Yakima Snaparound clamps. I mounted the aluminum tent rails perpendicular to the roof rack and cut off the excess.