Want a RTT but concerned about roof loads. Warranted concern?

outdoornate65

Adventurer
I'm all ready to pull the trigger on a new Front Runner Roof Rack and a new RTT for my 2008 Toyota 4-Runner.
Then I'm poking around some articles here on The Portal and see where some of the seasoned overlanders have serious reservations about
putting heavy loads on the roof of a vehicle....especially one that is already lifted.

So now I'm kinda wondering if I'm doing the right thing by putting a 50# rack, a 120# RTT and a couple jerry cans up there while exploring/camping.
My 4-Runner is my daily driver and I would probably leave the RTT on the vehicle for the duration of the camping season. The fuel and water cans
would obviously be removed between trips.

The other concern my GF brought up is that we usually "basecamp" and take daytrips from our campsite. Her fear is that it will be a PITA
to break-down the tent/annex daily.

I'm not a big fan of towing trailers so I have not really considered an expo trailer with RTT as an option. A couple other mitigating factors would be cost and I really don't have a
place to store the trailer (my 1984 Westy gets to stay in the garage).

So I guess I'm looking for feedback from those who have "been there, done that". Are my concerns warranted or am I just being overly cautious?

I appreciate your feedback....

Nate
 

stingray1300

Explorer
I can't offer any load info, as my RTT is mounted on a Thule rail system on my truck cap (200# load rated = no issues), but I can offer a thought about base camping: First, if we stay any less than 2 days we simply don't add the annex. Without the annex it takes about 15 minutes to break camp.
.
I'm with you on the trailer comments. Nothing will get you stuck faster than a trailer, or use more fuel unnecessarily than a trailer (IMHO). Have a look on the front page of ExPo home page and have a look at the "10 things" you need to think about regarding overlanding. It will actually answer some of your questions.
 

outdoornate65

Adventurer
I can't offer any load info, as my RTT is mounted on a Thule rail system on my truck cap (200# load rated = no issues), but I can offer a thought about base camping: First, if we stay any less than 2 days we simply don't add the annex. Without the annex it takes about 15 minutes to break camp.
.
I'm with you on the trailer comments. Nothing will get you stuck faster than a trailer, or use more fuel unnecessarily than a trailer (IMHO). Have a look on the front page of ExPo home page and have a look at the "10 things" you need to think about regarding overlanding. It will actually answer some of your questions.

Stingray,

Mr. Brady's "10 Commandments" article was one of the ones I read recently that stirred-up some concern. Obviously the guy know his stuff and offers some great info.

Thanks for the feedback regarding "basecamping" and use of the annex.

Nate
 

LocoCoyote

World Citizen
I think you are going to get a wide variety of answers on this one..... :)

my 2 cents....

Loads on the roof are evil. :) The more weight up there, the more issues you will have with handling and the risk of rolling increases. First thing: forget the Jerry cans on the roof. This has NEVER been a good idea as fuel and water are heavy...very heavy. Plus they like to slosh around. You will probably find lot of folks who will say "I do it all the time".....well, maybe. I can tell you that all the times I have been with folks doing this, it has not ended well.

The RTT is another story and depends very much on how high your vehicles's centre of gravity already is. I have a RTT (AutoHome so the setup/take down is literally about a minute) that weighs about 50kg or so. It doesn't cause me any real problems, but if I take it off, I do notice an improvement in vehicle handling.

The rare times I am "basecamping" I will set up a ground tent to "hold my spot", etc......

As in all things overlanding, it's about finding the right mix of compromise that works for you.

anyway, that is my take.
 

outdoornate65

Adventurer
I think you are going to get a wide variety of answers on this one..... :)

my 2 cents....

Loads on the roof are evil. :) The more weight up there, the more issues you will have with handling and the risk of rolling increases. First thing: forget the Jerry cans on the roof. This has NEVER been a good idea as fuel and water are heavy...very heavy. Plus they like to slosh around. You will probably find lot of folks who will say "I do it all the time".....well, maybe. I can tell you that all the times I have been with folks doing this, it has not ended well.

The RTT is another story and depends very much on how high your vehicles's centre of gravity already is. I have a RTT (AutoHome so the setup/take down is literally about a minute) that weighs about 50kg or so. It doesn't cause me any real problems, but if I take it off, I do notice an improvement in vehicle handling.

The rare times I am "basecamping" I will set up a ground tent to "hold my spot", etc......

As in all things overlanding, it's about finding the right mix of compromise that works for you.

anyway, that is my take.

LC,

I appreciate your feedback and understand there are varied schools of thought on the subject. Keeping the heavy liquids off the roof make good sense. I've designed (in my head) a small, hitch-mounted "tray"
that would carry three jerry cans. Might be time to make that a reality.

If I proceed with the RTT plan, I will replace the factory rack and Thule crossbars with the aluminum Front Runner rack that will lower the RTT COG a bit.
 

Box Rocket

Well-known member
I agree with keeping the fuel and water off the roof. A RTT on the other hand has been tried and proven for a long time. Sure some people aren't fans of RTT's or any kind of roof load. I get it. I'm one of them. Even though I LOVE RTT's and use them often, one has been on a trailer and the other has been over the bed of my truck rather than on the roof, until recently when I've had one on the roof of my new Land Cruiser. Personally I think it's a bit extreme to say it should never be done or it's unsafe. Absolutely you need to change your driving habits a bit to accommodate the extra weight of a tent, that's just common sense. It's a matter of trade-offs. I'm willing to accept the trade-off of the weight of a RTT and changing my driving in order to not have to use a ground tent. To me they are just not as comfortable, often more hassle and take up more room in the truck so for me the RTT is the better solution. Find what you're best solution is and then take the necessary steps to make it as safe as possible. That may include finding as light a roofrack as possible (the front runner rack is a good one) and not adding unnecessary weight to the roof.
Good luck.
 

MANUCHAO

Aventurero
my $0.02.
For a roof rack.. look into getting an aluminum rack... (custom).
Roof top tent, I use the Variant Columbus.. at less than #100.
I also have an awning at #15 that works great...
I understand and agree that loads on the roof alter the COG, but like anything else you should be aware of how your rig handles specially one that has a lift.
Mine has 5" of lift, and I sure dont drive it like I do my little Kia Soul from work... it's all relative....
I dont think I have ever come to a trail where the extra added weigh on the roof has kept me from exploring or going forward... (knock on wood).
As for setting up camp on a daily basis..
I done it for a whole month, and under a minute to set up and another minute to take down.... no big deal.....

I carry all my water on the rear cargo area, usually 5 to 10 gal depending on the trip destination.
Fuel, I did without all those pesky jerry cans and got a 46 gal tank....also on the rear and have the tank attached to the frame....
expensive yeah, but expanded over 12 years.. no, not really...
it sure has been a learning curve...

Good luck...

Frank
 

OwyheeMagpie

Adventurer and Explorer
Different strokes for different folks. I drive a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, 6.5 lift, 33s and I threw the sway bars out 7 years ago. It's got rock sliders, steel bumpers and a winch with a RTT. I was in the "fast" lane coming over Highway 17 after I picked up my tent in Santa Cruz from Tepui and I rarely had to move over to let others pass. Highway 17 BTW is windy, two lanes and everyone speeds. Yeah your truck will drive different, yeah the COG is higher and yeah I'd rather not have the weight up there. With that being said, I've been on 4 trips since I've got the tent in January and it's never prevented me from doing anything I couldn't do before, besides fit in parking garages under 7.5 feet. I will say there is a slight disclaimer, I'm using my factory cross bars so the only additional weight on my roof of the tent, that's it. I imagine a RTT, steel rack and 50# of liquids might be that difference from barely noticing the change to its now an annoying change up top. I'm doing the Rubicon in a few months and I'll take RTT, it hasn't stopped me yet.

As far as base camp is concerned it will be annoying at first, setting up the tent is insanely quick but neatly packing it away takes a few extra minutes, still, no biggie. The annex is priceless as I've come to learn BUT if I plan on moving daily then I'm only setting up the tent. The annex isnt hard to put on at all but there is no way in hell I'd do all that work twice a day if I need to use the truck to go places.

For me, getting the RTT was easy in the end. It takes the tent and bedding (bulky takes up space in my Jeep) out and puts it all on the roof. My new found space in the Jeep holds all my water, fuel can, other heavy crap, food, gear, blah blah blah inside where I can roll up the windows and lock the doors. My wife loves it, it's comfy and quick to set up when you arrive places late at night. I had kept a keen eye on Craigslist for used RTTs and they were far and few between. When I did find one they wanted top dollar and it was gone with in a few days. What I'm getting at is if you buy a RTT, try it out and don't like it, you could probably sell it and only have lost a few hundred bucks. In the mean time you got to enjoy a great product that wasn't ideal for your needs.

Just my 1.5 cents.
 

Sleam

Explorer
I like that idea, the whole buy it, use it but if it doesn't work you can sell it. Makes sense. I keep playing back and forth with the idea of a rtt too but the getting a new rack to work on my 95 4Runner is such a hassle that I"m giving up for now. But I wish you the best and let us know which route you go and what you style you end up getting. That will make a difference too. The hard shell ones are so lightweight, quick and low profile that I doubt it makes a big change on your driving. The soft tops, I like better for looks, roominess etc, take up more space, slower and higher profile on the rack.
 

Christophe Noel

Expedition Leader
So now I'm kinda wondering if I'm doing the right thing by putting a 50# rack, a 120# RTT and a couple jerry cans up there while exploring/camping.
My 4-Runner is my daily driver and I would probably leave the RTT on the vehicle for the duration of the camping season. The fuel and water cans
would obviously be removed between trips.
Having had a few different RTTs on a few different trucks and cars, I'm of the opinion that people should be more cognizant of roof loads than they are. It's one thing to install an 8 pound Yakima Whispbar or Thule Aeroblade base rack and then a light 100-130 pound tent and call it quits. But, many people add a 40 pound rack, a 150 pound tent, and you bet things get wicked unstable.

Everyone is different, but there is just no way in hell I would further compound the situation with fuel and water cans. No way.

Even with the low stance of my Jeep and the ultra light weight of a 100 pound James Baroud RTT, the handling is significantly compromised. Not enough to feel unsafe, but I'm sure happy to get it off my roof when I can.
 

lugueto

Adventurer
I had the same thoughts you had when I first bought my RTT. I have an Inti roof rack that fortunately is extremely light (~30-35 pounds) and the tent weighs around 60 pounds. When loaded, including three gas cans on the roof in front of the tent, I didn't notice any decrease in handling performance or stability, even at high speeds. I'm sure there is, off course, but it wasn't noticeable. What was noticeable is the decrease in efficiency due to increased drag, but that was expected.

I have a smaller tent now (a 2 person tent, my previous one was a 3 person tent) So I have a lighter load up top.
 

outdoornate65

Adventurer
So OP here.....

I really appreciate all the feedback regarding my question.

After much agonizing....probably too much....I've decided to stand-down on the RTT.

Several factors helped me reach this decision:

I'm a "basecamper", not an overlander. We camp a lot but generally don't move daily, instead we set-up and explore from our basecamp.

I have a really sweet fishing kayak that needs to go on the roof-rack. No-can-do with the RTT mounted.

I want to be able to fit my rig in the garage. Mounting a RTT means not fitting in the garage.

Plan to buy a Kodiak or Spring Bar tent that will increase our camp comfort. Will have to set it up to dry once we return home but that's really the only downside.

Regarding the loads on the roof: for trips involving the family, I plan to get a Yakima/Thule box to carry some of the stuff that normally goes in the 4-Runner, hopefully making room for the big/heavy tent :). So there will still be a load up there but hopefully the rocket box will be full of lighter/bulky stuff that was taking up room in the rig. Should be easy to remove after trips and store in the garage.

So I guess I'll make my way over to the Camping Equipment forum and do a little research on (ground)tents.

Thanks again for the feedback,

Nate
 

JIMBO

Expedition Leader
:sombrero: That's the reason I've moved my RTT from the Jeep to the trailer--

There's just to many things I do with my jeep when camped and I can't be having an RTT up there-

004_zps664c519e.jpg


No trouble with the load, but it just restricts my boat carrying -

Put it on a trailer-

007_zps7705eb3b.jpg


:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO
 

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