RTT, car/truck top or trailer.

[b63215b]

Hello all!

My wife and I recently did our first shakedown down trip with our RTT Trailer and 4runner http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/114357-First-trailer-build!. I built the trailer and added a rack to lift it off the ground so that I could walk underneath it (I am 6' foot tall) and with that height it was getting a lot of wind while driving and felt like it was making the truck work extra hard. Keep in mind the trailer on weighs 610, loaded maybe 900 including the RTT. My question is this, do I benefit more with the RTT on the truck pulling the trailer separate or on the trailer and just lower the rack a bit so that it isn't catching so much wind? Thanks for any help, not so much concerned with gas mileage as I am worko n the engine.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Hmmm...

Lots of things play a role here. How fast are you trying to go? Are you in hills or crosswinds? Do you have enough towing experience to know what is outside the norm?

I recently read your trailer thread as I consider building my own... I did think that you missed the opportunity to keep the roofline equal or lower on the trailer. Part of that is the ease of setting up the tent. I use a little ladder to set up the tents on my stock JKU. Yes people laugh... But oh well... My kid and I love the RTT.

I would propose an experimental solution. Weigh and measure your loaded trailer. Go to U haul or similar trailer rental place and rent a similar size trailer... Load it up and tow 100 miles. Go back and rent smaller (lower) trailer. Load to equivalent weight and tow another 100. This is not exactly scientific. You'll have to rely on your butt dyno to evaluate performance.

After that, put the tent on your Toyota roof and drive 100 miles. I think you will quickly find that trailers just change dynamics and you need to learn the new way of life.

Also, it is hard to tell from your pictures, but I kept wondering if your trailer axle was bent or your wheel bearings were trashed. You might look into what appears to be a severe trailer wheel angle in some of your photos.

Either way, have fun.

Nate

 

[Box Rocket]

From my experience you'll be better off if you can keep the tent on the trailer but drop it down as close to the top of the trailer as possible so that it all rides in the "slipstream" behind the 4Runner. I understand wanting to have the tent up high enough when you're parked so that you can walk under it, and also use the full height of the annex. I built a telescoping rack on my trailer to give me the ability to keep the tent mounted low for driving and to raise up when parked. You could do something similar with yours with a Saturday afternoon date with your welder. There are details in my trailer build thread on what I did with mine.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-Homemade-trailer-build?p=1388611#post1388611

Another option would be a pivoting rack that would lay down almost flat against the top of the trailer but could then be pulled upright and give you the necessary height you want for when you're parked. Here's a link to a trailer build that did something like this using linear actuators, but you could do this all manually too if you wanted to keep it on the cheap.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/jlees-bamf-expo-trailer-build.320799/page-22#post-10160359
.
https://youtu.be/xxPZcwZqZ_g

 

[b63215b]

Lots of things play a role here. How fast are you trying to go? Are you in hills or crosswinds? Do you have enough towing experience to know what is outside the norm?

I recently read your trailer thread as I consider building my own... I did think that you missed the opportunity to keep the roofline equal or lower on the trailer. Part of that is the ease of setting up the tent. I use a little ladder to set up the tents on my stock JKU. Yes people laugh... But oh well... My kid and I love the RTT.

I would propose an experimental solution. Weigh and measure your loaded trailer. Go to U haul or similar trailer rental place and rent a similar size trailer... Load it up and tow 100 miles. Go back and rent smaller (lower) trailer. Load to equivalent weight and tow another 100. This is not exactly scientific. You'll have to rely on your butt dyno to evaluate performance.

After that, put the tent on your Toyota roof and drive 100 miles. I think you will quickly find that trailers just change dynamics and you need to learn the new way of life.

Also, it is hard to tell from your pictures, but I kept wondering if your trailer axle was bent or your wheel bearings were trashed. You might look into what appears to be a severe trailer wheel angle in some of your photos.

Either way, have fun.

Nate

Nate, 65max, plenty of towing experience, the trailer looks weird because I haven't spent the dime on matching size wheels for the trailer to match the 4runner. I agree hindsight I should have choose to make the RTT even with the roof line of the truck.

 

[b63215b]

From my experience you'll be better off if you can keep the tent on the trailer but drop it down as close to the top of the trailer as possible so that it all rides in the "slipstream" behind the 4Runner. I understand wanting to have the tent up high enough when you're parked so that you can walk under it, and also use the full height of the annex. I built a telescoping rack on my trailer to give me the ability to keep the tent mounted low for driving and to raise up when parked. You could do something similar with yours with a Saturday afternoon date with your welder. There are details in my trailer build thread on what I did with mine.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-Homemade-trailer-build?p=1388611#post1388611

Another option would be a pivoting rack that would lay down almost flat against the top of the trailer but could then be pulled upright and give you the necessary height you want for when you're parked. Here's a link to a trailer build that did something like this using linear actuators, but you could do this all manually too if you wanted to keep it on the cheap.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/jlees-bamf-expo-trailer-build.320799/page-22#post-10160359
.
https://youtu.be/xxPZcwZqZ_g

Thanks for the help and visuals, I love the tent actuators but i am afraid that is out of my wheelhouse. I like your idea much better. So let me ask you a few questions, the rack bottom receivers (female) are 1.5" and the leg going into the receiver(male) is 1.25"? And you used 50 lb gas struts? I have two 100 lb struts now do you think that is to much weight? On a side note I love your spare tire carrier, I might steel that idea as well. I need one on my 4runner, but i have an idea for that as well.

Love my Tepui tent by the way

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: My past mileage/w pulling my trailer without top load has been 13.9mpg(hiwy)

Now/w tire/axle/RTT addition--13.4 mpg, so a loss of .5 mpg/w RTT and duck boat on trailer, from past information, the installation of the RTT on the roof of vehicle has been as much as 3 mpg-loss

Whatever

Good luck

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[b63215b]

:sombrero: My past mileage/w pulling my trailer without top load has been 13.9mpg(hiwy)

Now/w tire/axle/RTT addition--13.4 mpg, so a loss of .5 mpg/w RTT and duck boat on trailer, from past information, the installation of the RTT on the roof of vehicle has been as much as 3 mpg-loss

Whatever

Good luck

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

Thanks for the info and experience. Nice rig you have there.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Thank you sir-

Thanks for the info and experience. Nice rig you have there.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[NatersXJ6]

Time for the hand pyramid of evil contemplation...

You could achieve the same goal by putting a lift kit in the Toyota!

 

[b63215b]

Haha I go any higher on the truck and I'll tip over already had 285's and a lift.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[PirateMcGee]

I would drop the RTT directly on top of your trailer. Too high up in my opinion.

 

[grogie]

I would drop the RTT directly on top of your trailer. Too high up in my opinion.

I agree, for one to lower the center of gravity which I think is something to consider especially if you do any off-road towing.

My Tepui is on top of my trailer's lid and other then the added weight of the trailer on acceleration, I don't know it's back there. And that's towing it with a two-door Jeep.

 

[b63215b]

I agree, for one to lower the center of gravity which I think is something to consider especially if you do any off-road towing.

My Tepui is on top of my trailer's lid and other then the added weight of the trailer on acceleration, I don't know it's back there. And that's towing it with a two-door Jeep.

So do you have a tepui with an annex and if so, do you use? I think the goal will be to have it in the top while traveling and lift up when at camp.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Box Rocket]

Normally I would agree with the individuals suggesting to mount the tent directly to the trailer lid (or just get it as low as possible), however, I don't think any of them are trying to use an annex. The annex, while still somewhat useful is far less effective when it's attached to a tent that is not mounted high enough to use the full height of the annex. With a tent mounted lower, the annex has slack in the walls and more importantly you have to duck/crouch when you go into the annex. Part of what makes the annex such a nice feature is the ability to comfortably stand upright to change clothes inside, or if you want to be out of the weather or cook inside the annex. That would get really annoying if you had to crouch to do either one. So I understand totally the OPs desire to keep the tent at the appropriate height when parked.
.
For a lift system, I think linear actuators are the ideal solution and simplify the raising and lowering of the tent, but gas struts like I have on my trailer have been pretty effective too, but can be a bit tricky if you are solo. As far as determining the right struts to use, it's really just a matter of adding up the weight you need to lift. Combine the weight of the rack itself and the weight of the tent and add another 10-15% for the total lifting force needed. The divide that by the number of struts you plan to use. I personally think 4 struts (one on each corner) works best because it help the rack to raise more evenly with less risk of binding.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Yeah, I agree, there's no way for me to use an annex with my trailer mounted Kukenam; so-

Normally I would agree with the individuals suggesting to mount the tent directly to the trailer lid (or just get it as low as possible), however, I don't think any of them are trying to use an annex. The annex, while still somewhat useful is far less effective when it's attached to a tent that is not mounted high enough to use the full height of the annex. With a tent mounted lower, the annex has slack in the walls and more importantly you have to duck/crouch when you go into the annex. Part of what makes the annex such a nice feature is the ability to comfortably stand upright to change clothes inside, or if you want to be out of the weather or cook inside the annex. That would get really annoying if you had to crouch to do either one. So I understand totally the OPs desire to keep the tent at the appropriate height when parked.
.
For a lift system, I think linear actuators are the ideal solution and simplify the raising and lowering of the tent, but gas struts like I have on my trailer have been pretty effective too, but can be a bit tricky if you are solo. As far as determining the right struts to use, it's really just a matter of adding up the weight you need to lift. Combine the weight of the rack itself and the weight of the tent and add another 10-15% for the total lifting force needed. The divide that by the number of struts you plan to use. I personally think 4 struts (one on each corner) works best because it help the rack to raise more evenly with less risk of binding.

I use one of my Airzone tents and put as near as I want to, to the RTT and the tent has enough room for eating/playing/dressing--whatever-

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO