Roof Top tent with Kayaks and a bed full of gear IDEAS WANTED

[ripperj]

Need some good ideas;Ram crew cab, short bed.
Want to have a roof top tent on some kind of frame that keeps the top of the tent below the trucks roof, so I can put 2 kayaks on top.
I want dry and preferably secure storage for the truck bed. Bed will have ARB fridge and slide out drawer style kitchen, plus water fuel, Honda 2000 gen ect.

It must have been done many times? But i cant find pics.

I figure I will have to fabricate the frame/rack and the bed enclosure (1/2 high cap??)

What do you think?

 

[h2os2]

From the pic of this truck (not mine), the person used Thule bars with the Thule foot packs on their bed rails for the tent.

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/sledmods/Truck/2010 Tacoma/de847f5a.jpg

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/sledmods/Truck/2010 Tacoma/3a31bfe4.jpg

Or a frame built may work to from these pics...

http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/...op-tent-custom-rack-up-grabs-dscn1015_631.jpg

http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/...op-tent-custom-rack-up-grabs-dscn0871_657.jpg

 

[ripperj]

h2os2- thanks, thats about how I want to mount the tent. It would then be easy to mount racks to support the kayaks above the tent. The part I was having a harder time with was how to keep stuff in the bed dry and secure. I had drawn up a frame similar to the one in the second Frontier pic, which would have a canvas top, but it does not address people stealing my stuff. I thought about a hard tonueu cover, but it does not seem like a fridge would fit( I am considering taking out one back seat and putting the fridge in the cab.)

Thanks again

 

[Erik N]

Tentcot oversize. The absolutely, positively, best $200 I have ever spent on anything, ever.

Hang a cheap headlamp from the interior, and get a $10 walmart sleeping pad (the greyish blue, corregated one) and leave them inside.

Trust me on this.

 

[ripperj]

Looks interesting, and i appreciate the reply, but how does it help my situation?
I am looking for a large roof top type tent mounted low enough to put long sea kayaks on the roof. The rest of the requirement is keeping my gear dry and secure in the bed.
I am not really looking for a portable type tent.
I suspect I will have to fabricate my own solution.
Thanks Keith

 

[Sea&Xc]

Front Mounted receiver with a Yakima DryDock then a bar mounted above the front of the cab. That will push the kayak much further forward and leave a lot more room over the bed. Depending on the length of the kayaks you may be able to run a full cap with the tent mounted on top. I've sold this type of rack setups to guys towing 5th wheel campers. Kayak length is the biggest variable.

 

[007]

Build a rack for the rtt that has a front hoop like a light bar that sits an inch above the tent. Repeat that on the back and have the tent open to the side.

 

[pray4surf]

Build a rack for the rtt that has a front hoop like a light bar that sits an inch above the tent. Repeat that on the back and have the tent open to the side.

Like this?




Just about ready to start burning the metal together...

However, the RTT is not going to be hardmounted to the bed rack. It is designed to pivot around these



Qty = 4

Raising the RTT above cab height when ready to bed down for the night, and lowering it to cab height for transportation



Just a rough sketch...

 

[007]

Like this?

View attachment 145538
View attachment 145539

Just about ready to start burning the metal together...

However, the RTT is not going to be hardmounted to the bed rack. It is designed to pivot around these

View attachment 145540

Qty = 4

Raising the RTT above cab height when ready to bed down for the night, and lowering it to cab height for transportation

View attachment 145541

Just a rough sketch...

YES! I remember you talking about this awhile ago - Glad to see it coming to fruition!! Please keep us updated on how this works out. Is it going to have spring assist or an air ram for assist?

 

[ripperj]

Pray4surf- Thats pretty cool. I was thinking of a way to do that, but as usual was making it way too complicated with jack screws or scissors ect. Do you think it will be hard to do? Maybe a torsion spring to assist??

 

[pray4surf]

Only time will tell if I will need a mechanical assist - If so, I am considering using a garage door torsion spring. But in the meantime I'm hoping to get away with just attaching a strap/rope to the *** end of the RTT and pulling it up/over the back hoop

I sure drag my feet - I had the hoops bent before Turkey Day...

For the OP, I'm carrying surfboards instead of kayaks

Edit: Here is my original thread on this project - Can't believe I've been stewing over this for a year
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/75222-A-new-twist-on-bed-mounted-RTT-s