Raising a RTT up on a rack/frame 24 inches/600mm

[djaraceandrally]

Hello all,

Got a build thread elsewhere on this forum, but been sizing up the box to mount my RTT and thinking its a bit high for road/off road use. I'd like to obviously keep the COG down, but raise it to allow us to use the tent area under the RTT if possible. Ive seen on this forum a couple of examples where gas struts were used to raise a lower platform up. But i cant find them and also not sure if the lift is enough. Id like to raise it up around 2 foot. Is that possible? Any examples or even other methods?

 

[EmersonHart13]

Here are the three I had bookmarked

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-for-RTT-on-a-trailer?highlight=zebra+trailer

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ustom-Expedition-trailer-Timbren-RTT-lift-ETC

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/131051-My-M101A2-Expo-Base-Camp-Trailer

 

[djaraceandrally]

Thats great, never thought about linear actuators! Ebay here i come!!

 

[Martyinco]

I was going to use gas struts for my trailer, but after pricing out struts that were A: strong enough to lift the tent/frame/awning and B: had enough stroke to achieve the amount of lift I wanted, I scraped the idea. I instead will be using the linear actuators to lift mine, the price difference is minimal and its automatic up and automatic down.

 

[JPShooter]

An issue to consider with gas struts is the force variations from compressed to extended.

A large strut that is rated at 100 lbs of force will have a 100 pound force at full extension and probably something in the neighborhood of 125 - 140 lbs of force in full compression.

One has to take into account these differences when considering the force to lift AND lower your load.

Tow struts that are lifting your car's hatchback may not make that much felt difference, but four struts with a combined force of 400 pounds extended can become around 500+ pounds of force compressed.

This is primarily why I decided to go with linear actuators myself.

 

[dstock]

+ 1 on the linear actuators.

Windynation.com actually has better prices then ebay

 

[djaraceandrally]

Thanks all, I will drop them a email about shipping to the uk. Had another measure up today and have ideas about the dimensions, materials and its fixing to the chassis.

Really appreciate all your inputs, thanks for taking the timeout to offer your advice.

David

 

[Paddler Ed]

One of the lads on LandCruiserClub.net had a similar problem with his Metalian trailer - he used 4 scissor jacks to raise the tent up and down.

 

[Nd4SpdSe]

I'm on linear actuators as well, but I only raise a 12 inches. I would like more, but I was restricted by the space were I installed them...but with the experience from the trailer build, I could be creative to get longer ones in (but more risk to expose them to the elements), but the 12 inches raises it to just the perfect height anyway for the awning. It's actually a great idea to have it raise and lower, cause the RTT sits lower then the truck when down (but higher when up of course), and just yesterday, I made a call for a ferry crossing, and they're limited to 6ft 6in in height, which I could need to remove the antenna and Hi-Lift to clear, but the trailer clears no problem.

Here's an example:
Down for travelling

Up for deploying the camp.

 

[djaraceandrally]

Found a set that are protected upto IP65 standards, but will also look into some sort of gaitor as mine will be mounted externally. Ordered 4 x 18 inch ones today. I am only going to let them provide the drive (push/pull) and will make a frame and some form of tubing to provide the stability (left/right/back/front)