Best Configuration for overlanding/expedition

Standard height bed bars from SOS put the top of a RTT about flush with top of cab. I got mine mid height.

 

Why do you want/need a roof top tent? Can a tall camper shell with a rack work? Put the light kayak up high and have all the heavy stuff down low in the bed. In this scenario, AC is the way to go as you need the bed length for sleeping.

 

I agree those are absolutely cool but almost think I'd like to go the route of a small tear drop

 

4 doors looks like a limo-truck.

 

double cab hands down...


and on a totally unrelated note, mine's for sale

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fs-2015-dcsb-4x4-trd-offroad.475821/

 

I wanted the bed to be used for storage (fridge, boxes etc). So that would take away the sleeping area unless I take the stuff out and then its vulnerable.

 

Check out ty Yetti's build page I believe there are some pics there

 

agree, that would be ideal. just pull up, drop it and go wheel. no setup on the RTT (not that it takes too long, but setup time nonetheless) come back, eat, campfire, drink if thats your thing, climb in and nighty night

 

A couple days ago I saw a guy who built a 2 level rack with the lower level holding the rtt and the second holding his Jon boat underneath and able to flip to the side to load/unload the boat. I'll try to find the post.

Edit: found the pics

 

Good god.

 

I know. I'm planning to do the same when I build my rack now.

 

that's freaking ingenious rt there kudos to him for being that creative

 

My lord. That's genius.

 

For one or two people the AccessCab works well although I sometimes wish I'd bought the four door long bed.

Are you planning on putting a camper shell* on the truck? If so, simple, just use longer bars on top. I do'n't have a tent but I use the 66" bars to give me room for a bike, a sea kayak and a cargo box or some combination of boats, etc. When I don't have all of that crap on top it's nice to have the bars extending out enough to hang stuff off of such as a solar shower. My bars are in need of replacement (over time the vinyl coating cracks) and I'll probably buy the 78" and cut them to a size I like.

If you aren't adding a shell you could do basically the same thing with a bed rack, just have some bars that extend enough to carry your boat.


* I like a camper shell as I sleep in the back of mine and I leave camping gear in the back most of the time but I'm usually traveling solo. Most of my junk goes in the back with me and the fridge goes behind the seats (AccessCab). If I have someone with me I either toss the junk in the cab of the truck at night or I put the cargo box on top.

 

Yes to the camper shell.

Im kind of paranoid so I am always having contingency plans. It is just going to be and my s/o. Hopefully a lab too. So the idea was well if shit happens, and we cant go into the shell (so obviously cant go into the RTT) then where do we sleep comfortably? The bed. I saw threads where people took the seats out. We're relatively compact people so perhaps its possible.

I dont see myself taking the kayak too many places, but I consider the rig fully loaded with one, so figuring out how to do the RTT plus long ass 13ft tandem kayak might be an issue.

PS: Show me some pics of your set up!

 

Hard to see in this crappy picture but I'm not in the US right now so it'll have to do. You can see the Yakima saddles on the passenger side and the bike rack on the driver's. There's room for my canoe or another boat in the middle or I can slide the saddles to the middle and put the box on the passenger side (older Space Booster; it opens on the passenger side only). With the wider bars I think you'd be good to go with a tent and a boat but I'd definitely measure before ordering. Yakima has out some newer more aerodynamic bars that are supposedly a little stronger than the old round bars as well. Make sure that whatever shell you order is rated for the weight or you may need to install some sort of bracing inside.


Yes, that corner pole is actually vertical; optical illusion in the picture.

Here's an old picture from 2006 with two of my boats on top (I've got a couple of kayaks). You can see the bar overhang a little better; you can barely make out the bike rack under the canoe gunwale.

 

That looks great

 

Here is how i was planning on doing it... until i traded in my access cab. Single cross bar over the cab to support the front of your boat (I think the prinsu access cab rack is perfect for this). Bed rack that makes the height of the RTT even with the top of the cab when its folded up (something like what lonestartaco has above), hitch mounted goal post style rack coming out of your receiver to carry the other end of your boat. This was my solution for carrying a canoe without having to use or mount anything in the bed of the truck. Also, you dont have to worry about your boat rubbing a hole in your RTT when on the road since they won't be touching. As long as you are not planning on towing anything and only need to haul you and one other person around, it's the perfect set up in my opinion.

 

Doesnt the Prinsu mean drilling holes?

 

Yes, if you didnt want to drill, this was my solution. Cant hold a ton of weight this way, but if all you have is a kayak it should work fine. I put some felt between the metal uprights and the vehicle and never had an issue with it.