Mounting RTT to fixed Crossbars

I recently picked up an ARE CX HD. Cap looks great, fitment is beautiful and it looks sturdy as hell with the subframe. I'd like to mount my Tepui Kukenam 3 to the cross bars but low and behold the crossbars sit way too far apart. They are bolted to the frame of the thing so cannot be moved. I have an ACLB so the cross bars sit 54.5 inches apart from center to center. Clearly a dumbass move on my part for not doing my research on fitment, but that's par for the course. Sneers and Jeers expected.

I've search through a dozen or more threads to see if anyone has figured out a solution to this that doesn't involve dropping a grand on a platform rack. Even if I decide to bite the bullet and spend the money, all of the platform racks I can find seem designed to be mounted in a yakima/thule channel, not atop a fixed crossbar.

Long and the short of it is I have a couple questions that I hope someone can shed some insight on:

1. Any ideas on what to use to build something myself that could bridge the gap between the crossbars and spread the weight out evenly? Spitballs and wacky creations are welcome!
2. Are there platform racks that can be attached to a fixed crossbar with this width? Preferably in the $500-$700 range but i'm willing to hear anything.

 

my kukeman came with really long bars i had to cut. if yours are cut, would uncut ones reach? may look odd, but should hold the weight. maybe get the longer ones for a 4 person tent? https://tepui.com/products/mounting-tracks-1

 

I've been thinking about giving that a try, although Tepui doesn't recommend it on their website. The 4 person bars are only 50 bucks so maybe worth a shot.

 

Can you get new Yakima crossbars to mount perpendicular on the ARE fixed crossbars? You'd be able to determine the spacing for the tent. Only problem is I think that would rotate your fold out & ladder 90 degrees from wherever you like it.

 

Can you post a pic of the setup? I have my tent mounted to my cap and it sounds like the measurements are similar. The front of the tent rests on some rubber gasket material I used and has about 1" of clearance when the body flexes. I haven't had an issue with it and everything is secure.

 

Actually the lower rails can be attached in either direction according to the manual. I've got some old Yakima crossbars so maybe attach those up top with some U-Bolts...might be on to something!

 

wow that tent is a beast! Like your setup a lot. Pics of the crossbars and the tent rails is attached. my softshell tent is much smaller than your rig, so the spread is the issue as the manufacturer recommends a max of 48” spread between crossbars.

 

could you take the bars off the mounts and have them go front to back on the sides? rather than side to side how they are now?

 

Check these out, might be a little more "robust" than some U bolts from home depot haha

https://www.yakima.com/timberline-system

 

lol, probably a good call. nice find, that should work beautifully

 

Add a third cross bar to your camper shell between the other two. I was even considering that for mine even though my tent is long enough to span the existing cross bars.

 

Update:

@NV_Spencer next time you’re in Colorado I’ll have to buy you a beer.

Yakima round bars attached to the ARE rails with timberline towers. Flipped the Tepui tracks to run width ways rather than length. Sits a bit tall but it works.

 

Looks good!