Where to mount a roof top tent

So I've been doing some lite window shopping for roof top tents (RTTs) (really big fan of the Ikamper), and one thing I've noticed is that nearly all the photos of tacomas with RTTs have them mounted over the bed. I can imagine this would give better aerodynamics, but I'm not really a fan of it (I'd prefer to leave the tent mounted most of the time, and I don't want to limit what I can load into my bed). Are there any other serious reasons I'm not considering that would stop you from mounting a RTT over your cab?

Edit: I have a 4 door, so cab length isn't an issue for me

 

Using the roof rack for kayaks or canoes

High center of gravity

Ease of installation

 

Depending on what you need to load into the bed, they make taller bed racks to accommodate and utilize bed space.

 

I would be concerned with the amount of weight on your cab, and damaging or denting your roof. I would opt for a taller bed rack. You might be able to find the specs from Toyota on what the factory roof rack could hold and that might give you peace of mind.

 

Trail clearance from branches

 

Had mine on the roof for one wheeling trip. I'll never do it again

Tons of wind noise and bad height clearance for trees

If you are an able-bodied person taking it on and off isn't bad. Especially if you are realistically only using it a few times each season and you use your bed a lot

 

This is more along the line of the concerns I'm having, like what's the max weight you could mount on the cab? Can it support the tent + occupants (I'm a pretty big guy lol)

 

Factory roof rack holds 100lbs. You need something like a prinsu rack or frontrunner to better and evenly distribute the weight of a RTT and it's occupants

 

I'd be taking it out on the desert, so trees aren't really a concern for me lol and I'd be getting a hard top so is I'd imagine the wind noise wouldn't be quite as bad (but I probably have no idea what I'm talking about)

 

I don't even have the factory roof rack, so yeah I'd need to get an after market one and I know they all have they're own weight ratings

 

Make sure you understand static and dynamic ratings of roof racks.

 

other than clearance in trees there really isnt a downside to mounting it there. 2nd gen but i had a hard shell RTT mounted for almost 2 years. my only complaint was the location of the ladder blocked whichever rear door on the truck from opening so i had to keep moving the ladder around to get in/out of the truck. i have also had a soft shell up there and still didnt have any complaints, other than having to climb around on the sliders to open/shut it (more work tucking fabric and zipping shut). the soft shell didnt have the ladder issue blocking the door though since it gets spaced away from the truck when it unfolds.

i had zero effects on gas mileage with either tent, but that might be because i already get terrible

 

What brand is the track you're using, it looks like a prinsu?

 

yup prinsu

 

Did your hard shell have a high pitch whistle? I had mine in the exact same spot and the whistle was god awful and loud as hell.

 

I currently run a diamondback bed cover and am contemplating selling it to buy a camper shell and RTT. I'm not crazy about having a RTT on top of a shell, but having a full grown Labrador Retriever in the back seat with two boys is getting a lil cramped.

 

Here is my old setup. Haven’t made one for new truck yet.

 

i didnt notice one. i had the seal for under the wind deflector on mine as well in case you dont.

 

Mine was on a front runner, and mine did have a wind deflector. Oh trust me you would have noticed. I mean it was high pitch and pretty much meant you couldn't have the windows cracked at all because it amplified the sound and let it in.