Anyone running a RTT on a bed rack?

Im thinking this might be the way to go. Anyone have experience with it? Pros vs cons etc

 

I've run my RTT on a Front Runner bed rack, and the last trip I mounted it directly to my tonneau.

Pros -- If the rack is low enough, there'll be no or little impact on mileage and it gives easy reaching to the RTT. Cons -- Well, the normal RTT weakness of having to break camp to go anywhere. And there's always the challenge of securing cargo in the bed with a rack forcing it to be open to the elements.

Here's the ARB Simpson III on the Front Runner bed rack. When I use this again I won't use those brackets that raise the RTT off the crossbars. Front Runner gave me some plates that will allow the tent to be mounted a few inches lower, more in the slipstream of the cab. Note that anything in the bed using this configuration was open and unsecured.


Here's the ARB mounted to my tonneau. Lower and cleaner still, but the weight (almost 170lb) of the ARB means the tonneau isn't lifting. Still, it did allow secure, locked storage in the bed under the tonneau.

 

I prefer to have the RTT mounted high enough that you can walk under it.

 

I was starting to go that route but changed direction after a couple considerations/experiences.

1. The payload of these trucks is fairly small. After a couple of other modifications/accessories I exceeded the Gross Weight of the vehicle a little too quickly. It probably wasn't going to immediately explode or anything, but it was enough to make me reconsider the Roof Top Tent.
2. As @4xdog mentions, you will also have to break it down whenever you want to move. So it'll depend on the style of travel you hope to do. For example, if your are moving spots everyday anyway it's probably not a big deal. But if you prefer a "base camp" style where you go adventure during the day in your Tacoma; something else (ground tent, teardrop, other type of trailer) might be more suited to your needs.

I'm not going to pretend I figured out the right solution though. I'm still using a ground tent for now, just a larger one than before.

It'll depend on the rest of your build (for weight considerations) and style of travel. Good news (I think) is that if you DO buy one and regret it, selling it off to its next owner it pretty fast these days.

 

I like it mounted lower than the cab for sure, and my payload is fine, I have a leaf pack and don’t plan on bringing toooo much firewood in the bed.

 

It's a trade off. I can move to new camp spots every day but it does take me 45 minutes to an hour to pack it all up. As I'm running a 4 banger mine is on a half height bed rack which makes it a head banger if you're not paying attention. I just can't fathom having a 12" brick above my roof.

 

Why does it take so long to put the tent down? The only thing I’ll have in it is clothes and my sleeping stuff…

 

It can take me 45 minutes to fully break camp too -- that estimate from @Bikinaz seems quite reasonable, @OldManTacoFeels. But that's everything -- kitchen, chairs, and so on. Stowing the RTT probably takes 8-10 minutes or so, including stuffing the tent folds inside so the cover zips on easily.

It's a question of how much one wants to leave at camp if one is driving for the day and returning. RTTs go up fast, and take down pretty fast.

 

The rack I run allows me to have the RTT below the roof line and still have the tonneau cover attached to the bed.

 

There are folks who have mounted T-slot track directly to the tops of their bed rails. These aren't my original images, so I don't know how the T-slot is attached. (One hopes it's more than simply bolted to the plastic caps.)

 

What bed rack is that, @RedWings44? KBVoodoo? (Their bed caps were essential to the mods that allowed my Gen 1 Mountain Top tonneau to fit my Gen 2.)

And which bike rack is that? 1UP USA? Maybe even QuikR? (I have a Mach2 on order, hopefully working its way up the production queue.)

 

What 4xdog said. The tent is the easy part.

 

Yes, the KB Voodoo Hi Rise crossbars. I don't believe they make this exact one still but they make a version of it.

And yes it is a 1UP USA rack. It is one of their higher priced ones but it isn't technically rated for off roading. But what I do is pretty light so I haven't had issues.

 

Sweet yeah I can break my camp in less than an hour I was just making sure the process with the tent isn’t a hassle

 

Once you do it a few times it isn't bad. The tent itself takes us probably 10-15 minutes but we aren't hurrying and usually have to unload a few things from it first.