It feels naked

[Ramathorn15]

So I always said I wouldn't remove the rear whale spoiler unless it got in the way. Now it seems I might be able to position my RTT a little further back and get better rear lighting from my rack without the spoiler.

I just pulled it off to see how it looks. It looks naked!

Before

After

What do you guys think? I'm still a bit hesitant to leave it off.

 

[Warde]

My personal rankings of the rear options

1 Whale Tail
2 Naked
3 getting run over by car
4 the Black thing

 

[Ramathorn15]

Haha what's "the black thing"?

 

[DirtDawg]

The older style spoiler that was literally a flat piece of metal with 4 holes in it.

 

[Placemotorsports]

I'm kinda liking the tail...but if it gets in the way of the rack then you have no choice.

 

[sdnative]

The older style spoiler that was literally a flat piece of metal with 4 holes in it.

Plastic, at least in 2003. And not really flat. Maybe you're thinking of the 80 series?

I personally like the whale tail, but I would prefer the black thingy to being run over by a car.

 

[DirtDawg]

Plastic, at least in 2003. And not really flat. Maybe you're thinking of the 80 series?

I personally like the whale tail, but I would prefer the black thingy to being run over by a car.

My bad, haven't actually seen one in person. Thinking they were a similar style spoiler that my 3rd gen 4Runner had.

 

[benjawi4]

Honestly, I like the new 'naked' look roughly 100000 times more than with the spoiler...just my 2cents...

 

[Warde]

My bad, haven't actually seen one in person. Thinking they were a similar style spoiler that my 3rd gen 4Runner had.

_____________
/____------____\

That shape above with the light in the middle, same on 3rd gen 4R

 

[SWUtah]

Ugly ugly ugly spoiler!

 

[Nezzar]

LEAVE THE TAIL! Whale tails forever!

 

[Ramathorn15]

Here's the reason for removing that tail. Which brings up other questions.

Would you be hesitant to have the tent that far back plus it's shifted to the driver side by about 4" so not centered on the roof?

 

[Ramathorn15]

Better photo of the tent in relation to the rear wheel

 

[Ramathorn15]

The reasons I want the tent so far back:

Puts in more into the negative air draft produced by the windshield/rack fairing.

Frees up a lot of the front of the rack for other gear

The reason it's off center (4" further on driversidr)

Makes mounting it to the roof a one man job that takes 10 minutes vs a two man job that takes 30 min.

 

[Mr Snappy]

Form follows function.

If it works better, and you like it, wait... what's the issue here again??

 

[Ramathorn15]

I'm more concerned about weight distribution with my tent being so far back and off center left to right.

 

[Mr Snappy]

Gotcha. Thought it was more of an aesthetics question.
How's it handle with stuff off center?
Personally it would drive me nuts every time I saw it, cause that's just me. Too many years of making things flat and straight I guess...
Just got new glasses, and keep freaking out over the 1/100" difference from side to side, so being off center would probably make me kill something.

 

[Ramathorn15]

Gotcha. Thought it was more of an aesthetics question.
How's it handle with stuff off center?
Personally it would drive me nuts every time I saw it, cause that's just me. Too many years of making things flat and straight I guess...
Just got new glasses, and keep freaking out over the 1/100" difference from side to side, so being off center would probably make me kill something.

I haven't driven it yet as I would have to cut the tent cross bars shorter to get it completely mounted up. Currently it's only held on by one bolt.

I'm trying to see if anyone can point out any glaring issues with being far back and off center before I cut the bars and can't go back.

 

[Mr Snappy]

It looks similar to my set up when I have my tent on the roof, don't see any major issues right off. But not there in person either...

 

[DirtDawg]

_____________
/____------____\

That shape above with the light in the middle, same on 3rd gen 4R

I know the shape is the same, but is the "spoiler" metal or plastic?