Okay, best rack to put my roof-top tent on?

[Skillet]

Very Nice Jeb!

That thing is HUGE!

Thank you. I am happy with the size.

I have one of those big old Nebo king size sub-zero sleeping bags and even with that thing spread out, there was still room for almost another one.

You could easily sleep four full size people in the thing.

Don't know if the gutters could take it but the space is there.

 

[Skillet]

I've had many sets of yakima and thule bars and for anything with a load, definetely get yakima bars/foot holders. Much much stronger.. I wouldn't put any real load on a thule bar unless you had a whole lot of them IMO..

I agree. I have never been a big fan of Thule but always thought it was just my opinion.

There is something about the round vs. the rectangular that I feel is stronger.

But then again, I am no engineer.

 

[BMAN]

Didn't get a chance to set up the tent and take pics this w/e maybe sometime this week If I can.

I plan to do a long term writeup on this tent. Not having ever owned a RTT before I was really skeptical for the same reasons as others. But have been pleasently surprised so far. There are a few small things that I don't like but all in all it seems to be of acceptable quality and cost. The size of this unit is as described previously... IT'S HUGE!

Like I said before, I'll try to set it up this week and get a few pics.

 

[dogboy2]

So I had to test with only two bars, it was just me up there this weekend so if I get a honey (or two), it will be three bars-ville.

you might up that to 4 crossbars as those Yakima bars & towers are not rated for that much weight.

ran into a similar issue when outfitting our extended MegaWarrior rack, which with two crossbars, is only rated to support about 135 lbs. -- clearly significantly less than what that huge basket is capable of holding. was educated by a Yakima technical service rep that with additional crossbars to carry and transfer the load to the gutter, the extended basket will easily support 300+ lbs., much closer to the weight figures you are encountering with you tent/body weight set up.

for what it's worth,
-dogboy- '87 FJ60

 

[Mike S]

you might up that to 4 crossbars as those Yakima bars & towers are not rated for that much weight.

ran into a similar issue when outfitting our extended MegaWarrior rack, which with two crossbars, is only rated to support about 135 lbs. -- clearly significantly less than what that huge basket is capable of holding. was educated by a Yakima technical service rep that with additional crossbars to carry and transfer the load to the gutter, the extended basket will easily support 300+ lbs., much closer to the weight figures you are encountering with you tent/body weight set up.

for what it's worth,
-dogboy- '87 FJ60

Regardless of the type or number of cross bars you put on your truck's roof, the manufacturer's dynamic load limit applies. For ANY Landcruiser in the USA the rated limit for top load is 165 lbs. Most vehicles will hold much more weight when stationary - 500 lbs. on three bars on a cruiser isn't a problem. For tents, this is perfect - the tent weighs, maybe, 130 lbs. No problem driving down the road with this load. When YOU ARE STOPPED and load yourself and the memsab into the tent, the truck will support it - so will just about any car.

SO... you CAN load a lot more up there and disregard the manufacturer's limits when the vehicle is stationary.

The problem is the hammering impact of a load at speed, the unbalanced aspect of a vehicle with a much higher center of gravity, and the inertia of the load at speed when trying to stop.

If you try to drive your vehicle with an over limit load - A rack system, basket, and 300 lbs of misc. camping gear, three gas cans, etc., the roof will not cave in. The world will not end - at least as long as you can manage braking on a curve while maybe going a little too fast, or swerving on the road to avoid a deer or cow. Or doing a panic stop from 50 to zero (you could be watching your gear going down the road ahead of you - or worse).

I'm not saying don't do more load on the roof. I'm saying that you need to understand that there are limits, and consider carefully what you're doing and what the possibilities are.

M

 

[Skillet]

Regardless of the type or number of cross bars you put on your truck's roof, the manufacturer's dynamic load limit applies. For ANY Landcruiser in the USA the rated limit for top load is 165 lbs. Most vehicles will hold much more weight when stationary - 500 lbs. on three bars on a cruiser isn't a problem. For tents, this is perfect - the tent weighs, maybe, 130 lbs. No problem driving down the road with this load. When YOU ARE STOPPED and load yourself and the memsab into the tent, the truck will support it - so will just about any car.

SO... you CAN load a lot more up there and disregard the manufacturer's limits when the vehicle is stationary.

The problem is the hammering impact of a load at speed, the unbalanced aspect of a vehicle with a much higher center of gravity, and the inertia of the load at speed when trying to stop.

If you try to drive your vehicle with an over limit load - A rack system, basket, and 300 lbs of misc. camping gear, three gas cans, etc., the roof will not cave in. The world will not end - at least as long as you can manage braking on a curve while maybe going a little too fast, or swerving on the road to avoid a deer or cow. Or doing a panic stop from 50 to zero (you could be watching your gear going down the road ahead of you - or worse).

I'm not saying don't do more load on the roof. I'm saying that you need to understand that there are limits, and consider carefully what you're doing and what the possibilities are.

M

Well put!

So...do you like my tent?

 

[Mike S]

Seems to be a nice roomy tent. Question really is "How do YOU like it?"

I would like to look at it up close, and offer an informed opinion then. There are certainly lots of choices out there...

Best

Mike S

 

[alia176]

Skillet,

Did you notice the air drag vs mpg with the tent to be much lower than w/o the tent? I was just curious. Do you feel that having a wind fairing might improve the overall numbers for it? Does anyone make a fairing that can be modded to fit this scenerio?

Thanks.

Ali

 

[Mike S]

Slight hijack - -

The typical fabric tent (yes, even ours) has a fair amount of drag, and will reduce MPG somewhat. Even an unladen roof rack or cross bars will add enough drag to effect MPG. How much depends on a lot of factors. I carry my all-fabric OverLand on my trailer and this gets it off the top of the truck, and down in the slipstream.

I have observed, while driving both my 60 and my Ford Expedition with and without the Maggiolina or Columbus tents in place, that our hardshell (streamlined) roof tents have even less impact on MPG that a simple pair of Yakima cross bars. In fact the measurable effect on MPG on my two vehicles is not enough to be reliably calculated as a variable.

High jack over. Sorry.

Mike S

 

[e9999]

Slight hijack - -

The typical fabric tent (yes, even ours) has a fair amount of drag, and will reduce MPG somewhat. Even an unladen roof rack or cross bars will add enough drag to effect MPG. How much depends on a lot of factors. I carry my all-fabric OverLand on my trailer and this gets it off the top of the truck, and down in the slipstream.

I have observed, while driving both my 60 and my Ford Expedition with and without the Maggiolina or Columbus tents in place, that our hardshell (streamlined) roof tents have even less impact on MPG that a simple pair of Yakima cross bars. In fact the measurable effect on MPG on my two vehicles is not enough to be reliably calculated as a variable.

High jack over. Sorry.

Mike S

interesting... would be nice to know how that translates into fuel cost savings.... maybe a good excuse to get the fancier hardshell units...?

 

[Skillet]

Skillet,

Did you notice the air drag vs mpg with the tent to be much lower than w/o the tent? I was just curious. Do you feel that having a wind fairing might improve the overall numbers for it? Does anyone make a fairing that can be modded to fit this scenerio?

Thanks.

Ali

All I can say is that with that thing up there and towing that trailer, on top of having the vehicle in 4 low for about 1 hour each way to get to where we were going, really sucked it down. I got about 200 miles on that tank rather than 250.
However, it was the maiden voyage and the next time I will not be towing a trailer so we will get a better idea then. I am sure it knocks it down some, all drag does.

 

[alia176]

Mike S,

Thanks for the excellent observations. That's what I suspected. I think a wind fairing installation is worth the PITA factor if you happen to have a roof top tent or a roof rack. I'll look into acquiring a black ABS plastic piece for a wind fairing.

Hijack <off>

Ali

 

[Mike S]

I think I would do the front bar and fairing as well, if I was planning to drive on the highway for any distance. The savings in fuel justify efforts to make the load more streamlined.

Off-highway - like 35 MPH and below, I doubt that there is much difference.

M