Roof top tent and roof rack combos (1 Viewer)

[Spook50]

I'm hoping next summer at the earliest, and if not then the summer after, to get a roof rack and roof top tent for my 62. I haven't looked at either for the last several years because they've been so financially out of the question, but now I'm curious to see what I would want and what I can realistically budget for. I'd love to take my kids camping, along with trips with a possible future girlfriend if I decide to start dating again. A concern I have is that after the H55F conversion I'll be sitting on 33" tires and no wider of a wheelbase since I'm using '06 Tacoma wheels (which sit 1.5" farther in IIRC, so I have 2" spacers to run them), and I'm curious how top heavy it'll feel when cornering on roads or in off-camber situations. I don't do any serious crawling, but some of the logging roads I drive on have some pretty gnarly dips and ruts in them.

For those of you with RTTs, what do you like or dislike? Anything you'd do different if you were to buy a new one? Thoughts, recommendations?

 

[Cruzerman]

I'll give you my experience, but it is not on a 60 series but on my '95 80 series. I don't think you'll be too top heavy to be of any concern. They are not all that heavy. I've had a big rack on my 60 in the past, loaded with tires, water, gas, and other equipment that weighed more than my tent and didn't have any issues. And while that wasn't what I would call serious wheeling, it was on roads that were more serious than logging roads. On road will be fine too if you have sway bars.

Like all solutions, the RTT has good and bad. For me, the bad is that it is always with you. I can't setup camp and climb back in the rig to explore. I have to take my tent with me. But there are lots of good too.

 

[Spook50]

Yeah I pulled my sway bars years ago. Still have the bars, but the bushings and brackets have been lost. I'll probably hit up Georg @orangefj45 for some when I finally get the OME suspension on, once I feel how it drives.

 

[landcrusher909]

I am in the process of getting ours ready for a Road trip to Hot Springs in a few weeks, I am adding a set of OME helper springs when I get everything finished I will post some pictures

 

[lcwizard]

depends how you wheel. I wouldn't take the 60 on some of the trails I do. I have a roof top that isn't mounted.
if i mount it I'll put it on a trailer. I'd rather base camp and leave it behind on the nastier trails Or you could buy a second 60,
one for the rough stuff and one for the easier

 

[OSS]

I've carried over 500 lbs of gear on my roof rack for months traveling offroad in Baja MX. No problems. Didn't have rear sway bars either (FJ60). Sure it handles differently (worse) but like any big truck you just adapt to what your driving. A RTT weighs a lot less and definitely won't be a problem. You'll feel it, but it's not bad.

 

[bwesty]

The 60s handle weight just fine. You will need proper leaf springs and good shocks, this helps alot. Put the sway bars back on. Mount RTT low. Drive accordingly. Keep the truck low, smaller tires less lift will equate to a much nicer driving vehicle especially if you are planning on long trips.
Off camber, rough trails, etc are no problem.

I've done many trips, thousands of miles through Mexico, Baja, and all over southwest. That all said some of the RTTs are very bulky, heavy and larger thus possibly negatively impacting the drivability more so than some.

 

[MDH33]

My 60 is pretty tall and narrow and I'm running an ARB RTT and Yakima bars with no problems over many years and many thousands of miles of travel. 60's are made for this.

 

[Spook50]

My 60 is pretty tall and narrow and I'm running an ARB RTT and Yakima bars with no problems over many years and many thousands of miles of travel. 60's are made for this.

I've actually got a pair of almost 30 year old Yakima bars that I occasionally use still. How many are you using to support the tent?

 

[nohermosa]

I have had my setup for about 2 yrs now and just love it. 3 rhinoracks support the Maggiolina AirLand Plus Small tent. It weights about 123lbs., don't even know it's there. Suspension is: 2.5" old man emu heavy leaf springs front and rear. When fully loaded for trips it rides really nice. I do have 1.25" spacers on the wheels which really make those off camber trails a lot more stable.

 

[MDH33]

I've actually got a pair of almost 30 year old Yakima bars that I occasionally use still. How many are you using to support the tent?

I use 3 bars. I think they work great and the 30 year old design matches my 34 year old vehicle. When I have the tent off, I can easily throw bikes up there, or a canoe, 2x6's, etc. Also easier to clear snow around vs a big rack.

 

[HemiAlex]

I had the arb Simpson 3 with Yakima bars. It sat too high for my tastes and it was a little top heavy.

That was more the bars fault than the tent. I really liked the tent. If I had a low profile rack, I’d get another tent but something with a clamshell design.

 

[Spook50]

I had the arb Simpson 3 with Yakima bars. It sat too high for my tastes and it was a little top heavy.

That was more the bars fault than the tent. I really liked the tent. If I had a low profile rack, I’d get another tent but something with a clamshell design.

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The Simpson III is actually what I've been eyeballing, but haven't researched what else is out there yet. A lower profile rack would honestly be nice for a tent, knowing how high the Yakima bars sit above the roof.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

I have the TJM RTT - pretty close if not the same as the ARB simpson line. I love it and agree the low profile rack is the way to go. I have the Gamiviti rack that sits nice and tight against the roof. The only minor drawback is, like in most tents....wind - I hate the windy nights in a tent...any tent.

 

[MDH33]

Shawn, your 60 rocks. Looking forward to hanging out on the OutlIaws Run this year! I would love to get a flat Gamiviti if I had the spare coin, but for now my Yakima parts and old School ARB RTT do just fine. Never felt it was top heavy or too tall and I have used the crap out of this set-up on 2 different FJ60's over the past 10+ years. Aside from the easy snow clearance benefit, another advantage of the Yakima towers is that it makes it easy to get under to bolt up and unbolt the tent when you take it on/off.

my old FJ60 circa 2008:

Same bars and tent circa 2018. (Perry needs a rack on his runner )

 

[CardinalFJ60]

Thanks Martin! I'll have to say the same for yours. it'll be awesome to get the Outlaws back together! 60's rock! (next year maybe my 40 will be ready for her inaugural Outlaws Run. Lookin' forward to it like you can't believe!

 

[MANUCHAO]

I ran one of the heaviest RTT back when i was on 33s... yeah it was heavy, but manageable... it did not affected COG too much, but you def have to adjust your speed accordingly..... today's RTT seem to be lighter.. you got kids.. so yeah get a tent that can sleep 3 to 4 comfortably.....
Also an aluminum rack would be in order....
Your kids will love it...

 

[Spook50]

I have the TJM RTT - pretty close if not the same as the ARB simpson line. I love it and agree the low profile rack is the way to go. I have the Gamiviti rack that sits nice and tight against the roof. The only minor drawback is, like in most tents....wind - I hate the windy nights in a tent...any tent.

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Are all the Gamiviti racks like that? I didn't notice a specific option for low profile racks versus more regular height racks on their website. I'm leaning heavily towards a Gamiviti and the Simpson III with the annex combo. I think something like that would be great for taking my kids camping, especially if my sister and brother in law get an RV so we can all take family camping trips.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

tim's gutter mount brackets allow for height adjustment - i have mine reeeeaal closer to roof line but you can adjust accordingly.