XJ RTT mounting Q's

[DrMoab]

So yesterday I ordered a new Simpson III (Thanks Kurt at CruiserOutfitters, You are the man!!!) and now I'm looking at my mounting options. I would really like to keep this as low as possible and I'm curious how others have done this.

Right now I have a set of Yakima loadbars and gutter mounts but the locks have been busted out and they sit almost as as tall as my roof rack. Do Thule bars sit lower? Does Yakima make lower mounts also? I have two XJ's and this tent might go on either one so I need something sort of simple and quick that will work with both of them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Purple People Eater]

Take a look here. Chris' Cherokee looks good with the 50" Thule bars and a Simpson on top, in my opinion.

 

[OverlandZJ]

I'm using the same Thule feet as Chris it looks like. About as low as you want to go Ryan, you'll need to reach under to attach/detach the RTT. Do some reading up.. you'll want more than 2 crossbars underneath.

The Yaks you have are probably close to the same height. I'd measure for you but they are at my buds shop.

Congrats on the purchase!! :victory:

 

[cnskate]

I was about to commission a custom lower roof rack than my Yakima for my RTT, but that Thule looks pretty low. How many inches off the roof is it? Why 4 of them? 2 Yakima's have been fine for me so far.

 

[DrMoab]

I was about to commission a custom lower roof rack than my Yakima for my RTT, but that Thule looks pretty low. How many inches off the roof is it? Why 4 of them? 2 Yakima's have been fine for me so far.

What brand of tent do you have? I also wonder about having more than two. I just bought a set of four but at close to 500 bucks I would love to take a set back if I could. Does the brand of tent have anything to do with the best way to mount them?

 

[OverlandZJ]

Dependant on where the crossbars are placed you can have issues with the "hinge" and floor bowing. The wider the tent the more support it'll need underneath.

I'm a big guy Ryan (240), and it was suggested that i have at least 3 crossbars under my 72" wide Overland. You dont want too much weight between them, or outside of them. I found and pieced together 8 Thule feet and 4 crossbars for under $150, but i wasnt going anywhere and had time to shop around.

Check out this thread. I bet this is covered in it from the vendors themselves.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1483&highlight=crossbars

 

[Mike S]

Multiple crossbars are a good idea on tents that are on gutter mount racks. Even if the tent does not require the support, the extra contacts points distribute the weight across the gutters better. The pounding can cause the tower feet to crack the caulking in the gutters... and cause A and B pillar leaks. Then you get rust. Inside he pillars.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

For what its worth both of my tent applications are two bar systems, however neither are using traditional rain gutter mounting so that is pretty much a non issue. Ryan as we discussed earlier, I really think the gutter is where your concern should be as opposed to the tent itself needing more than two bars.

The ARB roof-racks themselves actually come with a gutter track that even further distributes the load all the way across the length of the gutter. However I don't think they will work with any feet but their own, though one might be able to do something similar with a Thule or Yakima foot?

 

[Root Moose]

I'll agree with the above. The gutter is not that strong on an XJ. That lip / rain channel is actually a clip on piece. If you pull hard enough on it the piece will separate from the welded seam for the roof stamping.

 

[StumpXJ]

My gutter mounts have been holding up really well on the XJ. I have 3 mounts on each side, and just a simple rack with my RTT mounted to it. You will LOVE the new RTT.

~James

 

[cnskate]

What brand of tent do you have? I also wonder about having more than two. I just bought a set of four but at close to 500 bucks I would love to take a set back if I could. Does the brand of tent have anything to do with the best way to mount them?

I have the newer Mombasa, which is essentially the same as the ARB. Two Yakima's have worked fine for me. The only problem has been some squeaking, but a little WD40 fixed that. For the custom rack I'll probably use three bars and six clamps from the Defender racks because I want to have integrated luggage rack like the ARB Touring Rack, just not the weight and the price of the ARB.

 

[DrMoab]

Decided to go with 4 bars and I'm glad I spent the extra money.

BTW that tent is sexy, can't wait for next weekend!!!

 

[Maximus Ram]

Nice set-up..:safari-rig:

That thing sure is Yellow...guess you will always be able to be seen:Wow1::sombrero::26_7_2:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Looking nice!

I got your message, I'll ring you in the morning.