RTT height on a Tundra question

[allenstill90]

I'm in the market for a Tundra currently and was wondering if anyone could give me some insight from personal experience on adding a RTT to a tundra and how it has affected the handling, overall drive, and MPGs, particularly on the interstate at ~75MPH. I'm coming from a 2019 JLU Rubicon with the RTT (ikamper) mounted on the root on a Rhino Rack Pioneer on the Barebones platform. The RTT knocked my MPGs down by about 3-4 MPG and made the already top-heavy Jeep drive much worse and catch loads of wind.

I've seen folks mount the RTT on (what I'm calling) a half-size bed rack so that the RTT is the same height as the cab. While that seems ideal, it will definitely cut down on your storage capacity in the bed and I'm hoping to use this as a camping/overland vehicle for a family of 4 (crew cab + 6.5ft bed). The ideal for storage would be putting a smartcap on it and throwing the RTT up above that, but I'm sure that will affect MPGs and the drive the most. I don't know how much the RTT being above the cab will affect a truck like a Tundra, but I know it affected my JLU tremendously and honestly made me dislike driving it on the interstate completely. I'm hoping a truck with a longer wheel base, IDFS, and that isn't shaped like a brick might behave better. Driving it across the country (as we like to do once a year for vacation) just really wore me out.

Any reports on how a RTT has affected you guys at various heights or helpful info you could give would be much appreciated! Attached a picture of the old JLU for reference.

 

[codename607]

I had a Tundra with a FWC in the bed, I know it's not a RTT but it did stick up above the cab. You definitely will notice the RTT if you go with one that is above the bed. I felt it in really windy conditions and noticed a drop in about 2mpg overall. However, with all that being said, the Tundra handled the FWC really well. I still drove mine at 80mph and often had to make sure my camper was still in the back lol.

I recently sold my FWC and decided to go with a ground tent(OZ Tent). Hope all that helps!

 

[Grendel Kahn]

I have a tundra with a Leitner full size rack and had a Tepui tent for awhile and currently a James Baroud. I have taken many trails with the set-up and had no problems and it handled well. (well I had 1 problem, we were doing the Mojave Road and every morning I would check "all" connections to make sure nothing was loose. Well I forgot to check the rail on the tent that connects the tent to the rack (the bolts are under the mattress) well the rig behind me yelled emergency stop emergency stop, so I slammed on the breaks and saw a big shadow come over the wind shield and bounce off my hood. yup it was the tent. Any way the tent was perfectly fine and i had a few scratches on the hood otherwise I was unscathed) Anyway the Tundra is a heavy pig and everything you do will affect mileage. When I bought it it was at about 15 MPG, now with bed rack, roof rack, sliders and RTT I sit around 11-12 doing about 70.

 

[SDDiver5]

Not a tundy of course but also a V8 and I saw a 2 MPG change but my RTT is not mounted all that far above the roof line. My rack is adjustable so I have it just high enough so I can walk under the RTT when it's opened. Rack is a Yakima overhaul. IDK if that helps or not but wanted to put my .02 in.

 

[hilgeg]

I had a CVT Denali (huge tent) on a rack with a spacer so it was above the cab and didn't hang over the back. Lost 2-3 MPG and didn't like being above 70 MPH. Switched to a lower profile rack with an OVS Bushveld hardshell that does not stick up above the cab and got all my MPG back. Did a trip through NV and UT and had no problems carrying gear for 5 at 85 MPH.