Tepui/ARB RTT and Rack Question

[overHOG]

Which rack system will these options (Tepui/ARB) mount to? I currently have a Yakima Q-tower with 66" crossbars for my canoes...no problems with that load regarding weight.. (2 boats). Will be purchasing a Load Warrior w Extension to accomodate extra gear if I can't mount a RTT to my current setup. What do y'all think?


Thanks

 

[overHOG]

To clarify.. the Q-towers are mounted to the top of the hard top... not the rain gutters.

 

[Deleted member 48574]

The tent weighs about 110 pounds or so, depending on how much bedding you have in it.

I can't remember the exact distance between the cross pieces, but the way the tent mounts is via two channels affixed to the bottom of the tent. These channels mount perpendicular to your rack crossbars. The channels hold 8 bolts, 2 in each corner. Then the bolts go on either side of your rack cross bar, and through a metal plate. You then tighten bolts to clamp the metal plate to the racks crossbar.

The channels mount in two different directions, and mount about 6 to 8 inches in from the edge of the tent. Because they can attach in either direction, as long as your crossbars are about 4 or 6 inches narrower then your tent, the tent should mount no problem.

Hope that helps answer your question -- If anything is unclear I suggest you check YouTube as I recall there being some videos on how they mount.

Regards
Craig

 

[overHOG]

Thank you for the reply, Craig. I am worried about the load on the hard top--I believe it will crack with my gear, girlfriend, and I up there (I'm 6'2" 220, she can't be over 130...I suck with girl weight.) At any rate, I think I'm going to procure a Yakima Loadwarrior and use it to store a cooler and an ARB SWAG or other form of durable tent.. Do you have any experience with any? Thanks

 

[Krytos]

I don't know what kind of Jeep you're trying to put this RTT on, but here is some info on reinforcing hardtops for use with roof racks using roll-cage supports.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/s...top-project-952157/index178.html#post10414396

The idea is, you transfer the weight directly to the roll cage, thereby saving the hardtop from having to hold any weight.

 

[overHOG]

I don't know what kind of Jeep you're trying to put this RTT on, but here is some info on reinforcing hardtops for use with roof racks using roll-cage supports.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/s...top-project-952157/index178.html#post10414396

The idea is, you transfer the weight directly to the roll cage, thereby saving the hardtop from having to hold any weight.

I'm mounting to a 2012 JKU Rubicon.. already have 3.5" AEV lift with 35" BFG KM2... so anything really top heavy could get sketchy.

 

[395North]

I'm in the same boat looking for a rack and wouldn't mount the rtt to the JKU hartdop. I have yakima rails and q-towers on my rubicon and the hard top and I could see it flexing and starting to fatigue under just my weight (235lbs). I'd go with something like the AEV or Front Runner rack that ties to the roll cage(but requires hard top drilling), or something like the Gobi that is tied to the body and frame(no drilling). I'm leaning towards the Gobi even though its not as clean in appearance, just because I don't want more holes in my hardtop

 

[395North]

Quick comment on the load warrior. It is awesome for distributing the weight and is really solidly built. Unfortunately, its super heavy and stick way up above the cross bars unless you get creative with flipping the mounts. I finally sold mine to a friend because I couldn't really use it for much more than camping gear, and when my kayak was mounted to it...Well I had a hard time with it and I'm 6'5

 

[Deleted member 48574]

Thank you for the reply, Craig. I am worried about the load on the hard top--I believe it will crack with my gear, girlfriend, and I up there (I'm 6'2" 220, she can't be over 130...I suck with girl weight.) At any rate, I think I'm going to procure a Yakima Loadwarrior and use it to store a cooler and an ARB SWAG or other form of durable tent.. Do you have any experience with any? Thanks

Sorry for my delayed response -- I missed this thread entirely over the last few weeks!

With 350 lbs in people (with bedding), plus another say 50-100 in gear, and another 100 in the tent itself -- yeah that's a bit much to have resting solely on the hard top.

I have never used a SWAG personally but I hesitate to see the benefit. It's heavy -- 100+ pounds -- and the real advantage over other ground tents is...a thick mattress? Canvas? Plus it's quite expensive.

Canvas is great but for far less money you can get a traditional ground tent and an air mattress set up. The real benefit to the RTT, and to me the reason for spending the extra dollars, is the fact that you are up off the ground for critters, water, cold, and sharp things. All of these advantages go away pretty quick with the SWAG. I've had a Mountain Hardware tent for 3 years that has held up extremely well, and takes up less space then the SWAG.

The other part to consider is a cooler up top. Coolers are notoriously good at not staying closed I'd be wary of putting my rations up there.

But, if you've got a good quality dry bag, and perhaps a few good Jerry-can style containers, you could put clothes, tent, water, and fuel up there.

The trick is to keep the weight up top as low as possible. Put light stuff up there; or if you must put heavy stuff, make sure the inside is full already. I'd hesitate about going beyond 300 lbs moving weight on a Wrangler (that's not based on engineering; thats based on what I read as the max mobile weight for most roof racks).

Regards
Craig