Truck box rack questions

[Tcdotcom]

Hey everyone. Just new to forum. I just recently purchased a new RTT with annex and awning. 6 weeks for delivery. My plan is to build a rack for the box of my Ram 1500 so the tent sits over the box and not the cab.

I've read a ton of pros and cons of roof top tent height. What does everyone use/prefer? Having the tent up high over the height of the cab or a low rack so the tent fits in behind the cab when driving? Will the annex work if the tent isn't a certain height? What does everyone use? Pictures?

 

[offthepath]

I just recently went down the same road. I got a Tuffstuff tent with annex that seems almost identical to many other tents out there. I wanted the annex usable and they recommended 76-78in hight. I built a rack for the bed of the truck and am pretty happy with how it turned out.

On thing I found when making the rack on the full size truck is that if the tent is centered you would loose a lot of the annex room, so I off set the tent to the side the annex attaches.

We are going on the first trip this weekend and I'll post a review at our blog, offthepathadventures.com.

 

[Tcdotcom]

Thanks. I'll keep my eyes on your blog.

Offsetting it shouldn't be too big of a deal as I also have a foxing awning coming that would probably fit nicely on the other side.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Scoutman]

I just recently went down the same road. I got a Tuffstuff tent with annex that seems almost identical to many other tents out there. I wanted the annex usable and they recommended 76-78in hight. I built a rack for the bed of the truck and am pretty happy with how it turned out.

On thing I found when making the rack on the full size truck is that if the tent is centered you would loose a lot of the annex room, so I off set the tent to the side the annex attaches.

We are going on the first trip this weekend and I'll post a review at our blog, offthepathadventures.com.

How far did you offset yours? I had wondered how a 4' wide tent was going to look on a ~6'+ bed width and whether those extra few feet should be split or offset. The free side of the offset would be a good place for a cargo box.

 

[Crazy Schooner]

I don't drive a fullsize. However when I first bought an RTT (no annex) I installed it on a contractor rack, and it was fun but far too high for any serious use. The rack was mostly just a quick way to start using the tent before summer ended. It was nice being able to haul a motorcycle and a tent together! The next summer I picked up a front runner bed kit (basically the Tundra kit with a bolt on rail for the bed sides). This lowered the tent a bit and it was nice not having to use the ladder extension but I had a tool chest in the front and it was really hard to access with the tent being so low. I took front runner kit off the truck (it's for sale if interested) and had a new rack system made up that had the tent higher then the front runner kit but still lower then the rack. Never had a chance to mount the tent as someone bought it off me after I commissioned the rack to get built. Here are some pictures of the various setups.

 

[offthepath]

How far did you offset yours? I had wondered how a 4' wide tent was going to look on a ~6'+ bed width and whether those extra few feet should be split or offset. The free side of the offset would be a good place for a cargo box.

About 5in or so. The tent is not flush with the side of the bed however. Although a little hard to tell in the picture, the rack is built at an angle so it does not protrude past the lines of the cab and the edge of the tent is mounted flush with the edge of the rack. The annex will go inward a little, but looking at a lot of pictures of RTTs it seems like it will line up like most midsize SUVs.

Leaving for 4 nights with lots of off road tomorrow, excited to see how it all works.

 

[2scars]

My original setup was a low bed rack rack to keep the top of the tent even with the top of the truck cab. I am in the middle of refitting a modular over the shell ladder rack to work as a tent rack. I use a shell most of the time and taking it on and off to go camp for a night was a bit much. Now I just add the legs and top and drop on the tent.

 

[2scars]

 

[pray4surf]

A couple ExPo members have backyard engineered racks that allow the RTT to be transported at cab-height, but raised for RTT deployment to above cab-height. Link in my signature to my custom RTT rack build. I am not aware of any commercially available versions...

 

[Tcdotcom]

You gotta be a door guy?

 

[Tcdotcom]

Just went through every line of your build thread. Very much appreciated the info. I was thinking of having a lifting rack also, but was looking into a straight vertical lift with gas struts. I very much like your build and it has me going back to the drawing board!

 

[pray4surf]

Seek out Box Rockets trailer build as he has a vertical lifting mechanism. I'll see if I can dig up a TacomaWorld thread on another solution.

Box Rocket's trailer build - http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/23624-Box-Rocket-Homemade-trailer-build/page20

Rack mentioned in TacomaWorld https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-rtt-owners-thread-with-bs.312269/page-143#post-9817197 - See post #2849 by 2008taco - this build uses compressed air to raise the RTT. All he has supplied is a video and a few comments

 

[hudsimtn]

I use a westcan aluminum over canopy rack for mine. They are fully adjustable and super light. Claim to hold up to 650 pounds (moving weight) which is well over what you need for an rtt. Only thing is you will have to come to canada to get one, they are made in chilliwack bc. They make them for any type of pick up. With out a canopy you can put it fairly low. Mines on a trailer but they are made for pickup box. I can't figure out how to attach my photos to this on an iPad but if you go to my profile they are in there. Mine looks a little different because I flipped the front ones to fit the trailer. If you good westcan over canopy racks they have them on different trucks.

 

[Tcdotcom]

Perfect. This was almost exactly what I had in mind. I really like the idea of Box Rockets lifting mechanism.

Thanks for all the info!