Roof Top Tent on a Topper Shell

[ChaseIt]

Sorry if this has been discussed before. I didn't find anything on this topic in a search on the forums. I'm going to put a topper shell on my Tacoma to keep my dog out of the weather. Down the road I would like to put a RTT on top of the topper shell. My biggest concern is the static weight a topper can handle with a rack, RTT, me, my wife and maybe my kids and dog -well maybe not the dog. Any setups or ideas you have to share would be greatly appreciated. I have already seen the guy with 2 RTTs on a Tacoma on YouTube - pretty cool. Just looking for as much info as I can.

Thanks!

 

[SeguineJ]

Sorry if this has been discussed before. I didn't find anything on this topic in a search on the forums. I'm going to put a topper shell on my Tacoma to keep my dog out of the weather. Down the road I would like to put a RTT on top of the topper shell. My biggest concern is the static weight a topper can handle with a rack, RTT, me, my wife and maybe my kids and dog -well maybe not the dog. Any setups or ideas you have to share would be greatly appreciated. I have already seen the guy with 2 RTTs on a Tacoma on YouTube - pretty cool. Just looking for as much info as I can.

Thanks!

Bump

Now to look at this two tent guy...

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[AdventureWithDanan]

I recently contacted ARE and they offer a sportsman package that doubles the static weight of their normal toppers from 250lbs to 500lbs. I told them my intentions of putting a RTT on the topper and I was told that the 250 would have no issues at all. I said that I want to walk on it, they said that if I want to walk on it to upgrade to the sportsman package.

So you should be quite fine with 3 people spreading the weight across the majority of the surface, but find what topper you want and then call the corporate office for specifics, that's what I did.


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[ChaseIt]

Good information. Thank you @Dananc

 

[Ironhide Fx4]

Get the strongest one you can. The basic toppers will not hold up over time and will start to crack. I would not consider anything less than a topper rated for utility/contractor grade.

From my limited research, I found ARE to have the better strength models for overlanding.

 

[ChaseIt]

Get the strongest one you can. The basic toppers will not hold up over time and will start to crack. I would not consider anything less than a topper rated for utility/contractor grade.

From my limited research, I found ARE to have the better strength models for overlanding.

Thank you very much for the information!

 

[Joey D]

I have a Leer 100XR and I don't think I would trust the weight of a RTT on it without reinforcement. It's old though and has spent it's life in the Utah sun, so I'm guessing the additional wear and tear on it doesn't help.

ARE makes an Overland model of their topper and it says that it's reinforced for added strength. I have no idea how good they are, but it might be worth asking a dealer to get you some specs on it. I think it's pricey though.

http://www.4are.com/product/overland/

 

[ChaseIt]

Thank you @Joey D. I am heading over to see a dealer today. I will let you know what they say.

Nice Taco!

 

[Ironhide Fx4]

I have a Leer 100XR and I don't think I would trust the weight of a RTT on it without reinforcement. It's old though and has spent it's life in the Utah sun, so I'm guessing the additional wear and tear on it doesn't help.

ARE makes an Overland model of their topper and it says that it's reinforced for added strength. I have no idea how good they are, but it might be worth asking a dealer to get you some specs on it. I think it's pricey though.

http://www.4are.com/product/overland/

I had the 100xl. No way it could handle a tent. Even just the bumpy trails were too much for it. Maybe if it had some aluminum reinforcement and maybe 6 clamps instead of 4. I'm glad I was able to sell it to someone that needed it.

 

[ChaseIt]

Soooooo. After hours and hours of research between the ARE CX HD and the Snugtop Rebel I ended up ordering the Snugtop Rebel with the Outdoorsman Roof. The Outdoorsman Roof is a thicker fiberglass honeycomb that is rated at 500lbs (they say this is a conservative number). You can also get the opening side windows as well. I didn't opt for those because it was a bit too pricey. It is a special order and takes a few weeks to come in. With a good rack I should have no problems using a RTT on this topper.
From what I see on the internet the ARE CX HD has an additional aluminum frame inside the topper and you have to use there rack and crossbars to get the 500lbs rating. It does not use universal rack tracks which means no low profile rails for racks like FrontRunner or Rhino Rack. I couldn't find a phone number to talk to someone at ARE. And, I knew more about the racks then the only dealer I could find that sells them in my town. It was no problem talking to someone in customer service at Snugtop. They were very helpful.

I think ARE makes good toppers and if I wasn't concerned with weight capacity I would have bought their Z Series. It's a very good looking topper. I just had a very specific need and they didn't have a product that would work.

Thanks for all your input!

 

[yota2313]

Don't mean to thread jack here. But; I'm buying a used shell tomorrow. Just wondering what I can use to get a good seal between the bed and the cap. I haven't been able to find anything through the search bar. Haven't tried google yet either though.


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[Teh_Viking]

I am going to take mine off in a month or so to put a roof rack on and this is what I found that seemed decent. They make 2 different version, one is rated for more wright and has 3 tubes verses 2.

 

[Omerta 4x4]

Don't mean to thread jack here. But; I'm buying a used shell tomorrow. Just wondering what I can use to get a good seal between the bed and the cap. I haven't been able to find anything through the search bar. Haven't tried google yet either though.


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I purchased a used ARE CX topper and took it to my local Leer dealer so they could do a "professional installation." It ran me about $140 which was pretty expensive.

They basically installed weather stripping down all the sides and put a few layers of stripping in the back where the canopy meets the cab. They used some kind of glue to keep it together and seal it from any leaks.

My advice would to have it professionally installed as long as the canopy was built for your model of truck. Although I'm sure you could DIY it with an extra set of hands and some weather stripping.

Good luck


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[yota2313]

I've actually opted to use silicone (rtv?) and just fill small leaks as I find them. So far just two up near the front. Right in the corners. Which I guess is a bit of a weak spot.


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[WanderRig]

Soooooo. After hours and hours of research between the ARE CX HD and the Snugtop Rebel I ended up ordering the Snugtop Rebel with the Outdoorsman Roof. The Outdoorsman Roof is a thicker fiberglass honeycomb that is rated at 500lbs (they say this is a conservative number). You can also get the opening side windows as well. I didn't opt for those because it was a bit too pricey. It is a special order and takes a few weeks to come in. With a good rack I should have no problems using a RTT on this topper.
From what I see on the internet the ARE CX HD has an additional aluminum frame inside the topper and you have to use there rack and crossbars to get the 500lbs rating. It does not use universal rack tracks which means no low profile rails for racks like FrontRunner or Rhino Rack. I couldn't find a phone number to talk to someone at ARE. And, I knew more about the racks then the only dealer I could find that sells them in my town. It was no problem talking to someone in customer service at Snugtop. They were very helpful.

I think ARE makes good toppers and if I wasn't concerned with weight capacity I would have bought their Z Series. It's a very good looking topper. I just had a very specific need and they didn't have a product that would work.

Thanks for all your input!

Good morning - Brand new Nashville, TN-based member with a question about your SnugTop. How are you liking it so far? I am about to pull the trigger on one for my truck, and have been wringing my hands about which manufacturer to go with. Any input about your experience would be welcome!

Thanks!

 

[Cort]

For those looking to do this, you need to use an additional inner frame that connects to the bed floor or frame. The bed rails are not designed to hold up to the weight and will spread out and/or crack due to the stress.

 

[WanderRig]

For those looking to do this, you need to use an additional inner frame that connects to the bed floor or frame. The bed rails are not designed to hold up to the weight and will spread out and/or crack due to the stress.

I'm not sure I understand your suggestion. Can you clarify, perhaps with a product link?

 

[Cort]

I'm not sure I understand your suggestion. Can you clarify, perhaps with a product link?

I’ve been looking and can’t find the picture that was posted on this forum but it’s a frame made of black aluminum extrusions that is bolted to the inside top of cap and goes to the floor of the bed relieving the stress put on the bed rails.

 

[Road]

For those looking to do this, you need to use an additional inner frame that connects to the bed floor or frame. The bed rails are not designed to hold up to the weight and will spread out and/or crack due to the stress.

I agree. You might find a topper that is strong enough to hold 500 lbs or more of weight in rack and RTT, but that doesn't mean the bedrails/sidewalls of what the topper is setting on will be. Any weight on the roof of your cap or topper will transfer down and create more stress on the bed rails then they may be made to withstand, especially if going over rough herky-jerky trails. Ladders are one thing, on a topper, adding a rack and RTT and humans is another.

 

[Michael Kinnett]

As a Tacoma owner I understand this issue all too well. My problem was finding one that would support the weight with a guarantee that I wouldn't destroy it. Leer couldn't give me that guarantee as they would only quote their dynamic load, not a static, so I sold my Leer and have moved on. The ARE Overland edition was my first choice since their loads can support a RTT plus people, but I decided to spend an extra $400 and buy an Alu Cab Explorer Canopy. I'm waiting on it to come in now and I have no doubts it will be better suited for this than any other choice out there. It's all aluminum construction by one of the best manufacturers in the world. It has some cool add-ons too if you're in the market, definitely check into it for your Taco.