What's the Dynamic/Driving Roof Load?

[Mopper]

A slight rip on RTTs- a guy I backcountry camp with put one on his pickup, I think a relatively well accepted brand. His complaints mostly came down to fit of the roof shell to the base when collapsed- not weather tight at all

 

[KWLC250]

A slight rip on RTTs- a guy I backcountry camp with put one on his pickup, I think a relatively well accepted brand. His complaints mostly came down to fit of the roof shell to the base when collapsed- not weather tight at all

I did do a trip this summer out to Utah and the rig had two FSR High Country Mini RTTs. They were a major PIA to close up. It was nice to be able just pop them open anywhere and be at camp vs a ground tent. I'd be bringing the wife and kid along, so I think that eliminates the SWAG.

 

[KWLC250]

This is what I got back from a company that manufactures roof racks for the LC250 (I won't name the company or product, because I didn't let them know I'd be posting their reply to my email online)

Thanks for the questions, I'll do my best to get them all answered here!

Firstly, I've attached to this email a couple pages from the Toyota LC250 owners manual, which states that the maximum recommended load for the factory roof and rack is 165lbs. Our rack's are rated differently for the load capacity of the aluminum itself, which also factors in the distribution of the load that the rack channels to structural columns aligning with the mounting points. This is where our static and dynamic ratings are born - 400lbs dynamic and 700lbs static for (Redacted) particularly.

What's important to consider with our load ratings is that they are numbers we have specifically tested, and conclusions we have reached here in the shop with our engineers, though we do see them as fairly conservative. Exceeding these load limits is up to your discretion entirely, and you may be okay going a bit over, we just can't determine stability with absolute certainty given the lack of explicit testing on our end. With a rooftop tent sitting at 175lbs, mounting hardware, and additional accessories, you would still be falling well within that 400lb dynamic limit, so it shouldn't throw you any issues there. As for the occupancy weight of the additional 450lb, you'd be getting closer to that 700lb static limit, but I still wouldn't have too much concern there considering the conservative nature of the number. Our recommendations will always be to remain at or below those provided load capacities, that way you can be confident that we have tested and verified both the rack's safety and stability at that weight.

 

[RideWithYanu]

This is what I got back from a company that manufactures roof racks for the LC250 (I won't name the company or product, because I didn't let them know I'd be posting their reply to my email online)

With all due respect, this isn’t very helpful without knowing the manufacturer/product to which it applies. I wouldn’t think any reasonable company would expect their responses to customer service inquiries to be a matter of confidentiality. That being said, I do greatly respect your consideration of privacy.

 

[KWLC250]

With all due respect, this isn’t very helpful without knowing the manufacturer/product to which it applies. I wouldn’t think any reasonable company would expect their responses to customer service inquiries to be a matter of confidentiality. That being said, I do greatly respect your consideration of privacy.

I get what you're saying, but the thread is about the car's ability to hold the weight (not one specific roof rack). And the manufacturer answered my question specifically about what they "feel" the vehicle is capable of handling (albeit with their equipment installed), not just what their rack can handle. That's why I left out the manufacturers info.

 

[RideWithYanu]

I get what you're saying, but the thread is about the car's ability to hold the weight (not one specific roof rack). And the manufacturer answered my question about what they "feel" the vehicle is capable of handling. That's why I left out the manufacturers info.

Fair enough. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ovʀʟxnᴅ]

I dunno, the RTT thing is pretty much a no go for me. I have tried a few over the years, on my rig or on a trailer. Most of the places I go, the problem isn't rain or snow or cold, its wind. Roof Top Tents are uniquely terrible in high winds. [copious removal of text] I mean...you can't deny that there always seems to be a suspicious number of used RTT for sale...

I started off with the most affordable RTT you could get in 2015, which was a Smittybilt-branded copy of the same thing everyone else was making. Having lights, a phone charger, a mattress, a completely dirt and mud-free sleeping system, incrtedible ventilation and views from the tent, and carrying all your bedding on the roof instead of in the vehicle was amazing. But, you do bring up a good point. With the rain fly being a canopy over the tent, plus every side having tensioned fabric, it did flap in the wind a bit. The older it got, the noisier it was. Still, I spent over 200 nights in this tent before I stopped counting, and it was life-changing.

Life is crazy and you never know what's coming your way. In 2020, I had the distinct misfortune of having a young driver run a stop sign and total my beloved FJ. Insurance is a scam and I did the best I could with what I got. I wound up with a single-owner 2006 Lexus GX that I never connected with, but it showed me just how amazing the platform is by doing everything I ever dreamed of at stock height on 32" MTs with 225,000 miles on it to start with, and being an absolute dream to drive for the next 5 years. During that time, my best friend procured an Alucab tent and awning. He has a farm, heavy equipment, and room to store stuff, so in his off-season, he would remove the Alucab stuff. They had a guy doing some work around their place and somehow his Alucab stuff got ran over. In the right light, you can still see the tire mark on the shell. He found another set that had been used 4 times, and I rode from VA to PA with him to pick it up. After swapping the new stuff over, he got bored and set about straightening his old stuff. He's the ingenuitive sort, and was very successful with the repair. I got a great deal on it. With the shape of the Alucab, plus only having 3 sides being fabric, it is silent in any wind as long as you secure the strap that attaches to the lid.

But yes, during the era of lockdowns and stimulus checks, a lot of people bought RTTs they never really used. They are turning up for sale at a remarkable rate. It's not because they're bad tents, it's because they were bought by people for which vehicle-based exploration and camping are not a primary hobby. Once the world opened back up, they forgot all about the outdoor activities that were the only option at the time.

·edit· I swear my iPhone 11 took better pictures than my iPhone 15.