Alternative to touring rack for mounting Roof Top tent

[su888 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close su888]

Over the long weekend i installed my touring rack and RTT ontop, and dismantled it yesterday as the touring rack is too high to bring into my work underground carpark.

Whilst I enjoy the comfort of sleeping in the RTT i really hate installing the rack and having to uninstall the prado rails and reinstate them when i come back.
(Anyone would know how much of a paint in the a$$ it is to remove and how long of a process it is)

I'm interested to know if anyone has left the factory prado 150 rails on, and installed a RTT to say a ROLA UNIVERSAL Rail Bar or something simular?
It would mean, taking it on and off is a hell of a lot easier/quicker and require minimal tools.




http://www.motoquipe.com.au/assets/full/3547RLA.jpg

[Ironman 4x4 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Ironman 4x4]

You can quite happily use cross rails like those shown to mount a roof top tent. The only thing to make sure of is that they are rated to the weight of the tent moving and that they can handle the weight of yourself and whoever else will share the tent with you when stopped (they are different ratings).

Also double check that the u-bolts don't touch your roof (shouldn't be an issue and if it is you can always just get two pairs of shorter u bolts).

Cheers,

Matt
Ironman 4x4

[outback7 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close outback7]

Over the long weekend i installed my touring rack and RTT ontop, and dismantled it yesterday as the touring rack is too high to bring into my work underground carpark.

Whilst I enjoy the comfort of sleeping in the RTT i really hate installing the rack and having to uninstall the prado rails and reinstate them when i come back.
(Anyone would know how much of a paint in the a$$ it is to remove and how long of a process it is)

I'm interested to know if anyone has left the factory prado 150 rails on, and installed a RTT to say a ROLA UNIVERSAL Rail Bar or something simular?
It would mean, taking it on and off is a hell of a lot easier/quicker and require minimal tools.




http://www.motoquipe.com.au/assets/full/3547RLA.jpg

I am in the process of buying a RTT for my trip to the Kimberly's next year. I am taking the factory rails off and fitting a Rhino platform rack. Nice and flat and never has to come off. The tent will open from the back and I will be able to put a rim and tyre up front. Hope this helps.

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

I have a Rhino Platform Rack mounted to the original roof rails and all up it fits into a standard lowset house garage. I have an OME lift (2" approx) and 70 series tyres as well, so the car ends up at 2.1mt.

See ya on the tracks, Richo

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Get a flat deck from Tradesman, I am about to get one.
http://www.tradesmanroofracks.com.au...ies-prado.aspx

[setsujoku Member Find all posts View Profile Close setsujoku]

I've ended up with a set of genuine heavy duty bars, that replace the factory rails, and then I have an aluminium rack that has a wind deflector that folds flat, leaving it really convenient and not impacting on getting in to CBD car parks during the week.
Couple of pics here and here. The RTT slides on really easy and takes no time at all. So much easier than having it on just the bars. End result is this, and then the awning attaches off of the side of the rack as well.
If you do go down the path of bars, then take a look at the genuine ones over Rhino ones, as they are a hell of a lot cheaper. I've got some info in my build thread.

[sellit99 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sellit99]

Just wondering also about using standard roof cross bars to mount my tent. Mine have a 90kg rating. Is this in the centre of the bar? I would imagine with the tent (50kg) and potentially 2 peoople (160kg) there is a total of about 210kg on the racks. If that weight is evenly distributed should that work OK? Will the standard Prado rails take approx 50kg per corner (assuming even distribution)? I would have thought it should be OK as if you sleep with your body weight over the car and not over the opened section of the tent that hangs out. Looking for someone who has done this with no problem. Are you out there? Is any of my logic correct?

[The Alberto Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Alberto]

I put a set of Thule Wingbars on mine and installed the tent to that. Easy, rated in excess of the weight of the tent and only takes about 15 mins to put the tent on or take off. Had them on now for about 10 months and done 8 trips with the tent - Never had any dramas at all and I am 110kg.



I will put an alloy rooftop tent rack on for our 2014 cape trip though, only because I will need the additional storage space up there, however for short trips I will continue to use the cross racks.

Also as you can see in the pics, even with just the cross racks, it is still easy to install an awning off the side as well.

[sellit99 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sellit99]

The Alberto. Thanks for that. Just as I had suspected, the even distribution over the racks handles things OK. What are your cross rails rated? Just out of interest.

[The Alberto Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Alberto]

The Alberto. Thanks for that. Just as I had suspected, the even distribution over the racks handles things OK. What are your cross rails rated? Just out of interest.

Hey Mate,

They are rated at 100kg max.

I think the Prado rails are 90kg, so all good. I am also pretty sure that these weights are mainly for travelling, whilst stationary they will take much more.

I had the Thule Aerobars on my old car and went to the Wingbars on the Prado. Bit dearer, but I reckon 10 times better.

http://www.thule.com.au/thule-wingbar

[su888 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close su888]

Alberto - thanks for the link. Definately looks like something i'm on the path of getting.

Hard to tell from the photos but did you get the WingBar Edge rather then teh Wingbar? As your seems lower in profile then the standard Wingbar.

[The Alberto Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Alberto]

Alberto - thanks for the link. Definately looks like something i'm on the path of getting.

Hard to tell from the photos but did you get the WingBar Edge rather then teh Wingbar? As your seems lower in profile then the standard Wingbar.

Hey Mate,

No I have the standard Wingbars. I looked at the edge and I reckon they would look great, but I think they would be much more difficult to attach the Awning to. I also carry a rod tube on the driver side and the way the Edge bars are designed, I would have no way of attaching it.

You can see the bars better in this pic.



I ordered Wingbar Pack GL969 and Foot Pack RT757. On the Thule website there is a section called "Fit my Car" - have a look on there for the various options for the Prado.

Hope this helps.

[su888 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close su888]

Thanks The Alberto, the pictures on Thule website don't really give you a good idea of what it looks like fitted to the Prado. Your picture confirms for me its exactly what i'm after, both structurally and aesthetically.

Thanks for posting them up.