RTT Open off Side or Back?

[MA_Trooper]

My RTT currently opens off the passenger side. It works fine that way. I want to gain a little space on the roof and to do that I will need to turn the tent 90 degrees and have it open off the back. I realize there are pros and cons either way. I will have to cut the track that is used to attach the tent to the roof rack and I don't want to make the cut before I get some input.

Sooooo....... Do I turn the tent and have it open off the back leave it?

EDIT: I have a SUV (Isuzu Trooper) so the rear doors swing open.

 

[CPick]

What kind of vehicle? If an SUV, tailgate might interfere.

 

[MA_Trooper]

What kind of vehicle? If an SUV, tailgate might interfere.

SUV but the rear doors swing open.

 

[CPick]

Roger that. I have a RTT on my 4runner and tailgate open upward. I would rather have the tent opening to the rear, but obviously can't because my tailgate, so it goes to the side.

 

[MA_Trooper]

Roger that. I have a RTT on my 4runner and tailgate open upward. I would rather have the tent opening to the rear, but obviously can't because my tailgate, so it goes to the side.

My one worry is I want a kitchen setup that is part of the rear storage so I don't want to fight with the ladder but mostly don't want all my kitchen smells going straight up into the tent. lol

 

[CPick]

Good point.

 

[Tim N Michele Davis]

We use ours out the back when it is on our Cruiser. We bought an awning to put our kitchen under leaving the annex for a getting ready/privacy space. This is the first time we set it up on our trailer when we went to the state park at Gulf Shores Al but you get the idea of how it would work off the Cruiser.

 

[MA_Trooper]

We use ours out the back when it is on our Cruiser. We bought an awning to put our kitchen under leaving the annex for a getting ready/privacy space. This is the first time we set it up on our trailer when we went to the state park at Gulf Shores Al but you get the idea of how it would work off the Cruiser.
View attachment 60504

That's a good lookin setup. Someday I may go the trailer route.

 

[Tim N Michele Davis]

If you are going to the Rendezvous in the Ozarks I will be there without the trailer with this setup. https://www.naturalstateoverland.org/rendezvous-in-the-ozarks-info

 

[Ben Cleveland]

Another RTT owner with a 4runner. Currently opens on the passenger side. This allows access into the vehicle from inside the annex, on the side that DOESNT have our daughters car seat installed. Her car seat is installed drivers side.

Honestly I’ve played with it opening both directions and have not been able to find a reason, other than car seat placement, for choosing a side. HOWEVER. I think opening to the rear is much more preferable. Without an awning, it’s nice to have kitchen area covered, accessible from the rear, and close to the tent access. Especially when raining. I’ve watched videos of people with tent to the rear, it just looks more efficient than sideways. Also, it shortens the length of roof rack taken up by the RTT, opening up more space on the front of the rack for other storage, and opens up both sides of the roof rack for accessories.

My long term plan for my roof rack includes a recovery gear box, road shower, awning, high lift and shovel mounted somewhere, and traction boards mounted on top of a recovery gear box. I’m pretty confident that’s where I’ll end up. But I don’t have enough edges to mount everything to. I would if I could mount my tent opening to the rear.

For all I know my thoughts would completely change if I could try a rear mounted tent. Since I can’t, I’m happy with what I’ve got, but still think something else could be better. My .02


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[sabjku]

I also open my RTT off the back of my Morris Mule trailer. I did that because I wanted both long sides of my trailer, or vehicle in your situation, to be able to accommodate a 8' wide ARB Awning. I only ended up running one awning, but I can actually easily move my awning from one side of the trailer to the other in a matter of 1-2 minutes based on the mounting bracket design. I find this very practical depending on where I'm docking my trailer. Couldn't do that if the tent opened to a side.

 

[Kevin108]

I've done both.



Opening to the back: easier to setup, narrower footprint overall, provides some shelter to the rear.
Opening to the side: allows for an annex, shorter footprint overall, ladder doesn't interfere with rear door.

I've just gotten an annex, so no pics of that yet, plus I have rear and passenger side awnings, so now I will have a substantial amount of shade and shelter, both at ground level and in the air. Allowing for all of that, I prefer a side opening.

Don't worry about cutting the cross bars. They are inexpensive if you opt to change back. For example - https://cascadiatents.com/shop/rooftop-tent-mounting-rails/

 

[KYRenegade858]

Do what you want and fits what you need to do. Too many base personal decisions off of what the arm chair basement dwellers of the Internet say or suggest...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Kelso]

Just a thought, could you still close the cover if you left the rails uncut but just mounted them the other way? Then you could try it a couple times to see if it works for you before you commit to cutting the rails and if you don't like it that way just flip them back. (I just can't picture it in my head if that would work with the cover or not...)

 

[Sandpoint Steve]

I open to the passenger side. 4runner with a lift gate and I'm working on a 270deg awning for the driver's side and back. My annex room gives me privacy and access to the rear door. I keep my clothes bag inside the door. This allows for a place to sit if it's raining and separate covered space other than the kitchen (back of the truck).

Steve Marchiando
North Idaho

 

[Bob (Fishingbob)]

Here is my Tepui Ayer mounted to the rear on my Morris Mule trailer build-this allows me to form an enclosed area, protected from wind, still giving me access to the rear of the Trailer. Awning is mounted to the left side.

 

[Bob (Fishingbob)]

Here is another picture showing the side door on the annex Tepui Ayer mounted to the rear, rear access to the Morris Mule and Awning-

 

[Kevin108]

Just a thought, could you still close the cover if you left the rails uncut but just mounted them the other way? Then you could try it a couple times to see if it works for you before you commit to cutting the rails and if you don't like it that way just flip them back. (I just can't picture it in my head if that would work with the cover or not...)

Works just fine. I drilled a complete different set of holes in my crossbars to change it to a side opening. I will probably cut them down before I hit the trail again, but I've left them long for now while I decide if I want to move the awning mount up or otherwise utilize the extra space.

 

[MA_Trooper]

Do what you want and fits what you need to do. Too many base personal decisions off of what the arm chair basement dwellers of the Internet say or suggest...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using OB Talk mobile app

I intend to do what I want and what will work best for me. Others here have actual experience and I would like to know what their experience has been before I start cutting metal. Too many people don't ask before they do and they make costly mistakes.

 

[MA_Trooper]

Just a thought, could you still close the cover if you left the rails uncut but just mounted them the other way? Then you could try it a couple times to see if it works for you before you commit to cutting the rails and if you don't like it that way just flip them back. (I just can't picture it in my head if that would work with the cover or not...)

Hmmmmmm, good question. It's possible. But I would have some serious over hang with the rails. It may come down to spinning it on the rack without attaching it or anything and opening it up to get the visual (which would be my plan anyway before cutting) so I can open everything up and try to decide if I can deal with the ladder being in that space.