Why?

Lucky j

Explorer
Was also possible for y ARB, but wanted to mountit side ways.

On my trailer, allow me to have the back door accessible w/o bending, since my RTT rack is only like 5 ft off the ground, and on my other vehicule, the back hatch would have made interference with the lattee and would not have been able to open the back door fully.

Choice is yours, but remember, that since most tent are rectangle, you might have to cut the bars to mount them in different position, so no turning back.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
This has been chewed through pretty extensively in other threads. I like my “open over the rear” setup, but it won’t work for every tent due to width. I wouldn’t want side overhangs of the tent, it hits enough stuff already.
 

Lucky j

Explorer
Remember, if you have a lift gate, is does not systematicaly work. It would not work with mine.


Do it with a long vehicule. The tent would have to be all the way to the back in order to clear some tail gate.

And I have no side overhang with mine. It would actualy be wider the way you are proposing.

So both your point do not aplly to me and to others as well.

You do what ever best suit you.

Si will simply answer your question with: Why not?

Have fun outhere. :)
 

roving1

Well-known member
If you have an annex room then you block the whole back of your truck and render your tailgate useless and make it difficult to get anything out of the back of the truck. If you have a 270 awning then you don't need an awning in the back. You can keep the weight closer to the center line of the vehicle by mounting it closer to the cab.

But otherwise I would have considered mounting to open towards the back. But I had all those issues to avoid.
 

Gascan4X4

All chaps, no jeans.
If you have an annex room then you block the whole back of your truck and render your tailgate useless and make it difficult to get anything out of the back of the truck. If you have a 270 awning then you don't need an awning in the back. You can keep the weight closer to the center line of the vehicle by mounting it closer to the cab.

But otherwise I would have considered mounting to open towards the back. But I had all those issues to avoid.

Honestly, to each his own, but in the spirit of this thread and in an effort to avoid mis-information, I found the tailgate to be just as useful and access unrestricted with the annex: 511471
Goes without saying, this may not work on all vehicles...
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Honestly, to each his own, but in the spirit of this thread and in an effort to avoid mis-information, I found the tailgate to be just as useful and access unrestricted with the annex: View attachment 511471
Goes without saying, this may not work on all vehicles...
Did you have to do anything unique? Seems like the lift window might need to be held so as not to raise too far or does it sit comfortably under the RTT? I'm just curious how it all works because it does seem to make sense to configure like a two story outfit that would be nice in the rain.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
I have a jku with a Gobi rack, and the tent mounted on unistrut clamped to the rack. The rear glass clears the tent floor by at least 2”.

My first tent, a Tepui Ayer, would allow the ladder to clear the tailgate door by about 1” in most setup terrain. Sometimes, you would have to move the ladder a bit to close the door.

The Tepui Kukenam I have now is longer and clears the swing out bumper I’m running now as well.
 

Lucky j

Explorer
How do you seal the vehicule side of the room around the back? My ARB awning room as 4 walls and no way I could
Seal it so no bugs would come in. And also, a little more info about what I have mentionned up-here, is that our rack os located in the center of my vehicule, so the lift gate would interfear with the latter.

So yep, again, to each their own.
 

Gascan4X4

All chaps, no jeans.
Did you have to do anything unique? Seems like the lift window might need to be held so as not to raise too far or does it sit comfortably under the RTT? I'm just curious how it all works because it does seem to make sense to configure like a two story outfit that would be nice in the rain.

My RTT sits on basic Yakima load bars (round) with aluminum rectangle tubing on top of them (running front to back) in order to mount the tent lengthwise; not low profile by any stretch (I need about 7'6" of clearance in parking garages/drive-thru's with stock suspension and 33's). With all of the above (pun intended), the upper rear hatch does sit comfortably under the RTT when fully erect. The ladder clears the edge of the hatch by about 1/4".

The photo I posted of being inside the annex was taken during a rainy morning and it did indeed work really well. I was able to relax on the tailgate, having coffee and breakfast. There was enough room for two people in folding chairs, using the tailgate as a table, despite the tent ladder.

How do you seal the vehicule side of the room around the back? My ARB awning room as 4 walls and no way I could
Seal it so no bugs would come in. And also, a little more info about what I have mentionned up-here, is that our rack os located in the center of my vehicule, so the lift gate would interfear with the latter.

So yep, again, to each their own.

I'm not sure if all annex rooms are built the same but the ARB annex has a removable 4th wall (vehicle side wall); I simply don't use it. The other two walls hug the contours of the Land Cruiser's rear-end fairly well. Understandably, it's not 100% bug-proof seal (and here in humid Florida, we have plenty of bugs) but it does appear to minimize them. Lastly, I never bought the annex with the intention of it being a dedicated bug-free enclosure (that's what the tent is for); whether we like it or not, bugs are part of being out in nature ?‍♂️. Also, DEET helps ;)
 

roving1

Well-known member
Mine has access to the tailgate but I didn't want to carry cargo tubs through the annex. If you have the ladder for the tent down carrying stuff in and out of the truck is a drag. If you have cots or sleeping accommodations in the annex it's also a bummer.

I also cook on my tailgate so I don't want to do that inside either.
 

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