RTT Crossbars Guide

Vehicles have a number of different roof shapes and features built into them. Below, we’ve listed the possible variations to help you understand the crossbars and towers you’ll need to install your TopOak Rooftop Tent on your vehicle

A few important points to start off:

  • All you need to install a tent is a set of crossbars (the bars which go horizontally across your roof).
  • The crossbars should be at least 30 inches apart and have a weight rating that is equal to or greater than the weight of the tent.
  • It’s not important which style of crossbar you have (round, square, aero, etc.), although the aero style bars do provide a wider platform for your tent.
  • Roof racks are rated for DYNAMIC loads (e.g., when you’re going 100 mph and slam on the brakes) – the load that the vehicle and rack can carry when you’re parked is a STATIC load and can be as much as 7x the dynamic rating.

    Roof tracks run along the sides of the vehicle, serving as channels instead of raised rails. The channels allow flexible placement of the crossbars along their length from front to back.

    The most common roof type is raised side rails, found on most SUVs, wagons, and minivans. Attaching crossbars to raised rails is straightforward and not vehicle-specific, requiring only crossbars and a foot pack.

    Rain gutters are small channels at the roof's edge, mostly seen on cargo vans.
    To prepare for installing an RTT, a set of gutter-mount towers and matching crossbars is needed.

    Flush side rails sit directly on the roof without any space in between. They typically have inner or outer grooves for attaching crossbars.

    Most vehicles today have bare roofs without pre-installed rails or racks. For these, custom roof racks that match the roof shape and door frame are ideal solutions.