<span class="highlight">Roof</span> <span class="highlight">top</span> <span class="highlight">tent</span> on cage trailer ideas

Hi all. I have had a roof top tent for about five years now but after my last trip I was sick of packing up every day so we could use our hilux. I have a 10x5 tandem cage top trailer that I will mount the tent to but was wanting to come up with an idea to mount a proper caravan annex to the other side. I will have to come up with a way of raising one side of the cage for the sail track to mount to but it will need to be removable too! Has anyone done this and do you have pictures? I have an awning but was thinking a caravan annex as it will be more robust and bigger! I still want to be able to remove everything so as I can still use the trailer while at home. Hope I make sense. I don't really want to buy a caravan or camper yet as I want to pay my house off for now.cheers
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Reply By: Member - Alan H (QLD) - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 17:33

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 17:33
My brother used to have a rooftop tent mounted high on a trailer but it was not a cage just a frame. Along the frame on each side (to give options) he had sail track into which he put a long tarp so it went out horizontal from the frame and then the last bit dropped vertical to give a side and privacy etc. The tarp was held out by a couple of poles which he threw into the trailer along with lots of other sundry items for camping.

None of this was permanent only the frame (ladder racks) on the trailer. Do you have a frame around the cage to allow you to leave the cage sides at home to give access to the trailer under such tarp arrangements.

My brother found this arrangement worked fine for him with junk in the trailer, canoes on the trailer and tent up on top of the frame. As you said this allowed him to detach from the camp if the vehicle was need elsewhere.

Hope it all works for you
Alan
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 18:13

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 18:13
I have just spent a week away with the same problem. I have an off road trailer I used when my boys came away with us when they were younger so now its just the two of us,we just use the RTT! I had the same idea about the RTT on the trailer with a view to using the skirt underneath but I didn't want to mount it at normal vehicle height. I had an idea to make the tent sit low and swing it up to full height to utilise the skirt with a cantilever type mechanism. I think the idea was great and would work well and would allow to travel with the lower centre of gravity and visually better with the tent sitting lower when travelling. Now just the two of us and a few years off retirement, we are rethinking the whole thing, maybe a semi off road van for two and a possibly a 200 Landcruiser to tow it. We have never found the RTT a huge problem but you do miss out on seeing some things no matter how hard to plan. Having said that, the RTT is comfortable summer and winter and a 5 minute job to set up and is off the ground. They have many good attributes. We have had ours for 5 years also! Michael
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Follow Up By: Member - John - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 18:55

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 18:55
Michael, I have a trailer with a RTT tent on the top, it sits on frame that is raised and lowered on 4 electric actuators. Lowers it for opening and pack up and for travelling. Very very similar to the Drifta Tourer. I have also set up the support bars for the annexe as Drifta have, very easy, no poles and guy ropes. I also have a batwing awning along the opposite side to the RRT entrance, this covers the side and rear. Works very well. Hope this has given you some ideas. Cant insert links, so you will have to cut and paste. http://www.drifta.com.au/offroad-tourer/
John and Jan

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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 21:13

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2015 at 21:13
Thanks John, sounds perfect! It would make setup easier, climbing on the wheel to setup is one of the downsides. I have seen the drifter video, very impressive. I'm interested to see some pics at a later date of how you have put it together. I like clever ideas! Regards, Michael.
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Reply By: CSeaJay - Thursday, Jan 08, 2015 at 14:03

Thursday, Jan 08, 2015 at 14:03
Jacent,

I must say, from looking outside the square, I cannot understand the concept of a rooftop tent on a trailer.
Sure a rooftop tent has merit if on a roofrack, for all the obvious reasons. But it is hard to get to, ladder up and down just to get someting, make the bed, or for a pee in the middle of the night.
Right so for some, when on a roofrack ( therefore eliminating the need to tow something), the pros outweigh above cons.

But why, when you are towing in any case, go through all that trouble to hoist the tent up above the trailer to an uncomfortable level. All above cons still applicable, but not a singe pro as far as I can see. Indeed it would be easier to throw an Oztent on the trailer, far less trouble to set up and more comfortable. Why intoduce a high tent and laddr if you do not need to?

Just another viewpoint for you to consider
Cheers, CJ
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Follow Up By: Member - David C16 - Wednesday, Jan 21, 2015 at 23:19

Wednesday, Jan 21, 2015 at 23:19
I made my own heavy duty off road camper trailer with closing top and rear opener for a detachable kitchen unit, I have a hard shell good quality hard shell "JB"roof top tent on bars attached to trailer top.

on top of the Hard shell tent I have another Rhino roof rack for small items but off each side I have a Rhino Annex. This gives room for four people out of sun and with sides attached is waterproof

With the Tent raised the Roof line is the same height as the roof rack on my old range rover which also has a Rhino Annex attached. so it just looks like any other roof rack annex

I find the height of the trailer mounted tent much easier to get into than having the Hard Shell Tent on the Car roof rack and I can detach trailer and leave the trailer camp site still set up, also Rhino or Oz tents tents can be added to the awnings
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