truck bed rooftop tent

Is It Possible To Put A Rooftop Tent On A Truck Bed?

Many people wonder if it is possible to install a rooftop tent on the truck bed. In this article, I would like to explain to you exactly what you need to mount a rooftop tent on a truck bed.

If you’ve never heard of a Roof Top Tent on A Truck Bed before, it’s basically just what it sounds like – you put your tent on top of your truck bed! This has a ton of awesome advantages, which I discuss in this article.

Before we get into that though, let’s answer the question in the title – can you put a rooftop tent on your truck bed? The short answer is yes, you can put a rooftop tent on a truck bed by installing a rack on your truck bed that serves as a support for the rooftop tent – the long answer is found below!

Truck beds are ideal for setting up a rooftop tent. If you mount a rooftop tent on a truckbed, you only need the right truck bed rack for your vehicle.
A truck bed rack serves as a support for rooftop tents or other structures such as roof boxes or similar.

10 examples of trucks that make it possible to mount a rooftop tent on the truck bed

Most trucks that have a large truck bed offer the option of mounting a stable truck bed rack. On this truck bed rack, you then have the option of installing various structures such as a rooftop tent or a roof box.

Toyota Tundra

You can equip your Toyota Tundra with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Chevrolet Colorado

You can equip your Chevrolet Colorado with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD/3500HD

You can equip your Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD/3500HD with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Ram Heavy Duty

You can equip your Ram Heavy Duty with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

GMC Sierra

You can equip your GMC Sierra with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Toyota Tacoma

You can equip your Toyota Tacoma with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Ford F-Series Super Duty

You can equip your Ford F-Series Super Duty with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Ram 1500

You can equip your Ram 1500 with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

You can equip your Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Ford F-150

You can equip your Ford F-150 with a truck bed rack and then mount a rooftop tent there. Here I would like to show you the best truck bed rack with which you can easily create a foundation for the rooftop tent.

Material Needed

The following are the required parts needed to mount the rooftop tent on the truck bed.

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Truck Bed Rack:

The truck bed rack is the most important part of the installation process because it provides the foundation for your rooftop tent. It’s essential to get a quality truck bed rack from a reputable manufacturer, and you should also consider getting one that’s made from aluminum or steel rather than plastic (or fiberglass). The thicker, heavier materials will last longer and offer more support for your gear.

If you are looking for the right truck bed rack, make sure that the rack has two bars. The rooftop tent must be attached to two bars to ensure optimal support.

You should make sure that the rack can be mounted on the original screw points and you don’t have to drill any new holes.

What are the benefits of a rooftop tent on the truck bed?

There are a couple of reasons you might want to put a rooftop tent on the bed of your truck. The first is if you’re looking for an adventure and want to go camping, but don’t have a camping trailer or RV. You can buy one of these tents to throw over the bed of your truck and go exploring. Another reason is if you’re looking for more space in your vehicle without buying an SUV or minivan. Putting this tent on the bed of your truck will increase your storage space exponentially, which is great for when you need more room for any reason.

Finding The Right Tents For The Job

If you’re looking for rooftop tents for your truck bed, there are a few things to look for when selecting the right tents.

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Firstly, it’s important to find a tent that is designed specifically for your vehicle’s bed (the right size and mounting options).

Secondly, the size and shape of the tent should be considered based on the size of your truck bed.

And finally, make sure that you get a tent with an easy setup process. Most tents have some sort of instructions included in their packaging, but if you need help with installation, many companies offer video tutorials online.

You’ll also want to consider how much space you need. For example, if you have three people traveling or just one person sleeping in the back of your truck bed every night, then a two-person tent may not be big enough for your needs.

Example of a rooftop tent which is ideal for most truck bed racks.

These rooftop tents are particularly suitable for mounting on a truck bed. These rooftop tents offer a lot of space for up to four people, are relatively light, offer a lot of features, and are easy to set up and take down. Of course, you will find many other great rooftop tents, we were able to test this RTT ourselves on a truck bed and are very satisfied!

Rough Country Roof Top Tent

Rough-Country-Roof-Top-Tent
This RTT is ideal for mounting on a truck bed, as well as for mounting on a car roof. The tent is also relatively inexpensive for its size and features.

Thule Tepui Kukenam Rooftop Tent

The Thule Tepui Kukenam Rooftop Tent is the ideal size for a truck bed. The Thule Tepui Kukenam Rooftop Tent is a bit more expensive, but has excellent quality and features!

Installing Your New Rooftop Tent And Truck Bed Rack

First of all, you have to install the truck bed rack. This is actually quite simple. If you order a new rack, it will be delivered with all the necessary parts and screws to mount it on the vehicle.

Depending on the vehicle, you may have to remove the truck bed cover to attach the rack to the original points.

When mounting, make sure that all screws are tightened and possibly secured with locking varnish to prevent them from loosening.

After installing the rack, carefully reassemble all of the fairing pieces. Be especially careful with plastic fairing parts, these parts can break very quickly!

Once everything is assembled and ready to go, start installing your tent by first laying it out on the ground. The front door should be facing toward you (away from where the truck bed will be). Now take one side of the plastic cover off of your rooftop tent (preferably starting with the side furthest away from where you’re standing) and place two mounting brackets inside so that they line up with two corresponding hooks on either side.

Make sure both brackets are facing downward before fastening them down securely using nuts, bolts, washers, and wingnuts. Once both brackets have been attached, lay down the plastic cover again (right-side out) overtop them so that it covers both brackets completely. Then simply attach the other bracket on the other side of the tent. Now take a deep breath because it’s finally time to raise your rooftop tent onto your vehicle! Start by loosening the strap holding down your ladder and then carefully lift up one side of your ladder until it reaches its full height.

At this point, use one foot to gently push against that same side of the ladder so that it presses against the back wall of your vehicle. After pushing with all of your might, quickly undo both straps holding down that end of your ladder (one after another) and then repeat these steps for each remaining corner until all four corners have been secured tightly onto your truck bed frame.

What Else Should I Look For When Buying A rooftop Tent?

When looking for a rooftop tent, you need to consider the size of your truck bed. You want to make sure that the tent will fit in your truck. If you have a small truck or an SUV, then you’re going to want to get a smaller tent (1-2person RTT). Some rooftop tents have a very wide base. This could cause the RTT to overhang the width of the truck bed, which is not allowed.

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You should also make sure that you don’t buy the cheapest RTT. You want to use an RTT for a long time and have a lot of fun with it, so you should make sure from the start that the RTT is of high quality and also offers many features.

Planning to put your rooftop tent on a truck bed for camping this summer? Here are some tips for you to do it right and look after your rooftop tent as you camp.

  1. Make sure the RTT is clean before putting it on your truck.
  1. Double-check that all screws are properly tightened. You can also use a special screw lock like “Locktide” to prevent the screws from loosening due to vibration.
  1. Check the tire pressure of your vehicle and adjust the pressure for the heavier weight.
  1. If you have a cable lock or anything else that will keep your truck safe while you’re gone, use it while camping.

Advantages of Mounting the roof top Tent on the Truck Bed

The advantages of mounting the rooftop tent on the truck bed are:

  • It is quite a convenient option for everyone. You can easily do it in your own garage or driveway without any help from others.
  • You can install the rooftop tent in a very easy way. You don’t have to spend much time or effort to assemble the whole thing, which saves a lot of time and money as well.
  • The installation process is not complicated at all, so you will be able to complete it within a few hours or days depending on how much time you need to spend on this project.
  • The rooftop tent can also be mounted on other types of vehicles like cars and vans too, but it does not make sense for them because these kinds of vehicles have less space available for mounting purposes.
  • Make sure there are no sharp objects near where you plan to set up your rooftop tent.
  • When taking off the floor of the truck bed cover it with a tarp or an old blanket so that things won’t get dirty.
  • Some people also like to line their truck beds with an extra piece of plywood for protection against rocks and sticks poking through the surface of the truck bed liner.

Where Can I Go With My New Roof Top Tent on My Truck Bed?

When someone buys a rooftop tent for their truck, they are often wondering where they can go with the new purchase. The truth is, when you buy a rooftop tent, there are infinite possibilities of places to go. You can head up into the mountains, or down to the coast; it doesn’t matter because, with your new rooftop tent on your truck bed, you are ready for anything. In fact, there is really only one question left to ask: what will you do first?

On our website, you will also find many great ideas for camping with a rooftop tent or exciting excursion destinations and campgrounds that not many people know about yet. Just have a look around our website 😉

Conclusion

It is actually very easy to install a rooftop tent on a truck bed. All you need is a suitable truck bed rack for your truck, some time for assembly, and of course the right rooftop tent.

Installing the rooftop tent on the truck bed has many different advantages. When folded, the rooftop tent is no higher than the roof of your truck. You also still have space on the truck bed for other things, since the rooftop tent does not rest directly on the truck bed.

When choosing a truck bed rack, pay attention to quality and stability. There is no point in buying a cheap rack that may not be able to withstand the stresses of the rooftop tent.