Rooftop tents?

[Steamrash]

Remember there are several different factory roof racks. My '06 Z71 has one that is not the same as most I see. Don't know if it is the Z71 package or has its own RPO.

Still not enough for a rooftop tent. I have the same car and the rooftop has that roller at the back. it's nothing over 250lbs.

 

[Steamrash]

This is the video (or i think a subsequent one from the same user) where the guy puts the rooftop tent on the stock roofrack. Yes, you know what, it's the video after where they're sitting together on camp chairs discussing their built. they "skim" over the cons of having the rooftop tent and just mention how rarely they use it, but they do say "roof dent" and don't elaborate. I'd say they both regretted not setting up the tent on a sturdy aftermarket roofrack.

 

[bgiff]

I wonder if the owner’s manual has roof rack capacity somewhere. GM engineere almost certainly spec’d a load capacity.

To answer my own question, yea they do. It says 200lbs if anyone else wonders. Rooftop tent may not be a good idea for my weight.

 

[fuelcell]

Question is is the 200lbs dynamic weight or static?

 

[B-train]

I went down all these roads starting with the factory rack on a 2008 Denali - it no work! It bottomed out miserably with any weight on it. I then found a 2005 Z71 rack and mounted up - way sturdier than the cheesy Denali roof rails. However, the proximity of the bars to the roof made it almost impossible to mount anything to, and it would still sag down.

Que the problem solving hat and I ended up using (2) 2x4 boards that would span the width of the rails ON TOP. I still uses the cross bars as a location/locking mechanism, but the wood holds the weight without sagging. Painted them black to match the rails. Took it overlanding for thousands of miles without one issue.

It will raise your wind catcher up a bit, so I would advise making a wind deflector that you can mount to the tent frame and push out towards the front of the vehicle. I found an old snowboard works perfectly with a DIY frame of unistrut shaped with the right curve only a dad-bod can achieve by jumping in the middle of it to bend it.

All assembled it was fantastic and allowed 75 mph cruising without a huge sacrifice in mpg.

Hope this helps!

 

[Doubeleive]

you could probably design something sturdier but I wouldn't drive around with a heavy load on the roof that's just asking for it.
keep in mind the roof metal is pretty thin and the slide rails only have a couple bolts holding them on.
properly reinforcing it requires drilling and brackets and those need to be sealed so it wont leak when it rains.
and if you have any family at all obviously not everyone gets the roof tent.