Does this look like my roof is buckling?
Posted by EscapeNo7317@reddit | overlanding | View on Reddit | 38 comments
I just posted this photo in an auto body group asking for dent removal advice. I’m unsure of how it happened. My only thought is maybe my boyfriend put too much pressure with his elbow while opening the tent or something.
Someone commented in the auto body group saying the tent itself is causing my roof to buckle in. Does this look like that? Or is that even a thing? I have a Toyota 4Runner with a cvt rooftop tent on my prinsu rack. Everything has fallen under the required weight limits from my understanding. Any ideas if this person is right and I should remove my tent? Or does this look like just an accidental dent from opening the tent?
FrostyPause3610@reddit
Looks like other damage. FYI I’d remove that rubber strip and try and create a gap where the bottom of the Prinsu rack meets the roof. If you ever decide to take that rack off you are going to find the paint has begun to rub away. I learned the hard way🤷🏽♂️
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
Adding these photos in case anyone can tell me if this doesn’t look properly installed. I really appreciate any advice. If it is the tent, I want it off asap.
RedditRando459@reddit
It's fine bro. The dude in the auto body group has no idea what he's talking about. That's not even a big tent
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
Thank you. Multiple people in that group were telling me it’s the tent and that I ruined my car over sleeping on it. I’ve never been attacked in a group like that before.. They definitely do not like RTTs haha. I appreciate you and everyone else being polite here!
Kindofaphotographer@reddit
Yea that's someone who climbed up there and was either kneeling or putting their weight on an elbow. Possibly when setting up the tent or like another comment said someone trying to see if they could relieve you of anything.
Extreme-Okra6209@reddit
Doesn't look like a roof rack issue. Looks like an external force was applied to the area that is dented. If the roof rack was a problem, the dent would come from the rack contact points. This looks like it is in front of the wind fairing.
too_much_covfefe_man@reddit
Looks like it got walked on. Do you park outside? Maybe someone was casing your setup?
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I park outside unfortunately. If that’s the case, I’m glad no one took off with anything. I’ll take the dents for sure, even though it still sucks lol
glazier8868@reddit
No not at all you just left it out in the rain too long. It go right back to normal when you dry it off and leave it in the sun for a couple of hours!
Reachable_dream666@reddit
I feel that air dam is too close to body. It’ll definitely shake and flex a bit. I had to go check my Sherpa rack, it’s got a decent buffer of space between cab/dam. Any adjustments on that dam or other holes to shift it up a hair?
OKsir83@reddit
My Prinsu has been like the pics shown for 8yrs and I don't have those dents. It definitely appears someone dented it when installing the tent.
overworked27@reddit
For a 5th-generation Toyota 4Runner (2010–2024), the commonly cited factory roof load limits are:
Factory roof rack / rails while driving (dynamic load): about 120–135 lbs
Roof structure itself: Toyota does not prominently publish a higher official roof-structure rating, but many aftermarket rack manufacturers and overlanding sources use 220 lbs dynamic as the practical roof-load limit when weight is properly distributed.
Parked (static load): roughly 600–700 lbs when weight is spread across a properly mounted rack, which is why rooftop tents are commonly used.
A few examples of aftermarket full-length racks for the 5th gen are rated around 300 lbs dynamic and 600–700 lbs static, exceeding the factory crossbar ratings.
If you have a 2015 4Runner, a good rule of thumb is:
Factory crossbars: stay under about 120 lbs total cargo.
Aftermarket full roof rack: typically 200–300 lbs+ dynamic depending on the rack.
Rooftop tent with occupants while parked: generally acceptable on a properly installed rack because static capacity is much higher than dynamic capacity.
If you’re planning to carry something specific (roof tent, kayak, cargo box, spare tire, etc.), tell me what it is and I can estimate whether you’re within the limits.
Sideburn_Cookie_Man@reddit
I wonder if someone stood on it.
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
The dents are only ob the right side btw
Fyfaenerremulig@reddit
That tent is not heavy enough to buckle your roof
Cruisn06@reddit
Thats from someone walking/ or elbow pivoting to open the tent. My roof looks the same except I stand on my roof edge there. sucks being short, but it is what it is.
cerebral_sequoia@reddit
Its from climbing up on the roof.
HelicopterNo7593@reddit
That is crazy looking! Is the tent on the actual roof or on bars?!
diabeetusboy@reddit
How in any scenario would the tent be directly on the roof?
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
It’s on the bars.
ngc-arb@reddit
Speed dimples
-BSQ-@reddit
The multiple bumps makes me think of some hand/elbow/knee on the roof when opening the tent causing those, maybe. Prinsu rack + tent should be fine weight wise, provided you don't have a sunroof, but if it were buckling I'd expect something more symmetrical.
MOIST_MAN@reddit
Agreed. I have similar bumps but it’s more related to me giving people rides on top of the car while off roading… no rooftop tent
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
That was my first thought when I saw it. It had to have happened recently because I didn’t notice it when I last washed it . We just opened up the tent a couple of weeks ago to get everything ready for camping. Also, no sunroof. I may take it in to an auto body shop just to see what they say.. hoping everything is good and it’s just a dent from my boyfriend.
CleanestPianist@reddit
I mean. It would be more dispersed, instead of in that one spot if the roof was being damaged - at least in my opinion. It looks more like someone kneeled down there while adjusting something.
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
That was my original thought. I think I’m going to take it in and have someone look at it regardless. I don’t want to be causing further issues if it does have something to do with the tent itself. Thank you!
CleanestPianist@reddit
I almost wonder, if you're certain it wasn't you or family, that maybe someone crawled up there and tried to steal the tent?
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
I wouldn’t have even considered that until you mentioned it. Whatever happened, I hope it’s just an accidental dent and not my roof buckling in. 🫠
emelem66@reddit
Yep.
username_taken714@reddit
Go easy on the RTT smash. Can the flairing be adjusted up higher.
afuriouspuppy@reddit
Some pictures of how the tent is mounted might help. Are there dents/deformations elsewhere or just along that front lip? Did you adjust that front air dam part of the rack after installing the tent? If it were fully tight against the roof before adding the tent, then the added weight of the tent plus a couple people might be enough weight to slightly flex or bow the top of the roof. I’d loosen those bolts and add a gap of a couple millimeters (you’ll have to adjust if it starts whistling). I could also be completely wrong…
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
Just along the lip on the right side. I’ve had the tent on there for 4 years and haven’t had any issues up until now. I just figured my boyfriend accidentally did it while propping open the windows in the tent. I would have never considered roof buckling haha, so this is all freaking me out now. I have included photos in the comment section here. Will you please let me know if you need more or a different angle? The front air dam was not adjusted to to my knowledge. I can certainly adjust it and see if that helps. Thank you!
Stiv_b@reddit
You seem so focused on your boyfriend having done this. It seems like either something happened that’s not being surfaced here or the poor guy is gonna be the fall guy for whatever the reason.
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
No not at all, that’s just all I can think of. We don’t get hail here and I don’t have any large trees that I park under. Regardless, even if he did it, accidents happen. We will fix it and move on. I was just originally looking for diy dent repair until people started ripping on me in the auto body group about tents being awful for cars.
FluxCapaciTURD@reddit
Your 4runner should be able to carry that tent on that rack no problem. Is it mounted properly?
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
As far as I know, I believe it is. How would I know if it was mounted improperly? My boyfriend installed both the rack and the tent about 4 years ago and we haven’t ever had issues like this. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment.
FluxCapaciTURD@reddit
They’re mounted very straightforward, should be spacers on 4 corners between the car and the rack (where its bolted/secured into the car). The only issue there would be spacers that were too short or are worn out causing the weight of the tent to push down where the wind deflector is.
Hard to tell from the picture, but I’d put my money on some other kind of damage not roof rack related. Maybe elbows like you mentioned (but you do need quite a bit of force to dent like that), maybe someone stepped there? Or maybe hail, or other falling debris.
EscapeNo7317@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the explanation! Hearing that, I believe it is mounted properly. He told me that he purchased prinsu 1 inch tent mounting feet for the installation. I’ll have him look to make sure nothing is worn out like you mentioned. Thank you!