Setup guide · Silverado & Sierra 1500 · 2026
Rooftop tent on a Silverado: rack height and cab clearance
On a 2008-or-newer Silverado or Sierra 1500, the highest point of the cab roof sits 22" above the bed rail. Set the bed rack at 23" and a rooftop tent can reach over the cab with an inch to spare. Any lower, and the tent has to stay behind the cab or hang off the back.
Here are the cab numbers we measured, which tents fit the 61" and 71" racks, and what the weight ratings mean once people are asleep up there.
We design and build bed racks for Silverado and Sierra 1500s back to 1999 here in Wichita, Kansas, and the cab and rack measurements below are our own. The two trucks share their beds, so everything here applies to the Sierra too.
The short version
Picking a rack height for a tent on a Silverado 1500
- Know your cab 22" to the top of the roof on 2008+, 20" to the back edge on 2019+
- Measure the tent against a 61" rack (5'8" box) or a 71" rack (6'6" box)
- Over the cab needs the 23" rack, or a 24" Custom Height for more room
- Behind the cab works on the 17" rack, which sits lower and catches less wind
Count the tent, and anyone sleeping in it, against the rack's parked rating. The rack and tent also come out of your truck's payload.
How tall is the Silverado cab above the bed rail?
Rack heights are measured from the top of the bed rail to the top of the rack, so we measure the cab the same way. These are the numbers we took:
| Measured from the top of the bed rail | 2008–2018 | 2019+ |
|---|---|---|
| Back edge of the cab | Not measured | 20" |
| Highest point of the cab roof | 22" | 22" |
| 17" mid-height rack | 5" below the roof | 3" below the back edge of the cab |
| 23" cab-height rack | 1" above the roof | 1" above the roof |
| 24" Custom Height rack | 2" above the roof | 2" above the roof |
The 2019 Silverado LD and Sierra 1500 Limited carry the older body, so they go with the 2008–2018 column. We haven't measured a 1999–2007 Classic, so measure that truck yourself.
Anything on the roof changes the math. Cab marker lights, an aftermarket antenna or a roof rack can all sit above the 22", and the tent has to clear whichever is highest. Marker lights are easy to miss from the driver's seat. The 2500HD and 3500HD have their own cab heights, covered on our Silverado and Sierra HD bed racks page.
Which bed rack height works for your tent
It comes down to where the tent sits: over the cab, or behind it.
23"
Clears the cab roof by 1" on 2008–2018 and 2019+ trucks, the minimum we recommend for a tent that reaches over the cab. It also leaves the most room in the bed under the rack. About 6 in 10 of our Silverado and Sierra XTR1 buyers choose it.
17"
For a tent that fits behind the cab or hangs off the back. It catches less wind, and the climb to the tent at 2 a.m. is 6" shorter. On a 2019+ truck it sits 3" below the back edge of the cab, so a tent on it stays behind the cab.
10"–26"
The XTR1 Custom Height rack is built at any whole inch in that range. Order 24" for 2" over the roof, or go higher if a roof rack or light bar sits up there.
We'd pick 23" for most tent builds on these trucks, because a tent of any length can reach over the cab and the bed underneath stays usable for coolers and tall cases. The Silverado and Sierra 1500 XTR1 comes at 17" or 23": $1,649.99 and $1,699.99 for the short-box rack on its own, our prices as of November 2026. Every XTR1 is built to order, to your height requirements, in T-slot profile construction, so tent brackets bolt on anywhere along the crossbars without drilling.
Want more than 1" over the roof? The tent's base, its mounting hardware and anything on your roof all eat into that inch. Our universal XTR Tent Riser Kit is coming soon. Until then, a Custom Height rack is the way to add height.
What covers your bed decides which version of the rack you order. An open bed or a soft or roll-up tonneau takes the standard XTR1, whose brackets hold it 3" above the bed rails so most covers still open. A Retrax XR gets the XTR1 for Retrax XR or the six-upright XTR3 for Retrax XR, and a Softopper, Fas-Top or Bestop gets the XTR1 Soft Topper rack at 23" or 24". Every option is side by side on the Silverado and Sierra 1500 bed racks page.
Will your rooftop tent fit a 61" or 71" rack?
The 5'8" short box takes a 61" rack and the 6'6" standard box takes a 71" rack. We don't build XTR racks for the 8-ft box. A tent shorter than the rack stays behind the cab at any rack height. A longer one has to hang past one end: forward over the cab, which needs the 23" rack, or back past the tailgate.
| Tent (closed) | Length × width | Weight | 61" rack (5'8" box) | 71" rack (6'6" box) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofnest Meadowlark | 47" × 44" | About 90 lb | 14" shorter | 24" shorter |
| Freespirit Nova Standard | 56¾" × 42" | 132 lb | 4¼" shorter | 14¼" shorter |
| Roofnest Condor 2 Air | 60" × 49" | About 145 lb | 1" shorter | 11" shorter |
| Sterling Basin hardshell | 74.8" × 47.2" | 132 lb | 13.8" longer | 3.8" longer |
| Intrepid Geo SOLO | 88.5" × 33.4" | About 132 lb | 27.5" longer | 17.5" longer |
| Intrepid Geo 2.5 Pro | 88.5" × 55" | About 165 lb | 27.5" longer | 17.5" longer |
Weights and sizes are the tent makers' figures. The first three stay behind the cab on either rack. On a 61" rack the Basin either reaches 13.8" over the cab, which needs the 23" rack, or hangs that far past the tailgate. Both Geo tents are long enough that over the cab is the realistic place for them, so plan on 23" or taller.
Our stainless Rooftop Tent Brackets hold the tent to the crossbars: $49.90 for the four-piece Standard Kit or $98 for the eight-piece Off-Road Kit. Their bolts stay above the bar, so nothing hangs down to catch your head when you're working in the bed. Not sure how your tent's mounting rails line up with the crossbars? Email us the tent model and we'll check it. Every tent we carry is in rooftop tents.
How much weight a Silverado bed rack carries with a tent
The XTR1 on these trucks has three ratings, all for weight spread evenly across the rack. While you drive, it carries 450 lb off-road and 850 lb on the road. Parked, it holds 1,550 lb. If your bed rails are rated lower, their rating is the limit.
The tent counts against the driving numbers. Once you stop, the tent and everyone sleeping in it count against the parked number. Here's an over-the-cab tent with two adults asleep in it:
Parked: a Geo 2.5 Pro and two adults
The bar runs to 1,600 lb. The markers are the XTR1's ratings: 450 lb off-road, 850 lb on the road and 1,550 lb parked.
- Intrepid Geo 2.5 Pro tent 165 lb
- 2 adults 360 lb
The total comes to about a third of the parked rating. On the move, the 165 lb tent leaves 285 lb of the off-road rating for boards, a shovel and light gear up top. Keep the heavy stuff, like water and the fridge, low in the bed.
The rack, the tent and everything else you carry also come out of your truck's payload. Chevy lists up to 2,260 lb for a properly equipped 2026 Silverado 1500, and the number on your truck is often lower. Yours is on the Tire and Loading Information label in the driver's door jamb. We go through the math in Overlanding Payload: Understanding What Your Vehicle Can Really Handle.
How tall is a Silverado with a rooftop tent?
Add it up before you pull into a garage or a parking structure. Published specs put a 2026 Silverado 1500 crew cab short box at about 75.5" to 78.7" tall, depending on trim. A 23" rack puts the crossbars about an inch above the roof, and a slim 7.1" hardshell like the Basin puts the top of the closed tent around 83.5" to 87".
Most home garage doors are 7 ft (84") tall, and plenty of tents sit taller than the Basin when closed. Measure your own truck from the ground to the top of the closed tent, and keep the number somewhere you'll see it before the next drive-thru.
Silverado rooftop tent FAQ
What height bed rack do I need for a rooftop tent on a Silverado 1500?
23" if the tent reaches over the cab. On 2008–2018 and 2019+ trucks the top of the cab roof is 22" above the bed rail, so a 23" rack clears it by 1". If the tent fits behind the cab, the 17" rack works and sits lower.
Can a rooftop tent hang over the cab of a Silverado?
Yes, on a 2008-or-newer truck with the 23" rack, which leaves the 1" of clearance we recommend. With marker lights, an antenna or a roof rack, measure to the highest point first and plan at least 1" above it.
Will a rooftop tent fit on a Silverado short bed?
Yes. The 5'8" box takes a 61" rack, so tents up to 61" long stay behind the cab. Longer tents reach over the cab on the 23" rack or hang past the tailgate.
How much weight can a Silverado bed rack hold with a tent?
Our XTR1 holds 1,550 lb parked, which covers the tent and the people sleeping in it. While you drive it's rated 850 lb on the road and 450 lb off-road, and the rack and tent also count against your truck's payload.
Do Silverado bed racks fit the GMC Sierra 1500?
Yes. The two trucks share their beds, so every rack we build for the Silverado 1500 fits a Sierra 1500 of the same years and box.
What about a 2019 LD or a 1999–2007 Classic?
The 2019 Silverado LD and Sierra 1500 Limited are the older body, so use the 2008–2018 numbers. We haven't measured the Classic, so measure from the bed rail to the highest point of its cab and plan the rack at least 1" above that. The XTR1 Custom Height is built from 10" to 26".
Can I put a rooftop tent on low bed bars?
Yes. XBRS bed bars sit 6" or 8" above the bed rails, hold 1,500 lb parked, start at $732 and take the same tent brackets. At that height the tent stays behind the cab or hangs past the tailgate, and XBRS converts to a full XTR1 later.
Should I get a truck bed tent or a rooftop tent for my Silverado?
A bed tent costs less and needs no rack, but the bed has to be empty before anyone can sleep in it, which usually means unloading in the dark. A rooftop tent rides on the rack, so the bed stays packed underneath.
Do I have to drill my Silverado to mount a bed rack?
Not for ours. XTR racks and XBRS bed bars bolt to the bed rails with the included brackets and hardware.
Spec your Silverado rack
Pick your years, box and height, or build it in 3D first. Not sure about your tent? Email [email protected] or call (316) 330-0024 with the tent model and your truck, and we'll check the fit.
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