Any advice on truck caps? (aka camper shells)

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I had a Snug-top on my Ford Ranger many years ago. I picked this one because it had sliding side windows with screens, no front window because I had an electric slider on my truck, a single rear window handle/latch instead of two latches, and the shape seemed to match my truck better than others at the time. But the paint faded very fast and the cost to repaint or gel-coat it was too much for me at the time. I think and hope they all use better paint now. If I were to buy another one now, I would make sure it has only one rear window handle/latch; That was a biggie for me.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I have a Lear on my truck. I put it on when I bought the truck 9 years ago. It comes in handy on rainy days and lets us take a lot of things. Having been a carpenter for over 15 years it has come in handy. I can load a good deal of lumber on the rack. It does have two locks, but a crow bar in the center can pop it open easily. If you have say, all your tools in there. Well, someone could come along in the middle of the night and take every tool you own.

[Wingeezer]

I put a cap on our last truck - a half ton, and also on our new truck, a three quarter ton.

Prior to that I had no experience with truck caps.

The first one I bought was made by a company called "Hawk." I knew about Leer caps at the time, and heard good things about them, but the Hawk was a few hundred dollars cheaper and from the brochure, looked about the same.

I figured a cap is a cap, better the money in my pocket! It was a bad decision!

From the outset, I was unhappy with it. Should have taken it back for repair attention, but it was not convenient, and the problems were ones that I could live with - although annoying.

The window hardware and tailgate window latches were really poor quality - I had to "modify" the latches multiple times even to get them to catch.

The tailgate window leaked all the time and additional weatherstripping failed to stop it - we had to ensure that anything packed anywhere near the back of the bed had to be in closed rubbermaid boxes.

The fibreglass was of poor quality - it never cracked or anything but had visible ripples in it.

Soooooo..... needless to say, when we bought a new truck last Fall I opted for teh top of the line Leer cap.

Absolutely no regrets, a much better quality product, well designed and executed. I would highly recommend it. I guess you (usually) get what you pay for!

Brian.

PS - since I had never had truck caps before, on my first one, I paid extra to have the front window (the one right behind your truck cab) hinged so I could open it to clean the glass at the back of the cab.

I never really needed it - and furthermore it leaked! I didn't order that feature with teh Leer!

[AirsDream]

I looked at caps and ultimately decided on a solid, folding tonneau from Extang ... too many friends have had their caps broken into and generators, power tools, etc. stolen. Those easy-access windows pry open in seconds with just a large screwdriver. Downsides: less vertical room unless top is folded forward, less total volume, and no "sleeping space." Also, when large things are loaded, have to fold the top forward, so rain, dust, etc. can get into truck bed. Upsides: no windows for bad guys to peer into, and when folded, you can carry HUGE things (such as 55 gal. oil drums, my gigantic snow blower, etc.) that won't fit into / under a cap. Also, easy to climb into bed and walk around for loading - no sore knees from crawling. YMMV.

Ryanh

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by ARMYOFME

Hello Airstreamers! We're total newbies with our 2005 International CCD. We're towing it with a 2008 Tundra SR5 which has been AMAZING so far. We're ready to put a cap on it so we have additional storage area. We're planning to put bike/kayak racks on the top of the cap. Additionally, we'll probably end up getting a generator and might want to store it inside the shell so might need to look into ventilation options.

There are some nice ones out there and we have an idea of the features we know we want but I wondered if anybody had any words of wisdom for us? Like DEFINITELY get one that has a such and such or DO NOT get one that is bladeebla. Or any favorite brands?

We're thinking of the LEER 180: LEER Truck Caps, Toppers and Camper Shells

As always your wisdom and advice is welcome and appreciated!

See you on the road!

Gina

Gina,
I have had two ARE caps. The first one held my truck up from crushing me when I rolled it. I immediately ordered a second one for my new truck.
It is a Cab High. I have a built in rack mount system that is compatable with all Yakima rack systems. I carry my Kayak on top.
http://4are.com

[truckasaurus]

A locking tailgate and double locked diamond-plate tonneau helps keep stuff secure.

[BillB44]

I have three suggestions that have worked for me, regardless which brand you end up with. First, get the roof rack attachment of your choice (Yakima, Thule, etc.) not only for carrying bikes, kayaks or whatever, but also as a way to store the cap when not on the truck. I installed 4 eye hooks in my garage joists and with four cables can back the truck in, hook up to the roof rack (lifting it about two inches) then pull out. Also, as some have mentioned, rear slider window in canopy is a must for cleaning truck window. ALso, the clothes hangers offered are well worth the cost if you want/need a little extra hanging storage for very little extra $$. To me, the big question is cab-high or elevated. Tough call. The added height is VERY helpful, but does impact mileage. I'm wrestling with this one now as I order a new 2010 F-250.

[richinny]

if you ever have to park in a public garage, many areas have height limits of just over 6'. for you lucky folks not packed like sardines, it's not a problem.

[JFScheck]

Originally Posted by jdthor

I also installed a bed-slide so we can get to all the stuff we lug around when we travel.

Off Topic, but which bed slide, how much, and who installed it?

[Airstreamer67]

I bought an ATC Astro camper-top in 1996 when I bought my new F250 PowerStroke. I ordered it using the paint code of the F250, and the match is perfect. It's still serving me well, some 15 years later. The paint and fiberglass have not cracked or faded a bit.

That top has been through a lot, including backing into the gutter on my home, which destroyed the gutter but just put a scratch on the campertop. The fiberglass seems very strudy.

I still get 21 mpg at 70 mph solo with the top on, so I can't see that it has cut my mileage any, even though it is raised at the back. I like the raised feature, since it allows easier access.

My camper-top sure has worked well for me on coast-to-coast trips all these years. It provides a great amount of protected storage on those long journeys.

[Dave Park]

During 2011, I will be making an aeroback cover - a cap that curves down to improve fuel economy. I'll post full details, plans and photos here as it comes together. I'm even thinking of sheathing it in aluminum to match the Airstream that will eventually follow.

[Wingeezer]

For our first truck, about six years ago, I decided to save a few $$ compared to buying a Leer and bought one called a Hawk (or some such name). It wasn't a good idea. I had trouble from day one with the crummy latch arrangement on the tailgate window, it leaked badly, and had ripples in the fibreglass.

For our present truck, bought in 2008, I had learned my lesson and opted for the Leer product instead - I think it was only about $200 more.

Totally satisfied with the Leer in every respect. Well made & looks great.


Brian.

[RickDavis]

Highly recommend buying one with lift up side windows for access to "stuff". Before doing that I carried a 6 ft pole with a hook on the end as a retrieval tool.

Also have found boat racks useful.. For carrying smaller items you can put a couple boards across them. Twice have had to haul a couple dead tires for warranty claims that way.

Aluminum caps are usually not as pretty as fiberglass, but are much lighter. A factor if you need to get the thing on and off the truck regularly. I remove mine with a front loader but not every one has that option.

Our current JASON cap has served well for several hundred k miles and 11 years

[Steamy1]

I purchased a Snugtop to go with my 2010 Tundra. Looked at others, but liked the fact that the edge of the cap extended below the top of the bed. Also upgraded to the "Sportsman" package, which included more insulation in the roof and higher roof-carrying capacity. I have a Thule roof rack system.

Also installed the bed-step on the Tundra to help getting on the tailgate to access the roof rack.

Time will tell how it hold up. I looked at ARE, but my friend had one on his Tundra and did not like it at all. Said the rear hatch rubbed the paint off of his tailgate.

As mentioned by others, the rear hatch is not all that secure on any of them, unless you go with a commercial style. But the Snugtop keeps the dogs and other stuff dry.

I am concerned about how to cool the space down in the summer for the dogs. I installed a remote temp sensor so I could monitor from the passenger compartment. I am looking at 12v portable coolers from Swampy and ArticAir. Please let me know if anyone has any experience with these units.

[JFScheck]

Looks like the little extra money spent on the "known brands" is worth every penny...

[SteveH]

I have the Leer, and now it's on the second truck, about 90K miles, two trips to Alaska, and going on four years old. It was the top of their line when I bought it. Also have the bed rug. It's like a cushioned floor which is good for my old worn out knees. I'm happy with both, but the paint quality could be better on the cap.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Dave Park

During 2011, I will be making an aeroback cover - a cap that curves down to improve fuel economy. I'll post full details, plans and photos here as it comes together. I'm even thinking of sheathing it in aluminum to match the Airstream that will eventually follow.

Have you been over on ECOMODDER? Lot's of good work going on for the subject of pickup truck aerodynamics. The percentage increases are little short of astonishing. You might note that one of the gurus (if he'll not be embarrassed my saying that) lives in North Texas. Looking forward to what you do . . the more detail in pics, the better!!

I bought my truck already equipped with both factory plastic bedliner and a excellent close fit, cab high, LEER bed topper (8' bed). MPG is fairly well unaffected (my highway averages compare with other owners of the same spec truck who have also been truck drivers and drive for economy: 24-27 highway, solo). I would guess that the topper helps 1-mpg in some instances, and hurts about the same in other (prevailing winds).

My topper is at the lower end of the line. Were I starting from scratch I would investigate building it as desired (clothing hanger racks, more and better insulation and lighting, etc). I would also try to devise a way to lift the topper as it's pretty much a three-man job (detachable rings -- from a flush mount -- would be nice).

Security of the bed contents should also be better considered. Even with an electronic lock on the tailgate, the average topper is not hard to break into (ask me). I would investigate this aspect thoroughly. Mine does not have side windows AND I would not have them (delete if offered).

The combination of "aero" and "secure" and "utility" is out there somewhere. Since the cap can be removed at will it is a great addition for RV'ng and general purpose use.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Steamy1

I am concerned about how to cool the space down in the summer for the dogs. I installed a remote temp sensor so I could monitor from the passenger compartment. I am looking at 12v portable coolers from Swampy and ArticAir. Please let me know if anyone has any experience with these units.

Pretty much worthless, by report. I'd get a collar to fit between the truck and cab windows as a seal, and install a 12V RV/truck windshield fan to blow A/C into cab. Maybe a small adjustable vent on topper to help pull old air out. This might be okay up to 90F with low humidity.

Someone, somewhere, has solved this problem.

The pro dog haulers use a rooftop RV air conditioner.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by JFScheck

Off Topic, but which bed slide, how much, and who installed it?

When I had my '08 Dodge Ram 2500, I had a Bed Slide brand bed slide installed. It was the contractor grade and rated for 1800 lbs. I had it full of tools and tool boxes and was very near the rated weight. Never had a problem sliding it in/out.

They are a great asset that allows you to easily access your gear inside the topper without crawling around. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Bedslide Bedslides Bed Slides Bed Slide for your truck

[whitsend]

I just had a Snugtop installed. One handle lock opens & locks the rear window. The side windows both operate on 2 handles that also lock. I really like this one. Well color matched to my truck and easier access to items stored along the sides of the truck, somewhat less so for items sitting in the middle. A bed slide may be next for me?