Does anyone use a truck cap? I was thinking of getting one for my F150 but wonder if it would stay sealed against the bed. I won't be taking my truck offroad (trails) much but the mtn roads can be pretty washed out at times. The beach is also a pretty rough place; like craters and such. Thoughts?
Truck Cap?
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Member III
I use one on my 150 and have on past trucks as well. I use AC weatherstripping on top of the bed rails to seal between the bed and cap. This works very well. There are also random holes in the bed that I seal with silicone (check the corners up under the bed rails). The rear window is always the tough spot to seal and keep out dust and dirt... I do the best I can but every cap is different. Good luck!!!
Advocate III
I've used truck caps of various sizes over the years, some large enough to have a pass-thru door in back and about 5' inside height (but just a cap, not a camper), and some just same height as the cab, and never had any problems with any of them shifting over rough roads, back country camping, Titus Canyon in Death Valley, or at highway speeds for hours on end.
All had weatherstripping of one sort or another run 'round the edge of the pickup bed, tight at the corners. Adhesive on one side. I remember one weatherstripping I liked was gray, about 1.25" - 1.5" wide, was super adhesive with a paper release and easy to align on the truck, and easy to get off when it came time to sell the cap.
Most of the caps I've done were just C-clamped down, and tight, checked often, though one cap was bolted through with fender washers to each side.
All had weatherstripping of one sort or another run 'round the edge of the pickup bed, tight at the corners. Adhesive on one side. I remember one weatherstripping I liked was gray, about 1.25" - 1.5" wide, was super adhesive with a paper release and easy to align on the truck, and easy to get off when it came time to sell the cap.
Most of the caps I've done were just C-clamped down, and tight, checked often, though one cap was bolted through with fender washers to each side.
Just ordered a SnugTop Rebel. Cha ching! Options= heavy duty fiberglass layup (500 lb roof), tilt sliding front window, dome + strip lighting. Wanted roof racks too but dealership couldn't guarantee the tracks would be parallel to each other. We even went out to measure some caps they had. Parallel tracks mean no adjustments if you slide/move the crossbars for diff loads. So, I'll add a rack later.
I’ve had 3 caps now. One aluminum and two ARE fiberglass. If your buying new the dealer should silacone and install an good cap seal. I’ve yet to have a leak with my ARE and I love their window lines compared to other brands.
Tailgate seal will help keep dust out if your so concerned, but the seal beteeen the bed and is the least of the worries at hand if done right.
Tailgate seal will help keep dust out if your so concerned, but the seal beteeen the bed and is the least of the worries at hand if done right.
I wanted a cap with a high roof load rating. Snugtop offers the Sportsman pkg, that gives you a 500 lb rating. ARE has the Heavy Duty option but that puts an aluminum frame between cap and bed. I favored the heavy layup approach of ST and the fairly high roof load.
I don't plan on putting 500 pounds on top of my cap. Can't imagine the forces generated on a washboard road, tossing the roof load up and down. However, my kayaks are like 100 lbs each and I think that will be just fine. Also, I don't plan on putting a RTT up there but I don't want to start down a path that would prevent it. A rack with 4 crossbars on it would hold the RTT. From what I've seen, each crossbar is good for about 110 pounds of loading.
Speaking of roof racks ... I didn't order it from the dealer. I wanted racks to move the crossbars for different loads. Its tons easier when the tracks are parallel to each other. You don't have to do any adjustments to the crossbars then. However, we measured a few from diff brands and none of them were parallel. I'll add the rack myself at a later date.
I don't plan on putting 500 pounds on top of my cap. Can't imagine the forces generated on a washboard road, tossing the roof load up and down. However, my kayaks are like 100 lbs each and I think that will be just fine. Also, I don't plan on putting a RTT up there but I don't want to start down a path that would prevent it. A rack with 4 crossbars on it would hold the RTT. From what I've seen, each crossbar is good for about 110 pounds of loading.
Speaking of roof racks ... I didn't order it from the dealer. I wanted racks to move the crossbars for different loads. Its tons easier when the tracks are parallel to each other. You don't have to do any adjustments to the crossbars then. However, we measured a few from diff brands and none of them were parallel. I'll add the rack myself at a later date.
We use a Cap/Shell on our 99 F-250 Short bed and we love it. Wife and I sleep in it and haul things for the house, yard and racing in it as well as use it for camping/overlanding.
I made my own rack to suit our needs and to mount awnings for shade. Still have a lot of things to add but we are getting closer to having it done.. Yah right .. LOL
I made my own rack to suit our needs and to mount awnings for shade. Still have a lot of things to add but we are getting closer to having it done.. Yah right .. LOL
Some are huge as in 4 to 5" of open spaces in the upper front corners not sure what ford was thinking?
New to overlanding but above is my rig with Leer cap. I have a decked system inside as well. Will try to take some more pics this weekend. I am looking for a roof rack (above the crew cab, not the cap) but next mod is dual battery setup (have all the hardware) and a Cobra CB.
Influencer II
I've had a few trucks without caps, and put one on my 99 Silverado last year. Picked it up for $50 used from a friend. I was nervous about how it would seal/stay. I put a lot of miles on for my day job, and haul sound equipment and music gear a lot, so watertight is important. Aside from a few small leaks I need to patch (mostly vents and window corners) I love it and won't have a truck without a cap again. I've done some pretty wild donuts and romping on hunting land with the cap on and it stayed exactly where I put it. I used weather stripping between the bed and cap, but I only used the sticky side on the bed. Left the cover on the other side, I will likely change that next time it comes off though.
Enthusiast I
Been debating on whether to get a truck cap (for storage, etc) or keep the bed rack - my main concern has been static weight limit on the roof. Googling has been hit or miss since it seems like most dealers will only talk about dynamic loads. Anyone have experience with 600 lbs on the roof (RTT + People + dog) when camping (so static weight)? Any issues with the shell cracking, etc?
I do believe that the construction of the cap and the rack are both important. Our cap is a 12 year old model and the company has gone out of business so no way to call and ask them about it. It has a 5/8" or so thicker top section over 3 feet wide running the full length of the top, not sure if it is intended for rack mounting?
But the PO had installed a rack by drilling holes along the center of the radius where the top curves down to become the sides. I tried to fashion plates to match this radius 6" long and 2.5" wide to make use of some of these holes. I used three per side two bolts each to bolt them to the cap and then tacked the "legs" of the assembled rack to the plates.
Point is that if the weight is spread out on the cap at the caps strength points or area you should be ok. But buying a simple two rail mounting system with four points of contact on the top/roof, I would worry about that. The more mounting points for the rack to the cap the less weight each point has on it. So I would get or build a rack that has 6 to 8 points of contact each being 4"x2" in surface size to spread the load out on the fiberglass or plastic, if I were you.
I walk around on the roof of ours - so 220 lbs or so on a 13"long x 4" wide footprint going to an even smaller area as I lift my heel stepping has not harmed the roof yet.
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Enthusiast I
Thanks for the input! I definitely agree that having additional supports would help with the RTT situation. I've seen some folks talk about going the route of purchasing caps that have an aluminum frame instead of fiberglass; contractor caps and the like. But, I'm not sure if that is really necessary or not.
What kind of cap are you currently running?
I believe ours is a Vision ( http://www.actioncampershells.com/catalog/item/4108515/4107856.htm )
When I was installing our rack the had to drill holes and the glass averaged 1/4' to 5/16" thick everywhere. And as far as the factory rated load capabilities they are set for safety, driving down the highway at 65 plus miles an hour. So most will put it a 150 lbs max for liability reasons because most people are not wise, top heavy vehicle roll over.
Will constructed fiberglass caps will do the job - Aeroklas Australia makes there caps out of vacuum formed plastic and they can withstand rollovers.
Also I think the fiberglass ones are more aerodynamic and help mileage some - until you put a rack and RRT on them.
When I was installing our rack the had to drill holes and the glass averaged 1/4' to 5/16" thick everywhere. And as far as the factory rated load capabilities they are set for safety, driving down the highway at 65 plus miles an hour. So most will put it a 150 lbs max for liability reasons because most people are not wise, top heavy vehicle roll over.
Will constructed fiberglass caps will do the job - Aeroklas Australia makes there caps out of vacuum formed plastic and they can withstand rollovers.
Also I think the fiberglass ones are more aerodynamic and help mileage some - until you put a rack and RRT on them.
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