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Canopy Leaks?

Discussion in 'Technical Chat' started by BCparamedic, Apr 6, 2012.

  1. Apr 6, 2012 at 4:23 PM
    #1
    BCparamedic

    BCparamedic [OP] Member

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    Shay
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    Hey everyone, probably writing this thread 2 weeks late because I've already ordered a Leer Canopy for Cap-It, but I'm just wondering what kind of success people have had on newer Tacoma's in regards to keeping water from leaking in. I plan on building a bed in the back of the truck for camping in and have heard from a lot of people that canopy's are terrible for keeping water out on certain trucks.

    Anyone have any experience with different canopies and tacomas?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Apr 6, 2012 at 4:45 PM
    #2
    gorillaford

    gorillaford Well-Known Member

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    oregon
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    My leer leaks, at rear light, and front corners, they used silicone to sealthe front corners, but the 2 punk kids that installed it did a shitty job! Waitingfor dry day to fix it. No I did not let them wire it. I could only imagine whatkind of job that would have been. Will find another dealer to warranty rearlight, or just fix that myself too!
     
  3. Apr 6, 2012 at 4:48 PM
    #3
    BCparamedic

    BCparamedic [OP] Member

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    I'm wondering if I should have gone with an A.R.E

    Leer sounds like a piece of crap from what I can find online about them... But is ARE any better? Know knows!
     
  4. Apr 6, 2012 at 5:16 PM
    #4
    skidooman

    skidooman I'm your huckleberry

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    Northern Nevada
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    Kings, JBA, BAMF, C4, Deaver, Prinsu, TJM, SnugTop, 5.29s
    I've had good luck with my snugtop. It's leaks a little around the windows, but I have windoors. The rear corners where the back glass meets the shell theres a gap. Neither leak in rain or snow, but when I wash it a little gets in.
     
  5. Apr 6, 2012 at 5:27 PM
    #5
    Royden

    Royden Active Member

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    lost somewhere in NW Mt.
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    '05 DCSB Taco
    We have had an ARE for about two months on our '05 taco. It has windoors, front slider, carpet etc. The windoors stay dry except for thru the carwash - I may be able to reduce the amount of water that gets in by tightening the latch's but it will never completely keep the high pressure water out.

    On the highway and in the few rainstorms we've had the cap has stayed dry.

    However! The bed leaks around the inverter plug and near the tailgate latch's. Not enough to matter in most cases - except for the car wash!

    In hindsight I wish I had gotten one windoor and one sliding window just for ventilation ... as it is right now the only ventilation our Golden Retriever gets is when we open the front slider - I really don't know if he is getting CO2 in there or not:confused:
     
  6. Apr 6, 2012 at 5:27 PM
    #6
    wolftree

    wolftree Well-Known Member

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    BCparamedic,

    Build your bed using the slots in the bedwalls. Even if you have a leak, your bedding will be dry. All caps can leak in the worst conditions. Just how big of leak depends on the sealing gaskets.
     
  7. Apr 6, 2012 at 5:40 PM
    #7
    John3

    John3 Well-Known Member

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    I had a leak around the third brake light in my 100XQ. It has a foam rubber gasket that didn't seal quite tight enough against the cap. I pulled it and sealed it with silicone...bone dry ever since.
     
    crackils likes this.
  8. Apr 6, 2012 at 5:43 PM
    #8
    joes06tacoma

    joes06tacoma Well-Known Member

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    Central Coast, CA
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    LEER Shell with dome lights operated with 3 way switches, aux backup lights with relay and 3 position switch, modified wiring to compass/temp display and clock to include switch that disables dimming function (poor man's DRL solution), Scan Gauge 2
    My Leer doesn't leak.

    They used mastic to seal the two front corners. I had to go back and apply silicone to seal the plastic bed rail caps to the metal bed sides. I was getting a little bit of water from there. Since I did that, no problems at all.

    Edit: I have no complaints at all on the shell. I've had it almost two years and it seems to be a quality product. The dealer I bought mine from sells ARE and LEER. He said he has no preference for one or the other. They both looked about the same to me.
     
  9. Apr 6, 2012 at 6:00 PM
    #9
    Goober

    Goober Earthlings are fun to watch!

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    Very happy with my Leer. I've had 3 Leers and 1 ARE, all were good. Only had a little water come in through the tailgate. More so dust gets in through the gap around the tailgate. I'm going to get a tailgate seal kit or just door weather stripping. I've had Leers on other trucks and never had a leak problem. I think the problem is with Toyotas bed design. This is the only model the dealer had to put silicone on.

    ARE puts a big tubular gasket but still has gaps.
     
  10. Apr 6, 2012 at 10:40 PM
    #10
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

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    No issues with my Leer 100RCC , only time it leaks is if I spray up under the sides with a hose when I'm washing it . The Tacoma has a difficult to seal area at the front of the bed in the corners , extra care needs to be taken here during install .
     
  11. Apr 6, 2012 at 10:45 PM
    #11
    Yoytoda

    Yoytoda The Little Truck That Could

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    x2 mine leaked but then i lifted the front and the seal had come loose and folded. positioning near the front of the bed rails is key. if done right i havent had any leaks.
     
  12. Apr 7, 2012 at 9:22 AM
    #12
    sparkystaco

    sparkystaco Well-Known Member

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    3" lift? A.R.E cap 285/70/17 moto metal 955 17x9
     
  13. Apr 7, 2012 at 9:44 AM
    #13
    Royden

    Royden Active Member

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    lost somewhere in NW Mt.
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    thanks!
    Thought about that - I knew when we got the topper that they made such a critter - also thought about just using a piece of foam cut to fit that would seal (cheap!) - it would be good for heating/AC the topper, but Gus is just gonna have to deal with heat/cold - its MT and he lives outside anyhow. My question is without some exterior ventilation, does the topper build up CO2? Maybe ... so until that question is answered I'll leave the front slider open which seems to ventilate very well due to air suction over the cab. If I get too curious I'll put our house CO2 detector in the bed during a road trip and monitor the readings.
     
  14. Apr 7, 2012 at 9:51 AM
    #14
    OffroadToy

    OffroadToy old, forgetful, and decomposing

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    My Snugtop SuperSport had a leak around the 3rd brake light...screws came loose from bouncing around on dirt roads. After i snugged up the screws the canopy has been as water tight as a fishes ass hole.
     
    paradox4286 likes this.
  15. Apr 7, 2012 at 10:12 AM
    #15
    BCparamedic

    BCparamedic [OP] Member

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    Thanks for your help guys! I'll just make sure it doesn't leak in the first few months and if there are any issues I'll make sure to bring it back to cap-it to have them do it right.
     
  16. Apr 7, 2012 at 10:39 AM
    #16
    skiracer0112

    skiracer0112 Well-Known Member

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    The one place I have had a slight leak is the right front corner where the pieces of the bed rail cap meet. When it was installed they used silicone to seal it but it cracked after about months. It was letting in rain when it was very heavy driving rain and wind but they resealed it for me an I've had no problems since.
     
  17. May 21, 2014 at 7:21 PM
    #17
    Becky

    Becky Member

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    cap
    I had a great ARE cap for years on my first Tacoma. Was happy so went with ARE again when I got my new Tacoma. Second cap was FAR poorer quality: lots of sharp bits of fiberglass sticking out all over the inside: cut myself several times before I covered the rough spots with metallic duct tape. Also, the door on the topper went up WAY too high. I'm 5'7" and had to jump to reach it. My wife couldn't reach it at all. I had to tie a rope to the handle for her to reach it! (I have the taller cap.) I finally drilled out the screws on the hydraulic lifters and repositioned them to a reasonable height. That worked, but I shouldn't have had to. They should design for humans not giants.
    Re: leaking: TONS of leaking at the front where the cap meets the truck bed, but the problem is with the new Tacomas, rather than with the cap I think. The installer guy said the problem is that the new Tacomas don't have a real metal frame in front (it's more of a scaffold just to hold the built-in bed liner) and so water gets in at the front corners. I took it back for re-instal and he put a bunch of putty in there, but within a few months it was leaking again. I have tried putty and duct tape… still tons of leaks. But I think the problem is with the construction of the new Tacoma. I didn't have these problems with the old (smaller) Tacoma. I'm going to try the silicone approach this time and hope for the best...
     
  18. May 22, 2014 at 7:29 AM
    #18
    Goober

    Goober Earthlings are fun to watch!

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    Here's a photo of the silicon my leer dealer put at the front corner of the bed liner and along the front bed rail . You can see they put more on than just the corners, extend it along the front of the bed rail.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2014
  19. May 22, 2014 at 7:03 PM
    #19
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

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    No tape on the front of the bed ?
     
  20. May 23, 2014 at 7:12 AM
    #20
    Goober

    Goober Earthlings are fun to watch!

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    Utah - Why just have only one?
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    The Leer has a permanent rubber gasket all the way around that seals the front. Only needs the sealant at the front corners. I've taken the shell off and on multiple times and never had a problem with leaks and never had to replace the sealant.
     

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