Camper shells anyone?

If I wanted my truck to look like a "station wagon", I would have bought a 4 Runner.

 

Caps are awesome for dry storage of my tools

A " station wagon " would have worked as well

and if you bought a DCSB , you probably should have just got a 4Runner

 

You can put a smelly bag of trash in the back of a popper and not have to smell it. Put it in the back of 4 runner /fj and you have a problem.

 

I like the carpet over the Toyota bed mat. How does it work? Stay in place well?

 

Until you take it out - put it in the back of your "open" pickup bed, only the guy following smells it. lol

 

I put my leer midrise on last spring. Did 20k cross country road trip spread across 4 mos. Built a platform for the back the back that split storage and sleeping area as equal as I could. Worked out mint for the trip. Only a couple things I would change acces and storage wise.

 

They have the soft putty and about 6 inches of silicone but still leaks. Leer told them that some Tacoma's just won't seal. I have received several suggestions on here but don't feel like I should have to pull the cap and try to fix a new almost $2K cap. Waiting to see if it will settle in but dealer will refund my money if it continues to leak.

I have no leaking from the tailgate.

 

I used 2 weatherstrips at the front , one on the top of the bed rail to bring it up to the same height as the bed cap and a 2" wide strip side to side that spans over the first and wraps about 1/2" down the face of the bed between the bed and cab

 

that sucks! i can't believe leer would say that. i would contact leer,2k and it leaks.

 

Pretty much the same here. My ARE has been on since 2006 with no issues. I added a Yakima track system on top to carry boats, bikes, rod holder, etc. The truck usually stays partially loaded with camping gear uness I need to carry something; I've got a utility trailer for anything that doesn't fit with the shell.

 

I have had several trucks over the past 30 or so years, some have had caps and some haven't. I currently have a 2014 TRD DCSB OR with a Leer 100XL. I use trucks with and without caps and there are good reasons to have and not to have one. However, if you're going to get one, these are my recommendations. Regardless as to whether you get a sliding window or not, get the window that folds into the bed. You won't regret it. It allows you to clean the rear window of the truck without having to take the cap off. Get the carpet liner for the cap and get it in black. It helps reduce some of the noise but more importantly, it makes it very difficult to see what is in the bed of the truck. People don't generally break in to steal unless they know something is in there or they can see something. I sprung for two interior lights. They are on each end. I can turn one on by reaching in from the cab and the other when opening the back hatch. Our truck, because of the bed rail caps, is more difficult to seal than one without. Do yourself a favor and buy from a reputable dealer and pay the installation fee. They will have the experience to seal it and if they don't you can take it back. If you are concerned about theft, get a pop lock for your tailgate. If you need to haul items and keep them dry, a cap is a very good solution.

 

I've had a LEER on all 3 of mine, wouldn't be without it even if my boys say it makes it look like an "old man's truck". I had a tonneau for 6 months and sold it, now that is something that restricts you, although I like the looks of it better. I've had a LEER 100R on the '06 and now a LEER XL on my '13 and '14....love them!

 

Uh huh, station wagon...





GFY

 

Love my cap. All my trucks have had caps on them. Keeps everything out of the weather and dry. There are times that it is inconvenient but 9 times out of 10 it is the best thing on my truck. If I off roaded more than I do or into extreme wheeling I would have gotten a bed rack. The cap suits all my needs and wants.

 

Yes. I actually just replaced it with the same stuff. That piece was in there for 4 years and started to mold to the mat. It works great for me. $20 a roll 5x7. At Wally World.

 

I love my ARE MX. I ordered it with Yakima racks, dual sliding windoors, carpet, and dual LED lighting strips with lift switches. The cap paid for itself the very first week I got it. I loaded it up, and moved across the country. A trailer, pod, or anything else would have cost a similar amount and I wouldn't have gained a permanent asset. Visibility is less but I do have a backup camera, however it's still a downside for me. All season camping, gear hauling, trash loads, never again have an "unsecured" load. I hose it out below the carpet when it get's dirty; too easy.

One annoyance for me is the rear window getting dirty. Another is the creaking/rattle noise it makes. Not loud, but ceaseless.

 

I just got mine and so far I love it. Drove from Houston to Colorado and didn't have to worry about my stuff getting wet, stolen every time we stopped for food or gas, or blown out the back. I got mine from CL for a decent price. If I don't like it 6 months from know, I can sell it for about what I paid and walk away.

 

Bought the truck August 2007, put the shell on it 2 weeks later. It's never been off. Tacoma 5' beds aren't long enough to haul anything of any real size and the trucks suspension isn't heavy duty enough to carry any weight. But it tows almost as well as a typical 1/2 ton. If I need to haul anything of any size my 10' utility trailer does it better anyway. I have far more lockable dry storage space than a 4-Runner for $6000 less money even after factoring in the cost of the shell and just as much passenger room and comfort. It is a lot easier to hose out the back after hauling dirty stuff in the back.

I wouldn't have a truck without one.

 

Eventually, I'll get a shell. For now, though, a soft tonneau and locking tailgate handle will do.