Camper top front bed seal

Hey all,
I recently put in a Jeraco mid-rise camper top, and have the gap a the front bed wall. Currently, I have a pc of pool noodle foam stuffed in there, obviously not a long term solution. Was thinking about getting an adhesive backed foam, but figured I'd ask the people who have done this before what they've done for a more permanent and lasting solution. Pics if you have them.
Did you also put rubber between the bed rail and bottom of the camper top?

I'm not looking to 100% leak proof it, but enough to store things in there and keep them mostly dry if we go camping. Currently making a bed platform utilizing the bed side notches, currently waiting on corner rounding router bit to round the edges of the boards, then stain and seal. Also looking to line the inside of the camper top with something, that'll also hide the staining on the front wall (maybe leaned against a tree for some time before I bought it?)...

I've put new locking knobs on the cap, new 3rd light with a backing plate I made on my mill, new rubber flap at the tailgate window. Added fused 12v outlet gang in the driver side pocket, with a 4-flat trailer connector to bed cap for lights.


I did use the forum search, but didn't come up with anything specific to this in 2nd gen.

Thanks for any insight you may offer!

Pics of cap attached, I think...

 

I have a friend who used a pool noodle on her truck cap, has been holding up in her truck for the past 2 years.

I used a few products before breaking down and buying "the good stuff". I used

$40 ESI Ultra Cap Seal 1 1/2" Width x 5/8" Height x 23' Length, EPDM Rubber for Caps Over 200 lbs

this cap seal all around the bed caps, and

$16 ESI Front Rail Seal 6ft EPDM Rubber

this front rail seal to get the front rail level with the bed sides, then used more cap seal on top of that. No leaks from there anymore. Just a little from my windoors now.

 

Did you buy this new or used? The reason I'm asking is because the cap is sitting ON the bed rails and the sides of the bed rails are exposed. I'm not familiar with Jerico toppers, but most manufactures make them to sit on the rails, but also have a skirt that covers the top of the bed rail. So I'm guessing the reason you have such a large gap up front is because you have a shell that's not made for your particular model/year.

If you bought it new, your dealer should make things right.

 

This is how my Leer shell fits over the bed rails.

 

I bought it used, was told it came off a same gen Tacoma. The bottom of the cap is flat, where it meets the bed. So there isn't a chance of it sitting any lower to reduce the front wall gap. I've read that the front wall gap is present for virtually any aftermarket thing that goes on, whether it be a cap, or a tonneau cover. I did just order the 2 items posted by ryfox

 

I'm not sure if you can zoom in on it, but you can see there's no gap between the cap and bed rails vertically. Sure, it may be 1/2" to 1" or so narrower in width, but that's no the issue here. I think the photos make it look like the cap more narrow than it really is. It's fairly close to flush. The bottom of the cap is all 1 plane, with no steps or undercuts.

 

I have a second gen and the snugtop is similar to @Rocketball - not sure why that gap would be there

Related - anyone have a good method for cleaning the rear cab window and front topper window? Gap is too tight to really get in there with anything

 

Unclamp topper and slide back a few inches? That's what I did with mine after I fit it on there... Granted I should have cleaned it FIRST.

 

On your toppers, do your toppers have a "lip" that sits down into the gap there? Or did the installer fill it with rubber?

 

Rocketball yours looks like it has some sort of "filler" material there that's not apart of the cap itself?

 

I've had good luck with a garage door seal (the one that goes on the bottom edge of the door) on my not quite right sized ranger top and some 3M weatherstrip adhesive.

 

A few more shots I just went out and took. Notice the flat underside of cap, and that it's fairly flush with bed rail sides. There's just a height difference between the top of the bed rails and the bed front wall.

 

Mine has a gasket that hangs over the front inside and outside - I think you're just missing that

 

This is it. I have an ARE cap and they all have that same issue on the front because the bed rail drops. I'm shocked that someone doesn't market a simple plastic extrusion that can fill this, but rubber seals will work. Just not as glamorous. ARE sells a seal at additional cost to address this, and it's worked on my truck for ~10 years. there are a lot of threads here on this, including one that used an aluminum extrusion ? with a seal on top of it.

 

Maybe try a squeegee or a swiffer or something.

 

Correct. There's a layer of neoprene adhesive backed tape between the bed rails and the cap. It acts as a cushion and compresses/fills any irregularities between the rails and cap so there is a tight fit that should be almost 100% water tight. What you are seeing in the photo is the tape has moved a bit from vibration over the 10+ years it's been in there and has bunched up a bit.

 

The tape is very common and you shoul be able to buy it at any place that sells/installs caps.

 

Rocketball did you also have the ~3/4" gap as well when it was installed? How did they fill that? I mean at this point I have a decent plan hashed out to resolve this. But I'm still curious of what others have done, if they haven't done the adhesive stuff mentioned in post #2.

 

Cleaning is the exact reason I spent the extra few dollars and got the removable rear window in the cap. Now have I used that feature to clean the windows.... Yes, but only once in 10+ years.

 

Haha never would have thought of it - I just have a sliding window but maybe I can squeeze something back there