Wheres a good place in the bay to get a shell installed

Hi everyone, new member here. I tried searching for this and didn't see anything, sorry if i missed it. I just got a new trd off road and Im ready to go car camping and find some stars. Any recommendations on where to go or avoid for getting a shell. So far loving this truck, speed bumps are so fun!

 

Where do you live?

 

I'm in Berkeley

 

This is where i got mine
https://www.yelp.com/biz/custom-truck-south-san-francisco-2

If I can give you some advice, get one that has the bells and whistles because I ended up buying a "cheap" Leer, now I regret not getting certain options like the reinforcement etc

 

Advice is definitely welcome, thanks. Can i ask why you wish youd gotten reinforcements? I was thinking leer because thats what I see most of, but this is my first truck so im open to suggestions

 

Congrats on the new truck!! I have a buddy who's family owns Campways in Santa rosa where I live so im a little biased toward them. I bought my ladder rack for my other truck there and had it installed with the high top camper. Im not to familiar with your area so hopefully someone will chime in. Good luck!

 

Congrats and welcome!

 

I was also going to suggest Custom Truck. Thats where I bought mine but in redwood city. They have a few spots.

 

I want to put a RTT lol. But some other things I wish I got was the Thule tracks on top. After I got the shell, I went down the rabbit hole of things I wish I got.

Make sure you order it with the removable window so it makes it easier to clean your rear truck windows. There always seems to be a coupon for free shell carpet.

 

Thats good to know thank you! Any idea what kind of price to expect for a reinforced leer shell? Likely with a removeable window and sliding windows on the sides. Plan on doing a lot of car camping with the dog.

 

I would suggest windoors for the sides you can have more access more so then sliding doors. thats the one big thing I wish I had. If you decide to add drawers/slides etc you can access now from 3 points rather than 1.

Also if you look into ARE or some of the commercial ones they have more support for a tent etc. I think ARE has an expo version for this kind of stuff. The standard is likely ok but you will be exceeding the shells limits with regular use.

New shells will be around 1500-2400 with tracks. the track on the top are about $400 installed. I think the expo version for ARE are somewhere around that range.

I prob would have got this one if it existed when I got mine:
https://www.4are.com/product/overland/ Starts at $2299.

 

i got great services at BILL's truck box in MArtinez CA. i didnt even buy my top there. i simply asked, "do they all leak?".

they took my top off and tried to seal it better. zero charge. i was impressed with them, altho the top still leaks a tad. i think it is my old topper.

 

Bay Truck Accessories in Daly City hands down.
Living in oakland I was equidistant to campways and bay truck and bay truck was almost 1/2 the price of campways and did the work super fast.

I had a camper shell window replaced, it was a special window that had to be special ordered.

 

It was around 2k

I priced one out a few years ago to everything I wanted, reinforcement, baydoors, etc etc, it was like 3500 lol

 

Ill check them out thanks for the info!

 

After buying this new tacoma I'd like to not spend too much for a while, ha. 3.5k might be pushing it but i dont need all the bells and whistles, 2-2.5K is justifiable though

 

I went to Campway in Martinez and they had the cheapest price for my topper. Fast instal and the manager there is really nice.

 

Cheaper sounds nice after getting this truck, ill give them a call later this week, thanks! After a little research im thinking A.R.E mx shell

 

I got my snugtop while I was living in the Midwest. I paid around $3400 for a rebel with the sportsman package (reinforced fiberglass that holds 500 dynamic lbs) In 2018, similar to the ARE CX with the aluminum skeleton internals. I got the reinforced one because I like to carry a lot of equipment and gear on my roof.

I got windoors on the right side and a pet screen slider on the left with rear folding glass, led light interior and carpeted roof. I wish I got two led strips instead of one and two windoors. I also regret not getting an automatic lock as it makes getting into the bed a lot easier. It was not recommended in the Midwest winters as it could have froze up. That shouldn’t be a problem here though.