The Fellowship of PNW Tacomas | PDX Area Wheeling

Any idea what it weighs?

 

The other thing though, tire compound, air pressure, tread design, weight, temperature, driver skill, and a slew of other factors will make more of a difference in a tires function than an inch or less difference in tread width will. My hunch/educated guess is that 99% of the time wide vs skinny will be negligible and both will perform as needed and extremely similar in most cases. The width of a tire is really one of the last things to account for in a tires capability when only dealing with a few inches or less difference. Now, when we get into comparing a giant ass construction tire vs a tire on a wheelbarrow, that's when we'd really see advantages vs disadvantages in width as the other variables will carry much less weight in their effects on capability.

 

Mine was $1600 in fall of 2018. Pretty basic model too. Weighs right around 170lbs if I recall correctly.

 

I priced a lot of canopies last year. Anything under $2000 was very basic. Add in carpet, single knob in the rear, sliding side windows, folding front, and tracks and prices quickly got closer to $3000. Searched for six months daily to find mine used because of this.

 

Mine has sliding windows and I think ARE comes standard with the single open latch. I got Yakima tracks installed at re-rack for like $200 I think. But when I looked at the windoors & the model with a slightly higher top it was easily over $2600 and I just couldn’t justify that.

 

Keeping honest people honest.

I generally look at locking things as just making it annoying enough for thieves that they hopefully move on to the next one instead. If they really want it they’re gonna get it.

 

I appreciate the input. That design, with the bed rails being slightly higher, makes for an annoying area to seal.

 

With all the bed rail sealing talk here is what I did l on my 2nd gen. Ditched the plastic caps, spray bedlined my rails (to cover all the gouges in my paint from 8 years with a fiberglass shell and the plastic caps in place), layer of butyl window flashing tape to cover all the holes, then bulb seals on top. I hear the 3rd gen plastic caps aren’t as stupidly designed as 2nd gens but don’t have any experience with them.

 

Does anyone have any first hand experience with the UPtop Truss? I'm eyeballing the half rack, but I'm admittedly a bit nervous pulling the trigger since there's a shit ton of options lol

Or know anyone in the forums that does have first hand? Figured I'd ask here before digging for 2nd Gen bed rack threads lol


EDIT: I'm looking at RTT like the Roofnest Sparrow or some sort of hardtop/clam shell camper; truck is already lifted and don't wanna get too top heavy/wobbly on the road. Hence specifically looking at half racks. I like the modularity of the UT Truss and how it's all aluminum and holes are mostly all predrilled for "typical" stuff

 

Does that compress well with the weight of the shell?

 

Wow, didn't realize how much more expensive canopies are now a days. Honestly if the cap is reaching $3000, you may as well go another $3000-$4000 and get an actual camper, GFG, AT or SP. At least then it would be more than just a cover over the truck bed.

 

A lot of it comes down to what your purpose is and what you can afford. Nothing is a one size fits all product. Sure a nice alucab would be nice or RSI Smart Cap. But for me, I just needed something to keep junk from blowing out going down the road and to place gear when we go camping. Saved me a lot of money going with an ARE then chasing the latest trend. That’s how I feel at least.
I currently use a cheap tonneau cover, if the cap is at least as water tight as that, I’m happy.

 

Nice work.

 

Looking at shit I cannot afford right now. Found these rock sliders. Thought about posting on the craigslist thread, but figured I would see if anyone here was interested.

https://offerup.com/item/detail/1067613369/

 

190 lbs according to the spec sheet.

 

compresses great. It’s a foam double bulb seal.

https://www.mcmaster.com/93085K92/

And just to clarify I’m using it with a steel framed wedge camper so alittle different but same idea.

 

I should do that to mine. Involves lifting the top off though.. not looking forward to that part.

 

I feel ya. I seriously regret only putting one coat of paint on the frame of my wedge camper because I ran out and didn’t wanna wait for more steel it to ship.

I’m just letting it rust in a few spots until I muster up the motivation to pull it off and re-spray sometime this summer. Realistically I’ll probably procrastinate until the fall and then rush to get it done right before the rain shows back up.

 

This is my life with just about everything I do.

 

It’s not fun, but doable. Once you take all your clamps off you can get in the bed and basically squat lift to break it free. I got mine loose and then me, wife & neighbor carried it to the side yard and on to sawhorses. 4 people would be optimal for moving it though.