Install Leer truck cap bed rails from factory tonneau leaks?

Ok I have a factory tri-fold tonneau on my 2016 Tacoma. I am taking it off and ordered a new Leer 100xq
My question is the plastic bed rail caps have the cut outs for the mounting brackets on the tonneau
Do I need to change those to the ones without the cut outs before I have the cap mounted?
I am asking mainly about leakage issues?

 

I have experience with leers and the 100xq. Take a pic of the cuts so we can see

 

Didn't notice you have a 3rd gen, my rail caps are a little different. But I think you'll be ok, there's plenty of room for some camper tape along the top. It should seal fine

Those shock mount studs may need to be removed

 

You should be fine as the cap overhangs the side rails. Where my Leer 100XR leaks is at the two front corners, where the side rails meet the front of the bed. Make sure to seal up these corners good.

 

Yes I do plan on taking them and the hardware off to sell the tonneau.

 

I have a Leer 100R and it'd mount on your bed just fine. I imagine the Leer XQ mounts the same way as the 100R.. it's just a bit fancier. Congrats!

 

No problem with the cutouts in the plastic bed caps. They will be hidden under the bottom of the Leer cap.

However, you need to seal under the bed caps. The caps need to be removed in order to do this. (Water gets in from under the truck, through the holes for mounting the bed caps.) Seal inboard of the holes, and then reinstall the caps.

When you have a factory tonneau cover, Toyota includes the rubber plugs for the front corners of the bed. Otherwise, these plugs would cost you more than $60 as parts. These are important in sealing the bed in preparation for the camper shell.

I would suggest preparing the truck for the camper wiring ahead of time. Leer sells a kit for this that plugs into the trailer receptacle behind the back bumper. That way you avoid tapping into the factory wiring. Camper dealers will generally not use this kit, unless requested, because it adds between $60 and $100 to the cost.

 

Thanks I will take care of that!!
Should I silicone all the way around under the bed caps?

 

This is not easy to explain. When you remove the bed caps, you will see that the bottoms are not flat. (The caps are held on by clips through holes in the sheet metal. Pull up carefully so as to not break the clips.)

The bottoms of the caps have a network of reinforcing ribs. These ribs are what make contact with the sheet metal. You want to put your sealant where the ribs make contact. Also, this should be inboard of the clip holes. Leave a path for water to drain to the outside of the truck if it comes up through the holes.

There is also a cap at the front of the bed, held on by 5 bolts. Remove that and seal under it as well. That part is easy. Add more sealant to the corners, including around the rubber plugs.

 

Can anyone buy the wiring kit online? Thx and by the way your truck is perfect

 

Yes, the #300200 is the one you want. It appears they raised the price since I got mine. You might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere.

https://www.ezwheeler.com/products/third-brake-light-7-way-interface-plug-in-t-harness-300200

 

Thx very much