Remove cap to install bed stiffeners?

Hi folks! New RSI Smartcap owner here! Found a deal on the cap and had to jump on it.

I want bed stiffeners now. Is it recommended to remove the cap before install? Or can I just throw them in?

Using an angle finder, both bedsides measure about 90.1 degrees exactly to the bottom of the bed. Truck is a 2021 and cap has been on about a month.

 

Just slap them on. No need to remove cap, especially since your bedsides are square.

 

Concur. My previous Tacoma had a cap for about two years and 16k miles before I added stiffeners. I left the cap in place, and they installed without any issues.

 

Looking at the installation instructions most bed stiffeners are independent of anything the cap will touch. The only area to watch out for is the tail light assembly where you need to tap into the wiring. Verify your stiffener doesn't interfere. Most likely it doesn't.

If you want side molle panels, especially the kind that mounts under the bed rails, I recommend installing those prior to cap install as you have to loosen/remove the bed rails. Your cap will use the bed rails to fasten. Otherwise, you will be limited to molle panels that mount onto the bed rail. Mounting points might conflict with cap mounts on bed rail.

 

Just throw them in! Shouldn’t be any issue with the cap!

 

It took me a couple of weeks after I got my ARE cap to decide to get the bed stiffeners. I wasn't about to take the cap off so I just threw them on, doesn't seem to be an issue. Everything is square.

 

I put my stiffeners on months before i found my Snug-Top. I know, I’m a rebel.

 

Good one

 

Ha! Very Punny.

Thanks all. I am going to go for total chaos, I think...

Appreciate the input. wish me luck on the install!