Leaky brand new camper shell

Does anyone know the best camper shell for my 2015 Toyota Tacoma crew cab long bed? I researched an ARE fiberglass V series shell with a local distributor who INSISTED that this cap would fit down over the side bed rails, and accommodate the lack of rails across the front of the box(its an inch lower than the side rails). So I ordered one and when it arrived we found that it had neither of these features, and even with placing a bulb gasket across the front of the box where the back windshield is to fill in the space made from a lack of rail, it still leaks water really bad into the inside of the box! The distributors tried to fix it once but it did’nt change anything. And I cannot return it because it was painted to match my truck color. I am considering selling it via craigslist and getting a different one if I can find on that fits. Someone on here have had a similar situation?

 

It's a camper shell. It's never gonna be water tight.

 

But it pours in. At $1800.00 I would expect it to be a little more water tight. Would’nt you? I’m wanting to put a bed back there for truck camping but certainly don’t want my bedding getting all wet.

 

My first shell had jelly mold that adopted the color of the carpet. New shell and a good study in weatherstripping and silicone brought waterproofed perfection, but it took over a decade to get right...

 

really, maybe they don't make em like they used to but the one I got for an '89 was absolutely watertight, OP if you want PM me and I can give you my Uncles Cap Sales number and you can talk with the old man (92), still going strong and has "some" experience. He's NE Ohio so not sure worth your time.

 

You need to remove the camper, remove the bed rail caps. Then, seal the bed rail caps (trempro sealant works well and is available at most RV parts stores). Once the caps are back on, seal the inside edge where the cap meets the front wall of the bed and put down foam rubber tape with a bead of sealant under it to bring the front up to slightly above the caps. After that, add your preferred seal all the way around the cap or bed top, one piece is preferred but you can do square ends on 3 pieces and seal the junction with sealant. Then, put the cap back on.

 

I went for a Snugtop on mine. No leaks up front, but side windows do leak. I have a bed in mine and it isnt bad. Make sure to seal under the plastic bed rails. Good luck

 

It's not the shell, it's the truck.

Due to the design of the bed rails it is almost impossible to seal a Tacoma 100%. Having an installer who knows how to do it will greatly reduce the amount of water getting in, or maybe get it to seal 100% at least for a while, but not long term. As you've figured out the problem is at the front. I'd do it myself or find another installer.

Mine has never been 100% water tight, but not enough to be a problem. I get a few drips, but the corrugated bed floor allows the water to stay in the channels and anything sitting on the floor stays above the water. The same Leer cap on my F150 has never leaked a drop.

 

I think the dumbass dealer that said it would fit correctly should have to eat it for not knowing his product.

 

I have a Leer and it is 99.9% water tight. The only time water really gets inside is right after a rain or I wash my truck, lift the rear door on the cap and then water will drip in. My cap has a lip or overhang (picture attached) that wraps over the bed rails on the truck. I believe this design helps prevent water from coming in on the side rails. Then where the side rails of the cap and front rail of the cap meet, there is a change in the moulding on my cap that accounts for the change in the side bed rails to front bed rail on the truck, which is about a 1/4" drop.

After eight years of having the cap on, I recently removed the cap, pulled off the old weather stripping and cleaned up that area on the bottom rails of the cap. When it came to buying the weather stripping I didn't buy it from a hardware store or where I purchased my cap. I wanted some quality weather stripping so I went here https://extrudedsolutions.com/ and bought Super Cap Seal XL. I bought the XL due to the weight of my cap (over 200lbs) along with the racks which I use several times a year for a rooftop cargo carrier. Before putting the weather stripping on I used the 3M 4298 Adhesion Promoter for Acrylic and Rubber Based Tapes to prep the fiberglass rails on the cap. Because my cap was hoisted off my truck and hainging, I also used 3M Black Super Weatherstrip Adhesive along with custom cut boards and clamps to help secure the new weather stripping to the cap during the curing process. All said and done, my cap is mounted using the Tacoma's existing tracks on the bed. (picture attached) Also, before removing the cap I noticed that some of the weather stripping along the front rail (where that 1/4" drop is) had slightly shifted. With that I wanted to add some attachment points along that front rail. Having some G-clamps from a previous cap, I used two of them for just that. (picture attached)

I know how frustrating a leaking cap can be. All my trucks since my 1976 LUV truck have all had caps. I dreaded rain or washing my truck(s) which meant pulling out bed mats or other things to help dry out the bed. The old aluminum style were not so bad, the older fiberglass style seemed to leak more and took some fine tuning with weather stripping to slow it down. Some leaked a little, some leaked a lot. Good luck with your situation.

 

Mine doesn’t leak. It’s a Leer 180. You have to build up the front area quite a bit to level it out and get a good seal. I have some thick rubber tubing along with some kind of putty and beyond a couple drips after driving through monsoon conditions it stays totally dry.

 

Second on the putty that came with the weather strip kit. Forgot about that. Thanks Sharpish!

 

I have a LEER 100xl, I don’t get any water leaks but expect everything to get real dusty back there. I also had a LEER 100r with the same results.

 

I have a Leer 100XQ and it would be 100% leak proof if I replaced the weather stripping on my door, which I plan to do in the near future. No water gets in anywhere else.

 

Look in between where the cab and bed meet at that front seal between shell and bed - it is lower as stated above and that's where most water intrudes so the dealer needs to pull the ARE off and fix that front seal. Assumes the boot actually fits correctly and tightly - paint will get worn off over the years but if shell on who cares. Once they get it right only a very small amount may intrude under heavy rain and high speed driving.

As for the dust comment - yes extreme amounts get sucked in thru the tailgate area both along the bottom and sides of the tailgate gaps and they make a seal kit for that. Or when hitting off-road or long dirt roads with camping gear just put blue painters tape along the 3 edges to seal it - worked on AK trips. Just beware if the shell seals a lot of water in and you seal the bottom tailgate gap now there's nowhere for the water to drain out! A slight amount of dust gets sucked in where the shell window bottom edges close (look to see a little gap). Nothing is perfect as the shell and bed have to flex slightly.

 

I have an ARE Z-series. It took a little work to get it to be watertight, but it is possible. The ARE Z wraps over the plastic caps on the bed sides. I initially had the issue at the front like everyone mentioned. I can't believe someone doesn't make a custom spacer to fill this gap and raise it to match the bed sides.

I sleep in mine and it has been water tight for ten years- but recently the RH side window developed a minor leak during very hard rain.

 

My Leer didn't have any significant leeks, just an occasional drop or two near the tailgate.

 

Don't have a camper but for my bed cover I got a 3/4 in angle aluminum used 3m tape to secure to back rail and used a bulb seal to seal back .Shaped angle aluminum to curve of side rails and silicon .Will get a pic .

Oh looks like I riveted it . Was a while ago lol.

 

IIRC the ARE shells have a tall rubber seal at the front. It works, but I like the above solution better

 

maybe try a front rail seal from:

https://www.extrudedsolutions.com/TruckCapSeals.html