New canopy leaks: normal vs not?

I have that exact same setup. Line-x over the rail too. From what I can tell the previous owner had it on since new. It leaks a little at the rear hatch which I expected. Only when I drove 6 hrs thru steady rain did it leak at the corner of the bed closest to the cab enough for me to see a puddle in the bed. Other than that one time it hasn't leaked enough to bother me.

 

Bumping an old thread here, but wondering if this was ever solved. Having a similar issue with my leer 180 purchased from the very same dealer. The bolts where the topper connects to the truckis where the leaking is really bad. so bizare.

 

I noticed OP's liner was open cell foam (thin foam pad), which isn't ideal. I'd first try a rubber seal like in post #2, but truth is these things leak, and the dealers don't seem to care.

 

I have a Leer 122 on a 1gen and went through this, is now perfect. 1st, the post above is correct that light gray weatherstrip tape is absolute cheap garbage. It is /the/ cheapest option which is why they used it. Not only does water soak right through it, the adhesive fails within a few years probably necause it doesn’t block water. It is made with open cell foam.

The weatherstrip you need is closed cell neoprene and has two rows of maybe 3/8” outer diameter hollow tube neoprene seals held together by a flat neoprene backing that is maybe 1/8” thick. I tried at least 5 types of weatherstrip and this is the one that solved ALL my leaking seal 122 problems.

hth.

 

Doing a week snowboard trip in the back of my '97 in April. Going to compare different methods and see which ones does the job best; i'll make a video with response. I bought a ARE topper from the site and have a little leakage by the cab on left side only surprisingly. Maybe not the best solution to a major leakage, but I need something hefty living in Washington state with planning a wood camper build. Check post in next 2 months for updates.

Going to try this!

 

I use Scotch Pickup Tape PN 03420 (1-1/4 inches wide) for this. And I replace the tape every 8 or 9 years. It does start to leak a very tiny bit after that long and I'm... well... sorta anal.

The top of the front rail of the shell, on my truck, is even with the tops of the side rails. If yours is also even, then 1 strip of the above-mentioned tape should do it. The cost for a 30-foot roll was about $8.25 shipped (in 2017 from E-bay).

 

This.

That open cell foam stuff seemed awfully thick, too.

If the toppers just had a simple weather strip (drip edge) that goes along the outside of the bed, none of this would be an issue.

The only problem with be leakage at the gap in the tailgate. You could solve that with some weather stripping, too.

 

Resurrection! Im waiting for my Leer 122 and my biggest comcern is the actual finger-sized holes through the front corners on each side of the bed behind the cab.

I guess Toyota has a part number for a piece of plastic that fits into it. My solution is I'm going to carve styrofoam to fit into the hole and then apply FlexTape on the outside and inside. Thoughts? A better idea?

I am also going to remove all the rails and put a line of butyl tape interior to the drip holes so water that penetrates can drip out but not get past the butyl to the bed. My logic is it will remain flexible as the distribution of pressure from the shell will always be moving as I drive.

The butyl tape is gleaned from multiple threads over time, but the Styrofoam and flextape is a new (to me) idea and I want to know if it's been tried and rejected before, or if there's another approach to the giant holes in front?

eta: 3rd gen, '22 SR5 access cab

 

If I understand your description correctly those are drain holes.

Why would a topper require you to plug them?

But even if you do, I'd make it something simple, easily removable, in case you have a situation where they would be helpful

 

Its not a drain hole, but a gap at the front of the exterior panel on the side of the bed, because the front bulkhead is much lower and a separate part. The plastic bedliner covers most of the vertical gap, but this hole at the top isnt covered. There is an OEM part that fills it, but with the toprails off all around I can build a fill piece just as well with foam. The Flex Tape will be across the front, to block the water that is driven into it especially driving forward theough rain. Any runoff from the cab roof would get blown straight into it.




Edit: added another pic showing how it's a gap at the top corner of the bedliner.

 

Did you ever get it sealed up? Curious to see if your method worked. I just picked up a used shell and I’m having the issue with the front corners of the bed.

 

Yes, I applied white Flex Tape (butyl rubber tape) generously to cover the area over the opening. Zero leaks since then. You can see it when you look between the cab and the truck cap but otherwise it doesn't stand out.

 

I just bought a LEER Legend shell for my 2001 Tacoma PreRunner, August 2023. I live in So Cal, Temecula. Not much rain. Yes, for early Tacomas not much available new, and nearly impossible to find one used that is not crap. I spent $2500.00 installed, only good thing they matched the green factory Toyota paint near perfect. My first ever shell, extremely disappointed. Mine leaks all three windows it appears, cab slider and two sides. Had very light rain and leaks. Washed with garden hose, no real high pressure, leaks. Will attach some pics. LEER shell. all show and no go. Garbage, but looks pretty. Repeated attempts to installer, another local LEER authorized dealer and LEER themselves, all talk or no response. Just got done filing BBB complaint which i have no faith in doing anything, just wanted to call out the horrible LEER company and associates for producing garbage, and specifically not honoring thier warranty. Sure like selling them, do not warranty them, is a lie. Anyway if I ever cool down will fix thier POS shell myself or just sell on Offerup. Get me a real shell from SmartCap, metal construction from South Africa, check them out,bad-ass. My buddy with a 2018 Tacoma, just got one, wow, nice. Highly customizable. Unfortunately at present no models for 1st gen, contacted them, undecided if they will ever make them for 1st generation. Hopefully my pics will attach, just for FYI.

 

The problem isn't the cap. It is the Tacoma bed rail design. It is hard to get any of them to seal perfectly. Take it back and have them do it over again. It shouldn't leak that much.

The cap on my 07 has been on there since new, with the same seals. Mine leaks just a bit at the front corners. But not nearly as much as yours. I can live with the small amount. Any water that gets in runs down the channels in the bed. Anything I have in the bed is sitting on top of those channels and I've never gotten anything wet.

But mine didn't leak for years and If I were inclined to do so I'm sure I could stop it.

 

This is the way, if you want it done right, do it yourself. This is not rocket science. A high density neoprene should do the trick.