Camper shells, toppers, caps, or any other name they go by
i am looking into getting a shell for my truck. i also want to get the carpet (the one with the bench seats w/ the floor that comes up so you can have a bed) not the bedrug. and was wondering if anyone has any advice on which co. to go with. i like the A.R.E. ones. and if anyone has any pics of any shell on the 5.5ft bed with carpet kit i wanna see what kinda room will be left..
I'm not sure what your talking about on the carpet kit but on the top the ARE is hard to beat. Been selling them for years and they are a great product. I did recently pick up another company named Ranch that I like a little better for tops. They have a little better fit and finish to them i really like the trimless finished edge better than the ARE trimmed edge.
I went to look at camper shells today. The store had Snug Top, Leer, and A.R.E. side by side. On the models they had there I liked the Snug Top the best. The Snug Top was the only one that had handles on the inside. The top itself seemed thicker as well, but I was just judging by feel. I am curious to know which one is thicker. The thicker the fiberglass, I think must be the better top. However on the down side, it would cut down on payload capacity of the truck. Therefore I would have to go with the thinner one. The store had the three different shells in white. The paint was better on the Snug Top, but they were all different colors of white (Ford, Chevy, and Toyota) so again it was difficult to actually judge. It will be a difficult choice.
Steer clear of LEER,after 3 attemps NONE fitted my new (then) 08 f150/ 8 foot bed, the gaps where so bad i could put my fingers up the sides.
Leer has no public customer service and will only take calls off the trade,leers only solution was to give me $300 back to keep the ill fitting cap.
It took over 3 months to get a full refund and that was down to cap dealer who was on my side.
Leer has 3 locations, mine were from Pa.
I have an A.R.E. Z series and I love it. Bought it used and had it repainted but the price was right. I switch back and forth between in and my soft tonnue cover. Cap is used mostly for camping for the extra capacity. Have heard Snugtop is agood product also but no one in my area carrys them. The Leer dealer near me was honest enough to tell me about all the problems with window problems on the frameless ones and the hinges on the back glass were plastic.
Last edited by B&WScrew; 11-06-2009 at 08:45 PM.
Reason: More info
I went to Campways today and saw something similar with short, black carpet there. However they do not seem to have it on their website. I was at the San Jose store. I'd call them on the phone. Otherwise, I'd try and call the 1970's.
Did you search the web for that carpet kit? I did and found all sorts of cool truck bed camping stuff. However all were build it yourself stuff. But one has plans on the site. I think it was for Chevy bed though. I don't know if it makes a difference. Maybe I was too hasty to judge. The more I look at it the more it has sort of an Austin Powers appeal.
I do not have a sliding rear window in my truck so the cap does not either, no use for it.
LEER had a fold in front window and the dealer tried to sell me on it as a way to clean the bck glass and the front window on the cap. After having mine on for 6 months I see absolutely no reason for a atilt in glass.
When I bought mine A.R.E. offered an instant $50 rebate and a $50 mail in so my final out the door price was $980.00 plus tax. Has a dome light inside the back hatch that you turn on manually, very useful and bright.
I looked at Jason, LEER and A.R.E. and bought this brand due to the dealers helpfulness and reputation.
When I was shopping for a cap there was a guy at the ARE dealer with a 2005F15 x-tended cab with the ARE flat fiberglass cover and they noticed a few spider cracks in the paint. He said ARE replaced it for free and even installed it for free and it was almost 5 years old. That played a part in my decision also.
As for the carpet that would not work for me becasue I haul such things as deer, turkey, ducks and geese back there. Blood, mud and carpet are not a good mix.
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