I am a new truck owner and new poster. I have a 2008 F-150 KR with an extended bed. I will be using the truck for recreational purposes ( hunting trips) and do not expect to be using it for hauling large items.

I have looked at the A.R.E LSII series cover in painted fiberglass. I am looking for something that is secure to leave my guns in ( lockable), waterproof and maintains the lines of the truck. The local delaer is quoting $1050 installed.

Based on the above information, what would y'all recommend I look at ?

Bsteele
Atlanta, GA

2008 F-150 KR, Black, extended bed

 

Welcome to the forum bsteele! Here you will find all sorts of opinions, some of them are actually right/good/believable/hopeless/a drunken man's delusion/etc, etc.

Here's mine: I have an ARE cap too. It's an "upscale" model with a base price above yours. As you see, it extends about 6" above the cab, which gives us a bit extra room for our mountain bikes. ARE paints their caps with automotive paint, not gelcoat, and the match was perfect.

It has two "flip up" side windows, which are very handy for getting to things near the front of the bed. And, this is a must, a "folding down" sliding window at the front that sort of matches the sliding window in the cab. You want the "fold down" feature so you can clean the glass between the two windows.

DO NOT get a cap with the rubber gasket that seals the front of the cap to the cab! They will put a protective film over your cab where the rubber touches, but in time, the constant friction will eat through the film and your paint. I know - it happened on a former truck, in about two years!

My options brought the total installed cost with tax to about $2000.00.

One other thing. I had them secure the cap with four "C-clamp" like devices. This makes it simple to remove the cap if you ever want to. Don't get a "bolted on " cap.

So, there's my opinions - and I'm still on my first martini!

- Jack

 

I have researched them all. I usually get the Swiis Patriot because they are good quality and have a great price (about $200 less than the closest competitor). These are lids. I have a friend who sells Leer as well. He has had so many problems with them, he is thinking about stopping selling them. Their new 800 series has such poor hinges, they are an alignment horror story that keeps resurfacing.

I just ordered an ARE LSII for my 2008 King Ranch. I had the same series lid on my 2005 and still to this day feel that ARE makes the best quality lid you can buy. I think they have several awards acredited to them saying the same, as well. My 2007 F-150 had a Leer 100XQ that I liked well, but after several monthes, the windows leaked like sieves. It sure looke dgood, though. See may gallery for both.

All said, I looked into Covermaster, Century, Jason, Leer, Swiss, A.R.E., and a few others. I wanted the ARE, but at the rate I trade off (yearly), I usually go with the Patriot because of the savings. This past week, I found a $125 off incentive to go with the ARE. I got the LSII, 12V light, remote keyless, and the carpet liner for under $1,000. The truck is due in about a week or two. The lid will be here then, too. I'll post pictures then.

 

I just installed the BakFlip G2 tonneau on my 07 KR and after 2 weeks i'm exciting about its potential. I had the ARE LSII on my '99 Lariat and really liked it and this one is every bit as good.

First of all, the reason i didn't default to the ARE LSII is because I wanted a low profile tonneau that fit inside the bedrails. I wanted to be able to see the pueblo gold rails to complement the botom of the truck.

We've had quite a bit of rain here in the mid atlantic area the past couple weeks - i've found it to be water tight, it's lockable, and makes it very convienient to fold up to haul larger items.

Just my .02

 

Thanks Jack and thank you Smokewagun, I think I will get the A.R.E. LSII and feature it out the way you have suggested. Its nice to hear and learn from folks who have been doing this longer than this 1st time truck owner.

Brad

 

No problem. Glad to help. As I originally posted, Swiss was my first choice for value and quality (in that price range) for a yearly trader. The last two have given me headaches with their latch system. A.R.E. seems to be the best to me - even over the highly over-rated Leer. My Dad has had two or three, and they have given him nothing but headaches. Thank goodness for the dealer being a great guy. I think you'll be very happy with the A.R.E. I recommend the keyless. It is wired into your truck such that it locks with all doors, but only unlocks when you hit the "unlock" button on your fob twice. And, the palm handle ARE offers to lock as well as the seal system are second to none. This is on the lids (as all I know of theirs, so far). Make sure your installer caulks the front edge when they install it. The corners of the bed in front are where any leak would surface. I had a knowledgeable installer recommend caulking the front, and because I will never take it off, it is the only way to go. If you plan on taking it off, be careful. The covers fit so tight with the wrap-over edge that you can easily wear paint off your truck if not re-installed properly.

 

i have a retrax, it locks and it hasn't leeked any water yet. i also like it because it is a low profile and the top goes over the tail gate so the water runs off. went camping and had a truck load of stuff and it poured down with some hail and nothing got wet.

 

Some of you old timers will remember the 2001 King Ranch soft tonneau...



Obviously, it won't fit a new body style but, I'm sure that there are a lot of us that would like to see something like that again...

For me, I have the ARE LSII on my truck and had an Astro Platinum on my 2001 KR (after selling off the soft tonneau shown above). The Astro shouldn't be on anyone's radar (biggest goof of a mod I ever purchased). It was lousy quality, lousy lousy lousy!

The ARE LSII, on the other hand, is fantastic. Great fitment. Great quality. I think it matches the body lines on the truck really well (my opinion).

Just for giggles, here are a couple of pics...

The Astro Platinum on my 2001:



The ARE LSII on my 2005:



More pics in my gallery ... link in my signature.

-RP-

 

I spent so much money on my truck...Tunes, floor mats, CAI, and ect, that by the time I got to the tonneau, I went with an Extang lift up. The price was 325, and I installed it myself. If I would have had an extra 700, (Read wants to stay happily married) I would have bought an hard top to match. I guess the question is really how much can you spend? I love the low profile metal roll ups, but they are around a grand also. I had to buy the soft tonneau to stay married. Below is a night pics with a night mod.



Not nearly as slick as the metal roll up or the hard fiberglass, but it does what I NEED it to do...keep my crap dry. It does not do what I WANT it to...look really cool.

 

The ARE Tonneau cover is the greatest. Negotiated mine with the purchase of my truck in lieu of getting the entire dealer holdback (about $1200. in Denver, CO). Pics below. I really like it.

 

Merton, I used to live outside LoDo. I miss it alot. Enjoy being there!

Anyways, i used to have a Leer hardtop. Mine was never a problem with the exception that I never got a light in there. I wrecked the truck BADD! Not one crack in it. Cap stayed perfect. (I have pics in my gallery)

 

Nice Truck, Merton. I have the same lid ordered for my 2008 King Ranch. I ordered it because i could get it for $809, otherwise the ARE's are usually priced a little too high for my yearly trading. I had the same one on my 2005, so I know they are just about the best. Although I ordered the 12 volt interior light, I will most likely do an LED light mod. I just wish ARE would get their crap together and offer a tan carpet interior. That gray will look like crap with the Mahogany and Pueblo I will have.

 

ARE covers are the best IMO . But all I've read here is about is the LSII . Sure its a great cover . But , Has anyone seen the LSX ? I've got it and love it . Sure my trucks not a King Ranch . I just thought you guys would wont the BEST, I did . heres a few pic s https://www.f150online.com/galleries...474&anum=14512 opened https://www.f150online.com/galleries...594&anum=14512 NO ugly trim !https://www.f150online.com/galleries...999&anum=14512

 

That's great you have a sucess story on the LSX. I heard too many problems with the hinges and constant readjusting. My ARE dealer wouldn't sell me one. I will say, however, that I would buy one if it was my own truck and I could keep it more than a year. Right now, it costs too much. Supposedly, the LSX and LSII are the same lid, different hardware. and the LSII has the edge molding. Let us know how it works for you.

 

I've had the LSX on for over a year. I can honestly say , I haven't had the first problem. Im not sure why the dealer wouldn't sell you one . Maybe he didn't know how to set it up . The dealer that installed mine didn't know what he was doing . He had half the bed caps showing . I waited over 2 hrs. And he didn't even clean it . Needless to say I was pissed !! I just set it up myself. Since then I've heard of other members here that have had problem with A R E dealers not doing there job or doing it incorrectly. One guy said ,they wouldn't hook up his electric lock .