Does anyone have a picture of an A.R.E. Z cap posted or that they can post that is a direct side profile and also a direct rear profile on a Supercrew? All the pictures I have seen so far have been taken from an angle.
I am trying to convince my wife. She likes the fiberglass lids and does not care for the
look of a cap. I like the A.R.E. Z cap.
Anybody have opinions, pro or con, on either? We do agree on one thing, we both love the truck.

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2001 S-Crew XLT (Ordered 7-26) (build date week of 9-18) 4x4, 4.6, Lmt. Slip, Tow Pack, Slider, Steps, Pwr Driver Seat, Moonroof, 255 16" A/T Tires with Cast Aluminum Wheels, Oxford White over Graphite

Future Mods. Cap or hard lid, bedliner, Husky mats and mud guards

 

Have you seen the pics I posted?
https://www.f150online.com/f150board...ML/000712.html

Compound curves on both side and back glass. I am happy wth everything except ARE's statement that it allows the bed extender to flip (see messages).



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2001 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4
Black / Grey Leather
Class III Trailer Tow Group, 5.4L Triton V8, Limited Slip Rear Axle, Bed Extender, Cab Steps, Engine Block Heater, Radio, AM/FM Stereo 6-Compact Disc Changer, Skid Plates, Moonroof, Sliding Rear Window, Ford drop-in Bedliner.
ARE-Z Cap (Black).
TriBall hitch (bumper protection)
Planned Mods: SuperChip, K&N or Air-Raid intake kit; Outland Sport Bumper, Reese front hitch receiver, behind the grill driving lights.

 

Great looking cap. Is it tough to remove? I don't plan on removing my cap (when I get one) often but I know there will be times I'll need to remove it. Thanks and, again, nice truck.

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2001 SuperCrew, Lariat, DWBlue/Beige, Tow Package, 5.4 Triton V-8, Ltd-slip Diff., Sliding rear window, 6 Cd, and Moonroof. Ordered 07-17-00 and delivered 10-6-00. $200 under invoice from Mike Buckley at Al Bilton Ford in Holly Hill SC (803-496-3150).

 

dtrosch,
Yes I did see your pictures, your truck and your cap look great.
If I could get my hands on a picture of a side view shot as direct profile as well as a rear profile taken straight on I think I can give my wife a better idea of what it would look like.

 

Four clamps hold it on, and there is a quick release for the 3rd brake light. I have not taken it off yet, but was told during install it would take 2 people to lift it off. My plan is to rig up some kind of pully system in the garage when the time comes. I also only plan to take it off once a year.

If you have any questions, I'll be happy to help...

 

I will borrow the camera again from work--I had to return it on Monday.

As far as proportions, think Chevy Suburban, and you get the idea. The contours are almost exactly the same. There is a 2-3" gap between the cap and cab, but it's only notable from a very specific angle. Standing 10' from the back, the angles of the back hatch are IDENTICAL to my neighbor's Suburban with the tailgate. The wheelbase and proportions of the S-Crew make it even more Suburban like than the Expy or Excursion.

I should have some pics to post this weekend for you. I didn't go in to work today.



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2001 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4
Black / Grey Leather
Class III Trailer Tow Group, 5.4L Triton V8, Limited Slip Rear Axle, Bed Extender, Cab Steps, Engine Block Heater, Radio, AM/FM Stereo 6-Compact Disc Changer, Skid Plates, Moonroof, Sliding Rear Window, Ford drop-in Bedliner.
ARE-Z Cap (Black).
TriBall hitch (bumper protection)
Planned Mods: SuperChip, K&N or Air-Raid intake kit; Outland Sport Bumper, Reese front hitch receiver, behind the grill driving lights.

 

Here are 4 new pics for NorthCrew:





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2001 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4
Black / Grey Leather
Class III Trailer Tow Group, 5.4L Triton V8, Limited Slip Rear Axle, Bed Extender, Cab Steps, Engine Block Heater, Radio, AM/FM Stereo 6-Compact Disc Changer, Skid Plates, Moonroof, Sliding Rear Window, Ford drop-in Bedliner.
ARE-Z Cap (Black).
TriBall hitch (bumper protection)
Planned Mods: SuperChip, K&N or Air-Raid intake kit; Outland Sport Bumper, Reese front hitch receiver, behind the grill driving lights.

 

dtrosch,

Thank you for taking the time and effort to take and post more pictures of your truck, its much appreciated. Your truck looks really nice with the ARE Z cap.
My choices are narrowed down to the Z cap or the ARE Lid. Both look good on the Supercrew.
The Z cap gives the truck a SUV look while the lid maintains the pickup truck look.
The cap gives you the increased weather tight storage capacity which I like, but its tougher to remove when you need to have an open bed. Decisions, decisions, need to do something before the snow flies though.
Thanks again.


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2001 S-Crew XLT (Ordered 7-26) (build date week of 9-18) 4x4, 4.6, Lmt. Slip, Tow Pack, Slider, Steps, Pwr Driver Seat, Moonroof, 255 16" A/T Tires with Cast Aluminum Wheels, Oxford White over Graphite

Future Mods. Cap or hard lid, bedliner, Husky mats and mud guards

 

Glad I could help. Here in the DC suburbs, SUV's are far more common than trucks. For the longest time I was looking at the new Suburban/Yukon XLs. What made my decision was I could get a loaded SuperCrew for about 30K + 1K for the cap, and a stripped but hevy duty suburban for at least 36K (no power windows, Sunroof or Leather). I also had about 1500 in Ford Credits from the Credit card. It was the promise of getting the cap that sold my wife off the Sub and onto the SC.

It truly depends on what kind of look you are going for. If ease of removal is an issue, and you have a garage, it would only take about $50 and an afternoon to develop a pully and rope system that you could raise the cap off and store it high in the garage. It could even be something you could do with one person if the system was well thought out. I have seen some people do that around here with convertable tops for their benzes and bimmers.

If I ever get around to doing it, I will post some pic's, but I will probably leave the cap on for the winter at least.

Best of luck with your decision...

 

dtrosch,

Looking at the profile of your truck, I am now fearful that the Z Cap I have ordered will not fit in my garage. It looks like your extended roof line, including cap, is on a slight slope upward to the rear. How much taller is the rear of the cap in relation to the rear of the cab? My truck fits the garage now with about 3-4" of clearance at the rear of the cab...the highest point. A.R.E. advertises the Z Cap with a height of 23" off the bed rail. Do you kow what the overall height of your truck is at the rear? Am I Screwed?...no pun intended.

 

Due to a lack of adequate measuring tools, I BELIEVE the highest point on my cap is 80" tall. (If you have a good way to measure to compensate for roof curve, let me know.) I think it is the exact same hight as the truck cab, and it is only an optical illusion that it looks taller in the pictures. My STANDARD sized garage has an opening of 84", and the door hangs down to 82". I could have the door open wider by moving the switch stop on the opener a couple of inches. The actual highest point on the truck is the antenna.

My feeling is that if your truck would fit without the cap, it should fit with the cap. When standing next to it, and walking around, I really get the impression that the cap goes back at the same angle as the roof angle.

Keep in mind that I have both the 4x4, Towing package, and Lariat with the 17" wheels (don't know if the radius increases). The truck allways seems to sit higher in the back, probably to compensate for anticipated heavier loads. Your ride height will vary, depending on how you optioned it out.

I plan to keep it out most of the time anyhow, because of the curve of my garage/driveway, and knowing how carefull I can be at times.

If you decide to try to put it into your garage and have trouble, remember this: Letting air of of the tires is often how they "unstick" the dumptrucks from the low bridges around here... (snicker) Good luck.

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2001 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4
Black / Grey Leather
Class III Trailer Tow Group, 5.4L Triton V8, Limited Slip Rear Axle, Bed Extender, Cab Steps, Engine Block Heater, Radio, AM/FM Stereo 6-Compact Disc Changer, Skid Plates, Moonroof, Sliding Rear Window, Ford drop-in Bedliner.
ARE-Z Cap (Black).
TriBall hitch (bumper protection)
Planned Mods: SuperChip, K&N or Air-Raid intake kit; Outland Sport Bumper, Reese front hitch receiver, behind the grill driving lights.

 

Dtrosch,
I have noticed that the Supercrew 4x2's sit nearly as high as some other makes 4x4's. This makes seeing shorter vehicles in traffic over and around the rear of the bed a little more difficult than I was used to on my previous truck ('84 F150 4x2). I'm considering a roll-top or A.R.E. cover, but I like the "Z" cap and LEER 100XL caps too.
My question is; Does it seem like your camper shell increases the "blind spots" around the vehicle or with the really large windows is the visibility still good?

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2001 F150 4X2 XLT Supercrew, D.Wedgewood Blue, 5.4, 3.55LS,
Class III, Cargo Cage, etc....

 

There are some, but not huge, blind spots. They are as follows:

At the rear, there is 2" of the rear hatch/glass lower frame that reduces the view of closely tailgateing cars from the inside rear view mirror. This can be simulated by laying a 2x4 on the edge of your tailgate and looking in your rearview mirror (have someone walk or drive around behind you to get a good feel). Note my tri-ball hitch for rear bumper protection. Tailgateing is widespread here, and I would rather them pay for a new hood/radiator than my insurance pay for a new bumper for me.

On the side (Moving from left lane to right lane on highway), there is a slight blind spotwhere the cap meets the cab. Only noticable for me in one part of my commute where I have to merge on a curve from the left into faster moveing, two lanes of traffic (westbound GW parkway at Memorial bridge). Looking early, and then in the passenger side mirror compensates nicely.

The other noticible thing is the tinting. Because my rear cab slider is tinted, and the rear hatch glass is tinted, rearward vision from the inside mirror is reduced like looking through two pairs of sunglasses (or three, if you are actually wearing sunglasses). The front cap slider is not tinted. This is noticible when A) opening the sunroof on a bright day, B) backing up at night. Again, external mirrors do an outstandig job compensating for this.

On the whole, I am still very hapy with the cap. I would buy it again. Also, ARE's comments of fitting with the bed extender (and flipping it in and out) were incorrect. When I sent them pictures, the apologised, and sent me some ARE goodies (thermos, t-shirt, atlas). In general, the blind spots will be there with any caps, and I think the larger than normal windows with the ARE are close to the best you can get re: blindspots if you are going to put on a cap. I would say that visibility is still 95% good.

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2001 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4
Black / Grey Leather
Class III Trailer Tow Group, 5.4L Triton V8, Limited Slip Rear Axle, Bed Extender, Cab Steps, Engine Block Heater, Radio, AM/FM Stereo 6-Compact Disc Changer, Skid Plates, Moonroof, Sliding Rear Window, Ford drop-in Bedliner.
ARE-Z Cap (Black).
TriBall hitch (bumper protection)
Planned Mods: SuperChip, K&N or Air-Raid intake kit; Outland Sport Bumper, Reese front hitch receiver, behind the grill driving lights.