I was thinking about getting a bed cap. For winter use and camping use also the ability to stick furniture or other items I might want to haul in there when the weather is bad. There have been several times I have thought having a cap would be nice to have in order to haul something. Having the cap for camping purposes is something that excites me and makes me want to go camping with one right now.

Where should I look into getting one? How much should I expect to spend? Aluminum or fiberglass?

 

I'm guess that you're talking about a camper shell and not a tonneau cover. I would go for the fiberglass shell. It costs more than the aluminum but it looks much nicer. I sleep in the bed of my truck when I go camping/hunting alone. I put up my cot and have the ice chest and whatever beside me. It works out perfect. I don't know how tall you are but remember our beds aren't that long, I'm only 5' 6" so it's nice and roomy for me. I payed around $1,400 or somewhere around there for mine. I went to a local guy that sells truck accessories and went through him with my shell. Just look around town and see what brands the local guys sell and research on them. My dads 150 is made by Vista and mine is made by Innovation, both are quality and paint is holding up fine. I know that A.R.E. also makes a good product. Then you need to decide if you want a boot or window for the front of the shell. I went with the boot because it looks cleaner and I don't know how it would work with cleaning the windows in the middle? It should take about a month or so for the shell to come in. They order it from the factory and paint it there also. Do you know if you want the high rise shell or the cab level one. How do you want it mounted to the bed. Clamps or j hooks. J hook is much cleaner but both do the job well. Here are a few pics of my shell.

 

I have an A.R.E. I love it (sorry, i don't wanna write a long thing on it, haha. PM me or AIM me if you want )

 

I've been itchin for a cap too!

I just don't feel like payin an arm and a leg for the sonic blue =\

 

I got an nice ARE cap from a friend for when I go camping and for fishing in Cape Hatteras. I love it. Have curtains I put up at night and to hide some of my expensive reels and tackle. Have a dual snowboard locking Yakima rack that hold 12 rods (mainly for my 12' surf rods). It works great. When I get back it is light enough for me and the wife to take off when in want to.

I know about getting one in sonic blue too l2en. I just got a green on from a friend for $50. It really don't look to bad for short term use. Better than paying 800-1000 for a new matching one as nice.

My friend origionally found mine in the local Trading Post. Cost $200 and he had a ton of them in his yard. I would try and find a used one since yours is white. Also, Fiberglass looks much, much better and still possible for 2 people to take off.

 

My brother Grant has the Lear cap it come on it when he bought it. its the hunting edition. comes with a lockable gun box on the roof, all the side glass open up on gas shocks, and its carpeted with them same stuff like the bed rug. only cap i would ever buy its the only one i have ever seen and liked

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...1&postcount=25

 

i got mine 2 weeks ago on craigs list.. paid 100 bux lol

 

I hate caps on flaresides, they look so ghey!

 

 

*wo0t*

Making arrangements to pick up a Sonic Blue Topper!!

Sorry to hijack, just had to share. lol

 

Lol how often do you plan to haul furniture when the weather is bad?

 

i've thought of getting one many times... but... since i have a flareside, i never will. i just hate how they line up on flare sides.

 

i would love to get one but they are so expensive

 

\

dont hate

 

i believe mine is a LEER 100R, don't know much about it, it came with the truck, has a nice roof rack, sliding windows and screens, very useful for keeping things locked up and out of the weather, i take it off during the summer so i can haul bigger stuff like motorcycles, pics are on fordtruckworld.com, i'll see if i can get a link so you can get an idea of what it looks like

edit: i think this should work
http://www.fordtruckworld.com/iranger

 

More freakin times than I have had to haul furniture when it is nice. I have this old but very nice rocking chair heirloom that is at my parents house 2 hours north. Everytime I have taken the truck up there to visit it has been bad weather. We only take the truck with the intention of taking the rocking chair back. I have had the truck up there more times than I can count and yet the rocker still sits in their house.

I believe it was three weeks ago I hauled a counter top 2 chairs and a table from my inlaws which is also 2 hours north. We wrapped everything in a tarp so it wouldn't get wet from the RAIN.

I am telling you everytime I try to haul something the weather is bad.

A friend of mine moved recently I said hey you can put what ever you want in my truck to haul it to your new apartment he said thanks. The weekend of the move it RAINED all weekend.

You figure it out. I don't haul stuff often but the times I have wanted to I have ended up with crappy weather. My inlaws have an Envoy that is looking more capable that my truck because they can basically stick anything in that thing with the seats down and drive it in pouring rain or whatever.




BTW thanks guys for all the advice I will have to start shopping around for a used one. Maybe I can talk the wife into it as a birthday present.

 

Lucky you travis how much and where from.

 

That's my Old truck, and I highly reccomend that Topper<--MN speak. It is spendy though. I spent $1600 for it less than a year beofre I sold the truck. I had intended on never selling the Ranger so it was worth it. I had a Cheaper one for my 01 ranger, and I had it Professionally painted to match my 04 but it just didn't look great and I got sick of switching from the topper to the Tonneau. If you really want a Topper, I suggest spending the money and gettting what you want. Other wise Buy a $50 Topper and only put it on when you need it.


~HJ

 

Yeah I don't know if I really want to spend too much money on a topper yet. where can i find the $50 variety that you speak of. I found a white one of Craigslist for $150 I thought that was a great price but with having to spend $150 on a front diff and I have to buy rear gears $150 for a cap is just not there. Maybe in march or april.

 

I bought several for the $50 range over the years. Usually aluminum toppers, but they got the job done and were easier to remove when not in use than an Fiberglass topper. Just keep your eyes peeled. Maybe put a wanted ad on Craigslist. Heck if You were up here, I'd have a Fiberglass one from my old 01 to give you.

~HJ

 

I wouldnt mind a canvas top, that way I can roll it up to haul odd shaped items. Too bad they are $800+.

 

I have a Leer 100 XQ on my bed and I absolutely love it! It really makes the truck look like the ultimate Camping Machine! Here are a couple of things you want to consider as far as the construction of your Cap.

Aluminum Advantages:
- Very light! Two people of less than medium build can throw one on a truck very easlily. If you are looking at taking it on/off frequently this might be your best bet.
- Inexpensive - Aluminum caps are much cheaper than custom fiberglass caps and fit a wider range of trucks so you would have a better chance of finding one used or in selling the one you purchase if you have second thoughts.

Fiberglass Advantages:
- Good Looking! In fact most companies like Leer make caps specific to the vehicle you own. And if you are buying a new Cap from a Leer Dealer they have the ability to look up the paint records on the day your truck was built in order to get a perfect match! Also these companies try to stay true to the overall "Look" of your vehicle in the design process.
- Weight. This can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your intent. Me personally I don't plan on ever removing the shell, so the advantage of having more weight in the bed when I don't have it in 4 wheel is a plus! However there would be no way that my wife could ever help me in getting the shell off so I would have to call over one of my buddies to help.
- Insulative properties. If you plan on camping at all in the back of your truck you will find that a fiberglass shell insulates a lot better than aluminum.

It's easy to see that I'm a big fan of the fiberglass. If you don't have the $1,400 to throw down for a brand new shell you can do what I did. About a year ago I decided that I wanted a shell for my truck and I simply watched ebay and the want ads every week until 9 months later I found the shell of my dreams! I bought it from a person who had my exact truck and simply didn't ever use it. He had it in storage for 2 of the 3 years he owned it and I paid him all of $300 for it! It deffinately pays to wait for what you want.

 

I got mine for $30, But its off an old 80s Ranger. It will do til I can afford a fiberglass one. I found this one in the local paper.

 

I have a Jason Topper and its actually pretty cheap around 850-900 dollars and its good quality for the price.

 

Here's the Astro cap on my '05:



And here's the inside with a BedRug to match the headliner of the cap:


I like the windowless cap so no one can see what I'm carrying. That's just me though. I did a one piece fold-down window so I can clean the glass easily.