Truck Cap

[tx2sturgis]

If I build one online and request a quote...how many times will they (local dealer) blow up my phone after receiving estimate?

I think they are all independent dealers. 

They guy I bought mine from has been selling them for 40 years...and he said he has sold 44,000 pickup toppers in that time...thats a LOT of business.

It's pretty exclusive, they don't have much competition, the waiting list is long, and there is little reason to 'bug' a customer. If you don't buy one, the next guy will.

Of course, I could be wrong and they might chase your hard-earned dollars with gusto...but I doubt it!

[OutdoorFT]

Hahaha!
I picked the outdoorsman side window option.

thanks for the info!

Better start saving my pennies. I got other work to out ibto truck. Taillight is out but brakes/turn signal still work and brakes/rotors gotta be changed out.

[Optimistic Paranoid]

FWIW, I looked into those ARE aluminum caps, and found several posts over on the Expedition Portal site by people who had them, and discovered that spending a lot of time on rough Forest Service roads and similar led to the welds on the aluminum frame failing.  Not right away, but eventually.  Obviously, I can't vouch for whether or not it's true.  YMMV.

[RepublicOfTXPatriot]

FWIW, I looked into those ARE aluminum caps, and found several posts over on the Expedition Portal site by people who had them, and discovered that spending a lot of time on rough Forest Service roads and similar led to the welds on the aluminum frame failing.  Not right away, but eventually.  Obviously, I can't vouch for whether or not it's true.  YMMV.

I wonder if a strip of heavy rubber between cap and bed would seal, and also takes some of the shock out of it. Or would this mess up during rough trails and cause it to move. I'm thinking nutted bolts with wingnuts. Last time I had a cap I used "C" clamps.

[tx2sturgis]

FWIW, I looked into those ARE aluminum caps, and found several posts over on the Expedition Portal site by people who had them, and discovered that spending a lot of time on rough Forest Service roads and similar led to the welds on the aluminum frame failing. 

I suppose spending a lot of time on rough roads will do that to just about anything you mount back there....I would assume that adding a hightop to a 4wd van could have some durability issues also.

My first choice was a Durashell...but they cost (and weigh) a LOT more, I can buy 2 or 3 of these DCU's for what one good size Durashell costs with windows and insulation.

Next, for me, ordering, shipping, and/or traveling to get a Durashell would add even more cost.

And, I don't plan to be 4-wheeling on gnarly roads very often, maybe an occasional dirt road with potholes, but that's gonna be about it for me.

Plus, I see that a lot of the expedition/overlander guys mount heavy spare tires and full gas cans on the roof. I can look at mine and easily tell I won't be doing that.

And, you can buy the DCU as a MAX version, and/or with much thicker treadplate aluminum skin. THAT thing will be pretty solid!

I'm guessing this topper will work out well for me. Fingers crossed!

[tx2sturgis]

Ignore the mess, I'm still getting organized, but here is a pic with my bed and other junk inside. Plenty of room to sit up in the bed, but 'standing' height is only about 55 inches...about an inch higher than the inside of my van.

Pardon the pooch, she has to be involved in everything.


   

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Nice!

As for the pooch, I have it on good authority from my two cats that all dogs are dangerous, disgusting creatures that smell funny and can't be trusted.  So Beware!

[tx2sturgis]

Last couple of pictures of the cap with no solar:

       

[tx2sturgis]

Solar panel installation and panels mounted:

       

Having the aluminum roof rack worked out VERY well for screwing solar panels into. I made my own brackets from some aluminum angle stock that I had handy. I did have to buy one 6' stick of angle stock aluminum and a pound of self-drilling screws.

I dont have the wiring, controller, or inverter installed yet. But the battery is in it's little box. 

All I gotta do tomorrow is install the items that have blinky lights and oh yeah, string some 22 gauge speaker wire...

(just kidding yall)....

I took the truck over a scale today, and it weighed 6960 pounds with all the goodies in the truck, half a tank of gas, and no panels mounted.

The panels on top will bring it up to just under 7000 pounds. 

So I've added about 1000 pounds counting the topper, all the gear, cooler, battery and misc stuff...it sure rides nice and smooth now!

[Cammalu]

When is your first trip out and where are you going


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