Leer caps

[TRC51]

I have a problem with my Ford F150 crew cab. I can't get two kids (4 & 1), my wife and our 110lb black lab all in the truck at once. Well, I can, but the dog has to ride in the front seat while my wife rides in the back. It's a funny site, and my wife doesn't mind... too much, but the problem is that he doesn't fit on the front seat well because of his size.

This truck was supposed to be a temporary one after coming off of a Dodge Mega cab diesel I had that was too expensive to own for a commuter (fuel was $5.35 a gallon at the time). Now I wish I had never sold the truck because I loved it so much. Anyway, I have actually learned to like this Ford... a lot. It has been a great/reliable truck for me and does just about everything I need it to very well. And... it's a lot cheaper on the pocket.

Short story long, I was actually considering buying another truck to resolve this problem, but decided to think about a cap instead. Leading to my question. I found a used Leer cap that is in really good condtion, but not the color of my truck (actually the polar opposite). The cap is a super nice, insulated, carpeted, reinforced, tilt out window, slider and a bunch of other stuff. It even comes with a set of Yakima racks on the roof. All told, the guy tells me the cap is with $1400 alone and the racks are worth $500. Here are my questions to anyone who knows:

1) Do you think this will work well for my dog (I love my dog)? Will it be cold in the winter and super hot in the summer, or will the slider allow enough air to pass into the bed to keep it reasonable?

2) He tells me this thing is super heavy and I will need three people to put it on. It's only for 5.5ft bed truck, but it is fiberglass with racks on it. How heavy is it REALLY going to be? Am I going to need a crane to haul it on and off the truck?

3) Question 2 leads me into this one. How hard is it going to be to take on and off regularly? Assume I will be suspending it from my garage ceiling with a pully system. Will I need to buy a winch to lift it up, or can it be hauled up manually? It is a PITA to take on and off... because I would rather not have one, but this dog situation kinda dictates it.

4) Any ballpark ideas how much to have one painted? I know it will need to have "flex" in it (like painting a bumper). The cap it white and my truck is black. LOL

5) Should I just skip the cap and buy a Mega limo again?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Travis

 

[TRC51]

BTW, I am supposed to be buying this thing tonight. The guy is firm on a $500 price for it. Sound reasonable for that cap?

 

[TheShrine]

Leer is a quality product! I have one for my Z 71 and $500.00 is a great deal as you have described it. I had mine painted the same color as my truck.

Yes, they are heavy, heavier than you think. I needed 4 people to install and remove mine. You can do it with less but something is going to get scratched up. They are sturdier than you would think, being fiberglass and all. I suggest a lift of some nature, manual or electric.

I use an electric hoist and pull it up to my garage ceiling. The system I designed requires only myself and also serves as a storage place for my tool box and Jeep Soft Top and windows when the cap is not on it. The support structure is a simple "H" design with a central lifting point attained by 4 cables. I can take extra pics if you like but this is basically it....

Concerning your Lab being too cold....you're going to have to make that call. I got my cap for traveling back and forth from our house in Guadalajara MX, and my Great Dane would ride in the back ONLY when we were crossing border check points...that seemed to keep everybody honest as far as checking through all of the stuff we had neatly packed for the trip. He knew his job and was offended if made to stay in the back longer than needed.

 

[rburke65]

He is a really nice looking dog....pretty color. And you are correct, I think it's a great price and they are quailty caps.

 

[TRC51]

Rburke... love your car every time I see it. I so wish I could get a nice 68 4spd.

TheShrine. Thanks for posting your pics again. Actually, your build and pictures are what made me think the pulley system would work. A little dissapointing to find out that they are as heavy as he described, but I think I can make it work. The good part is that he said the cap was reinforced, so with the racks mounted on it, I should be able to just hook to the 4 points on the racks and winch it up tight to the ceiling... right?

Here's the question, is that cable hanging down the control to the winch... and it did it come with it? Is that a harbor freight special, or something else? How did you wire it in? I am thinking about putting a winching system in the attic of the garage. Maybe I could come up with a pulley system to get the cap where I want it to hang.

Great looking dog... and you can definitely relate to my problem. LOL For right now I think I am just going to see how it goes. This weekend will be a good test run. It's a 45 minute trip and it is supposed to be relatively hot. I will be able to get a good feel of how well it works. I really don't want to put him back there, but it's him or the kids..... or run out and buy a $40K+ truck again. Man I miss that thing.

Sound like the price is pretty good. Just gotta hope getting it painted is not going to cost me an arm.

 

[trbomax]

Great quality tops. Ive had mine since 2000 on my 2000 SD. Its outfitted like the one you are looking at and it IS heavy.The only cheap spot is where the struts attach to the rear corners . The back glass is heavy and the 4 little self tapping screws all pulled out at one time or another.I installed "well nuts" and used 10-32 ss machine screws.The problem is that when one side fails it puts a twisting strain on the back glass. Mine has the color match from Leer,and thier paint is holding up better than fords!

 

[TRC51]

Great quality tops. Ive had mine since 2000 on my 2000 SD. Its outfitted like the one you are looking at and it IS heavy.The only cheap spot is where the struts attach to the rear corners . The back glass is heavy and the 4 little self tapping screws all pulled out at one time or another.I installed "well nuts" and used 10-32 ss machine screws.The problem is that when one side fails it puts a twisting strain on the back glass. Mine has the color match from Leer,and thier paint is holding up better than fords!

trbomax. Thanks for the reply. Here is a copy of the ad and a couple pictures from the ad. This model is only 3 years old from what he told me. Do you think they improved on the design since your purchased yours... is it the same cap you think?

yr 2004 - 2008 Leer Ford F-150 - white, 5.5 shortbed truck cap with, carpeted headliner, LED third brake light, framed rear door with double T-handle locks, one piece twist out side windows w/ screens, tinted windows, insulated roof, j-clamp installation, Yakima locking railrider roof rack, good condition – needs cleanup

New $1420
Selling for $500.00

 

[MotoDave]

I am going to run into the same issue with my T100 extracab when we have kids. I'm planning to get a shell for the dog to ride in, as well as one of the contractor racks that goes outside the shell so that I can still haul long items. I can't see removing it very often, if at all. If I need to haul tall items I'll just rent/borrow a utility trailer for the day.

 

[larry_g]

I bought a Leer in 2000 and it served two rigs well till it was totalled in 2009.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[jonny o]

Is there a window in the front of the cap? Stick a thermometer back there that you can see through the back window of the truck.

And think about keeping a big portion of the roof white if it's tall enough to remain unseen. Should help with the sun quite a bit. Maybe a 12 volt clamp fan to move air through when you are stopped?

 

[RTcat]

#6 Cut back a little on the dog food (j/k)


My buddy mounted a small heater in his pick-up box that ran off the radiator fluid. Worked like a charm. Dog was happy and our snowmobiling clothes were always warm when we got to the cottage.

No problems with my Leer todate...bought new back in '97.

 

[TRC51]

Is there a window in the front of the cap? Stick a thermometer back there that you can see through the back window of the truck.

And think about keeping a big portion of the roof white if it's tall enough to remain unseen. Should help with the sun quite a bit. Maybe a 12 volt clamp fan to move air through when you are stopped?

Oooo... good one Jonny o. That's good thinkin right there. Matter of fact, I have an inverter I could use with a smaller regular fan. Good thinkin for sure! Leaving the top white would also help. Who knows, if it isn't TOO bad, I might just leave the whole thing white.

 

[TRC51]

#6 Cut back a little on the dog food (j/k)


My buddy mounted a small heater in his pick-up box that ran off the radiator fluid. Worked like a charm. Dog was happy and our snowmobiling clothes were always warm when we got to the cottage.

No problems with my Leer todate...bought new back in '97.

Oh... more good ideas! All signs are looking good for this thing. Having the cap with some heat in it would make for easier travel of my snowmobiling gear.... but having the cap on would require that I buy a trailer.

 

[Steve in Mi]

Color extremes work for me. I put that topper on my 89 Chevy in 91' and it is still on today.

 

[mdbeck1]

Many years ago I had a pickup with a top (shell?). I took it off a couple of times but for the most part it stayed on the truck.

tip... If you take the top off make sure that there are cross braces underneath it (look at the pics posted on #3.). The braces will help keep the fiberglass from cracking.

When I had a shell on my pickup I ran a 12 VDC wire with a cigarette plug in. You can buy a little fan pretty cheap to move air around and if you want a light or two you can buy a 12 VDC one. Just don't leave the light/fan running full time. It will run the battery down and leave you stranded (don't ask). Actually I ran one of these in my open bed truck as well. It comes in handy.

 

[Salem747]

We have traveled back and forth across Canada and all over the place in between, in both summer and winter, with our 2 dogs in the back of our truck. We ALWAYS get a canopy for this very reason. No sense taking up a perfectly good seat with a dog that isn't comfy sitting on a seat anyway.

As far as cold and hot in the winter I keep the windows shut and give them an old sleeping bag to lay on, in the summer just keep the side windows open a foot or so and they are fine. You can tell if there is a problem if the dog is panting/drooling a lot when he has been in the back, then, worst case you open the front slider.

Leer is a pretty good canopy, I have one now on my 07 Tundra but it has damaged some paint at the front of the box and the slider doesn't like to stay closed. I had a Raider on my 03 Ranger before and would say that is a better unit.

As far as painting goes they just use automotive paint on canopies as far as I know. Maybe lotsa clear? Check with your local canopy guys and they will tell you what you need to do to paint it.

 

[TRC51]

See, this is why I love this board. Tons of help in this thread! Really appreciate your input gang.

Steve in MI. That was very helpfull. I guess we will see what this thing looks like when it's on there.

MDbeck, you don't think I could hang the cap by the racks? The guy said you can stand on this thing even when it's not on the truck.

Salem, Good information. I guess I will just throw his oversized bed in the back and see how it goes. You can be sure I will be keeping an eye on him... and probably have the slider open anyway.

 

[mdbeck1]

...
MDbeck, you don't think I could hang the cap by the racks? The guy said you can stand on this thing even when it's not on the truck.
...

Before you try store it by the racks I'd call the manufacturer (or visit their website?) and look for info about storage of the cap when it is not on a vehicle. I'll bet that they tell you to place it on sawhorses or place a board under the base so that the base doesn't spread (causing small cracks). It would only be a minimal cost PLUS you would have some minor weight on the hoist so that the cable will come down without getting tangled.

 

[xJoey Dubsx]

I have a Leer brand tonneau cover, not a cap, but love it.

 

[rieferman]

90 pound black lab here, used to haul around with a cap on the back of my old Tacoma and he loved it back there. Winter isn't a concern unless you plan on leaving him in there overnight or something extreme. They generate so much heat and have such good coats, he was warm with the windows shut. In the summer, parking at the grocery store will quickly cook a dog, so avoid having him along if you're stopping in a hot spot without shade. But while driving, center slider open and the side sliders open, no problem at all. He'd just chill out happy as a dog in the back of a truck.

 

[adam728]

I had this Leer cap on my old truck, worked great.

I don't know about paint costs, but the cap definitly wasn't as heavy as some are making them out to be. I'm sure racks and carpet add some heft, but my 8 foot cap could be lifted by me standing in the bed and using my back/shoulders. We had a setup in the back yard that I could pull the truck between, unbolt the capper, then lift it and slide some 2x6's acrossed to hold the capper up. Worked great. 2 of us could lift/manuever the cap all over the place without issue. I'd be surprised if it was 250 lbs. Not light, but not a 4 person job.

 

[trbomax]

trbomax. Thanks for the reply. Here is a copy of the ad and a couple pictures from the ad. This model is only 3 years old from what he told me. Do you think they improved on the design since your purchased yours... is it the same cap you think?

Looks just like mine but shorter,mine is 8'.the windows tilt out at the rear.I wouldnt use the c-clamp things to hold it down,bolt it thru.I also had a tailgate gasket installed when they put it on.

 

[PECVD2]

Sounds like a good deal, but it wont hurt work him a bit and see if you can get the cost of paint out of him.

I recently purchased this Gold Raven fiberglass shell. Sanded the clearcoat and fixed some slight damage then shot Checker ready to spray primer, Champion white and Clear coat. Paid 150 for a ten year old shell and 70 for the primer, paint and clear. One of the best deals I have come across in many years....IMO.

Not an exact match but good enough for me

 

[TRC51]

Well, I bought it on Thursday night. One corner of it on the front had some small damage from what looks like it was dropped, but less than 1". I didn't care, but got another $40 off. The two of us (each at 185lbs soaking wet) put it on. Not bad, but not something I want to do a lot. Mounting is no big deal, just putting it up there.

So I immediately drove home, packed up all our stuff in the right side of the truck and dogs bed in the left side. He jumped right in and we were off (it was a busy night for me). Got to the camp site late and setup the tent in the dark. Dog loved it back there. He peaked through the slider until finally laying down and seemed pretty content. Family was comfortable in the front and it doesn't look too bad. It's a nice cap for sure, but I am going to have to clean it up a little. Was very handy and the truck seems to ride better with the weight on the back too. All in all I am super happy and the dog seems to be as well. Saved me a bunch of money and almost makes me feel like I have a new truck for some reason.

Thanks for the input to all. I will take some pictures when I get it cleaned up a little.

PEC, was talking to my dad. We were actually talking about giving it a good scratching and painting it ourselves. Have to price it around a little and see if I can get someone to do it on the cheap, but for now... it will definitely work.

 

[gsport]

i just bought a used one a week ago and found out there are tons of them used for sale on craigslist.. i think $500 is way too much, especially for a used ford one. they are plentiful
i got mine for $130.00, coming down from the asking price of $200.00

 

[crewchief888]

as for removing the cap ans storing it, my buddy came up with a similar idea for the hard top on his jeep. like most of us he's usually working alone, and trying to store a cap or jeep top is a PITA. he installed a HF winch up high in the garage, and hoists his top up through the rafters.

 

[Brad1234]

I can only help you with the weight question. You will not want to take it on & off regurlarly. I had a Leer fiberglass bed cover on a 6.5' bed. Just a bed cover not a topper. That thing was very heavy. It took 2 guys to get it on & off. My dad had a fiberglass topper of a different brand & the 2 of us could manage it but it wasn't fun. Anyway when I bought the cap I planned to just take it on & off as needed. Did that twice & went & bought utility trailer so I wouldn't have to anymore. You might be able to find the weight on the Leer Website.

 

[travisd]

If the truck cab and the cap both have sliders that line up, you can get inflatable rubber "donuts" that go between and seal the opening. The lets you open the windows between the two spaces and share heat/AC.

 

[onewaydave]

I have a leer on the 02 Ram and shame on your math for selling the diesel. Diesel fuel has never been twice the price of gas and gas trucks seldom get half the milage of the diesel. Now the cap.

Up here, Kansas, cap goes on for the dogs in the fall when the temps drop below 70 or so. Come off in the spring when the temp goes up. A cap in the sun in 70 'F will easily get close to 100 'F. The cap can be insulated but the bed is not and the exhaust system and the road are hot in the summer. Using a rubber matt helps some. CO in the back can rise rapidly in stop and go traffic or stationary idling. I would expect the slider to let all the ac/heat out faster than the truck can make it, but I've never had a slider.

I built a frame with rollers on one end. I back up to it and set one end on the rollers and I can get it on and off by myself. Even my decrepit old self.

 

[onewaydave]

A tip on painting. The fiberglass boat people use a 2 part epoxy, applied with a roller and tipped with a brush. Its self leveling. The finished product is glass smooth. Toxic as hell but beautiful, better than the original gelcoat.

http://plasticclassicforum.com has lots of information on the painting.

 

[TRC51]

A tip on painting. The fiberglass boat people use a 2 part epoxy, applied with a roller and tipped with a brush. Its self leveling. The finished product is glass smooth. Toxic as hell but beautiful, better than the original gelcoat.

http://plasticclassicforum.com has lots of information on the painting.

Thanks for the tip Oneway. I may look into that. OH and BTW, your comment about the Diesel and costs.... it doesn't matter what fuel mileage you get or how much more diesel is over gas..... $1300 per month to run a commuter truck is still $1300. It costs way too much to own that thing, but I do miss it.

So I may have paid a liiiiiittle to much for it, but I still don't think I did bad. So far this thing has been super handy and the dog loves it! Since I put it on I have not taken it off. I don't think it looks too bad, actually. In all honesty, if it were going to be any other color than black, the white was probably the best one (other than maybe gray).

I finally got the thing cleaned up on the outside, so I took some pics.

 

[PECVD2]

TRC51,

That looks great. Since most of the sides and rear are tinted windows you do not notice the white frame much, plus the white top will keep it cooler. I would say you got a pretty good deal as a used shell that nice would bring top dollar in these parts (>700).

 

[d33pt]

i don't think you paid too much for it. i just sold a leer without a headliner for $600. it was for an 8ft long bed though, so i think it's more rare.