Caps or covers are designed to go over a truck bed to secure an inclosure to haul products, produce, or just about anything and keep them out of the weather.
There are five different styles of caps or covers
- Camper shell
- Canopy
- Tonneau covers
- Truck caps
- Work caps
Part 1 of 4: Truck cap/cover designs and traits
Caps or covers come in various colors and styles to meet all customers' needs. Check out the following 10 types of caps/covers recommended for you and your truck. The caps/covers are listed by design for you to decide what best fits your needs.
Z Series Truck Cap/Cover is designed to give the most ideal fit and wrap up. The styling, frameless entryways and windows, and regard for subtle elements make the Z-Series the ideal decision for any truck. What’s more, the discretionary keyless entry system is an awesome last touch.
X Series Truck Cap/Cover has an innovative paint design to the touch making the cover more sophisticated. The cover has frameless entryways and windows. Plus the rear window has inbuilt keyless entry system.
Overland Series Truck Cap/Cover is built more durably and has a rugged design to match today’s truck line. It has two tone color off-road design and a protective coating to help protect the cover during weather conditions.
CX Series Truck Cap/Cover has a strong durability, cool design, and a good function. It is designed to match your truck and form to the contour of a bed liner.
MX Series Truck Cap/Cover has a mid raised roof to haul additional items with height. This design of cover is made for trucks that are pulling trailers for easy access.
V Series Truck Cap/Cover is designed with a soft color match to your truck. This look make the cover joined to the vehicle as a solid unit. This cover also comes with a side tool box for added storage.
TW Series Truck Cap/Cover has a high raised roof for maximum storage and is good for trucks hauling large trailers. Plus, the design has a wind resistance feel to help with the fuel economy.
Classic Aluminum Series Truck Cap/Cover is lightweight in design and gives a vintage look to any truck. Includes side window access to the interior. This cover has multiple windows for maximum visibility.
LSX Tonneau Series Truck Cap/Cover - the cover has a scissor-type lift and lifts up away from the truck bed. It has a tight fit to keep the weather out of the truck bed and includes a paint design to match the vehicle’s paint.
LSX Ultra Tonneau Series Truck Cap/Cover - the cover has a scissor type life with added extensions to lift the cover higher than the covers. Has a tight fit to keep the weather out of the truck bed. he cover includes a color match with high gloss to match the trucks on today’s truck line. Also, the cover includes a keyless remote access and an LED light to see in the bed when it is dark.
Part 2 of 4: Installing a cap/cover onto a truck
Having all of the necessary tools and materials prior to starting the work will allow you to get the job done more efficiently.
Materials needed
- C - clamps
- Drill bit set
- Electric or air drill
- SAE / Metric socket set
- SAE / Metric wrench set
- Safety glasses
- Wheel chocks
Part 3 of 4: Preparing the vehicle
Step 1: Park your vehicle on a flat, hard surface. Make sure that the transmission is in park (for automatics) or in 1st gear (for manuals).
Step 2: Place wheel chocks around the rear tires that will be remaining on the ground. In this case, the wheel chocks will be around the front tires since the rear of the vehicle will be lifted up. Engage the parking brake to the lock the rear tires from moving.
Part 4 of 4: Installing a cap/cover on a truck bed
Step 1: Get help and pick up the cap/cover and place it onto the truck bed. Open the tailgate for access to the inside of the cover. If your cap/cover came with bed liner protectors (a rubber pad that goes under the cover to protect the bed from scratches).
- Note: If you have to install the cap/cover by yourself, you can use a cherry picker lift with four straps to help lift up the cover. Do not attempt to deadlift the cover by yourself.
Step 2: Grab four c-clamps and place one at each corner of the cap/cover. Take a marker and mark where you want to install bolts into the cap/cover to secure it to the bed.
Step 3: Get a drill and drill bits that are fitted for the bolts you want to install. Drill holes into the mounting surface of the cap/cover.
Step 4: Place the bolts into the holes and put on lock nuts. Torque the nuts down hand tight then additional 1/4 turn. Be sure not to over torque the bolts or they will crack the cap/cover.
Step 5: Close the tailgate and back window. Get a water hose and spray the cap/cover to see if the seal is tight and keeping any leaks. If there are any leaks, you would need to check the bolts for tightness and check the seal to make sure that it is not folded over making a gap underneath the cap/cover.
If you need assistance in installing the cap/cover onto the truck bed or deciding on what cap or cover you want to invest into, then you could contact a professional to help you with your choices and installation.
