Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
C TOPPERS LEER Century With its sleek and stylish appearance, Century's Royal cap lends a dressed-up look to any pickup. The Royal comes standard with a curved, one-piece tinted glass door. The center-mounted teardrop handle lock can be upgraded to a keyless remote system. Other options include a factory-mounted Thule roof rack system, ceiling-mounted interior Gear Net, folding clothes hanger, 12-volt accessories power block, and a nylon headliner. Limited lifetime warranty. www.centurycaps.com Jason Industries Jason's Work-Force fiberglass cap series combines classic fiberglass design with DCU options and versatility, turning any pickup into a work truck. Three available models can be customized with numerous option combinations to handle any job. From the Cab Hi Basic Model to the Hi Rise Model or the Cab Hi Premium Model, there's a cap for everyone from the handyman to the serious contractor. www.jasoncaps.com; (800) 745-2766 BED SHELLS & CAPS LEER's 100XQ cap offers premium styling and features with a profile inspired by the design of the truck it fits. Each cap is made to model the body lines and other design elements of the truck it is made for, making it unique to the truck cap industry. Large side windows with a crank-out feature, one-piece curved glass rear door and a tough, resilient nylon interior headliner accompany a host of other standard features. Limited lifetime warranty. www.leer.com The sides and roof shouldn't buckle under pressure; the welds should be clean, without gaps, globs or spatter; the corners should be cut clean with no sharp edges to catch shirt sleeves. Of course the paint should have a high shine, with no "orange peel" or drips and runs. Check the corners and under door edges for coverage. Fiberglass caps can be a bit harder to inspect for construction quality. The paint or gelcoat finish should be bright with no dull or rough areas. The underside should be finished smoothly, with little to no exposed fiberglass strands. Many fiberglass caps are built using a chopper gun (as opposed to using hand-laid fiberglass), which is a faster and less-expensive way to build a fiberglass part. There's nothing wrong with using this method, but it does leave some exposed fiberglass strands, which should be sanded smooth and covered with paint or gelcoat. With both fiberglass and aluminum caps, there are areas to check for quality that are common to both. Doors and door seals should close smoothly and fit tightly. Unfortunately, it's tough to check for leaks until the cap's mounted on the truck and in use. Slider windows should open and close without binding; ditto for drawers and cabinets, if so equipped. The cap should sit flat on the truck bed with no gaps. Window and door supports should keep the doors open high and wide without sagging. The wiring and connectors for interior lights and the CHMSL (center high-mounted stop When maximizing bed storage space and keeping equipment safe from the elements are key, it's tough to beat today's pickup bed caps By John Tiger propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 17 ProPickup_2013BB_Bed Shells.indd 17 8/6/13 9:35 AM