Truck cap/topper solutions, New sled sits a little high

Disco: I agree with the weight that you've quoted -- it didn't matter for the earlier point of weight being added on winter roads. One or two buddies and 3 beer for a done-deal loading. (P.S. - My buddies are married, so they have to go home right away before trouble starts over at my place!)

Yes, this is a very valid point as well. Those caps can be 500 lbs or more. Most people's payload is around 2000 lbs on a full-sized truck. Even less on higher trim models - sometimes as low as 1200 lbs on fully loaded trims.

If you add 500 lbs to the payload, now your max payload is 1500 lbs. Add two 200 lbs people, 200 lbs of gear, and now you're down to 900 lbs max. Since you need 10-15% of your trailer weight on your tongue, then you can now only legally tow something less than 6000 lbs (15% is 900 lbs.)

But like you said, during the winter, this gives the truck some great weight in the back without having to add sandbags in the bed.

I mean, there's pros and cons everywhere

OMG a 500lb truck cap??? Wow I had no idea they could be that heavy.

I put a truck cap on my Dads F150. It’s fibreglass and has normal windows in it. Weighed may 150/200lbs. I picked it up myself.

I sure wouldn’t want a 500lb cap on my Colorado.

Tonneau covers are like 60-100 lbs alone.

Maybe it's 200 lbs. That would be really thin fibreglass though. Fibreglass is about 7 lbs per sq foot for 1/2. A 8x4 sheet is 32 square feet. 32 x 7 = 224 lbs. Maybe it's 1/4 inch instead of 1/2 inch?

The windows would certainly be A LOT lighter.

My old truck had a raised cap on it. Loved it for the room and used to load2 ice huts stacked on top into it. It keep everything clean, dry and most of all secure.
My new truck that I just got comes with a hard tonneau cover. Same issue, I can not close the tonneau cover. Will have to leave it open.
All that is needed is about another inch or so. I am thinking of putting a spacer between the tonneau cover and all around the truck bed made out of 2x4s. It should give me that space that I need to close the cover.

Otter

I’m thinking about doing the same thing Otter.

I have to remove the bolt holding the poles of the Otter cabin in order to close the tonneau cover. Sucks to have an extra thing to do but doesn't take longer than 1 minute.

Also gotta make sure the hyfax runners sit in the "valleys" of the truck bed.

Yes, this is a very valid point as well. Those caps can be 500 lbs or more. Most people's payload is around 2000 lbs on a full-sized truck. Even less on higher trim models - sometimes as low as 1200 lbs on fully loaded trims.

If you add 500 lbs to the payload, now your max payload is 1500 lbs. Add two 200 lbs people, 200 lbs of gear, and now you're down to 900 lbs max. Since you need 10-15% of your trailer weight on your tongue, then you can now only legally tow something less than 6000 lbs (15% is 900 lbs.)

But like you said, during the winter, this gives the truck some great weight in the back without having to add sandbags in the bed.

I mean, there's pros and cons everywhere

OMG a 500lb truck cap??? Wow I had no idea they could be that heavy.

I put a truck cap on my Dads F150. It’s fibreglass and has normal windows in it. Weighed may 150/200lbs. I picked it up myself.

I sure wouldn’t want a 500lb cap on my Colorado.

Tonneau covers are like 60-100 lbs alone.

Maybe it's 200 lbs. That would be really thin fibreglass though. Fibreglass is about 7 lbs per sq foot for 1/2. A 8x4 sheet is 32 square feet. 32 x 7 = 224 lbs. Maybe it's 1/4 inch instead of 1/2 inch?

The windows would certainly be A LOT lighter.

Most manufacturers list them on line as between 150-180lbs. They are never a half inch thick from anyone I have ever seen.

Challenge accepted. I'm going to make a 1/2in thick topper now and make it 500 lbs just to somewhat win this conversation. It's going to be the ugliest topper ever, but I'll drive it around for years because now I'm doubling down. I'm going to get it wrapped with a picture of Disco's 15 lbs Laker he said was 25lbs+

😂😂😂

Nice guy.

I bet you will get better winter traction though.

I just picked up the Eskimo escape 2600 so it can fit under my tonneau cover with seats still installed, I have the low profile factory ford backflip tonneau on a 6.5ft bed. I leave the shack in my bed most of the winter as i hate hauling it out each weekend so being able to close the cover was priority 1 and after i researched all the features i was looking for this was the only shack that met all the criteria. I have about .5" to spare, the 6.5 foot bed allows me to keep the new eskimo folding tow bar attached at the the sled and all i have to do is pop in the wire pin and go, no more fumbling on the ice trying to install the tow bars this year

opening is 21" and the sled with runners and seat installed sits at just about 20.5", she was a close one lol

"...she was a close one"
A bit of a master of the understatement....!
The plywood bed liner made it real tight. It works and that's the key. Hopefully the fish appreciate all the extra effort and agree to co-operate under the ice. Good luck out there.

I bought an f150 last fall, put a used mid sized cap on it in the spring. Previously it had a tonneau cover and it was convenient but the cap is so much better imo. Everything stays dry and really it gives more usable space since I could still fit an atv or snowmobile in if I wanted to. New they run about 4k and waitlists can be insane but if you find a good used dealer you can get a good price, mine was 1000 all in. The point about weight is a no factor for me, mine is fiberglass about 200 lbs I think (no idea where buddy is getting 500lbs from) and I don't notice a difference when towing or if the truck is fully loaded. I mean I get that gross tonnage is important but I've never actually met someone who calculates that stuff before leaving lol, I mean come on would a few extra pounds really stop me from hitting the hardware anyway. Originally I got to topper to build a camper in the back for road tripping and it's been amazing. And if you think they look bad I can't agree, I think they look pretty mean to be honest.

In a cap, everything stays dry and locked up.

Yeah, I was off base on the 500 lbs. I was guessing based on how much I know about fibreglass, but didn't account for the large windows and thickness of the fibreglass.

I personally don't like them because I'm not carrying a million things back there anyway, and it decreases the payload of the truck and that means you can tow less (legally.) I need all the payload I can get when towing my boat, so an extra 200lbs is way too much weight.

200 lbs less payload translates to 2000-2300lbs less you can tow. That's a lot of weight for something a 50 lbs tonneau cover does just fine.

If you aren't towing heavy trailers, then I see how it would be beneficial

This is something I did not know.

Curious as to why 200lbs would translate to that much less towing capacity?
Is there a formula?

This is something I did not know.

Curious as to why 200lbs would translate to that much less towing capacity?
Is there a formula?

Tongue weight, generally the ideal is about 10-12% of the total trailer weight. So, if you have a 2000 lb trailer, there's your minimum tongue weight of 200 lbs that has to be accounted for in your payload. Take the cap off and now you could theoretically tow a 4000lb trailer if your vehicle is capable of it.