Leer Cap Ordering...what to include?

I'm sold on the Thule rails on top, carpet interior, fold down front window against the back seats and side windoors... But what package did you get, why and what Thule accessory or setup?

What width Thule rack bars?

Do you need the Front airfoil deflector thing?

For my use:
I want roof racks for long items - ladder, 2x4...

I might put a bike up top, but no kayak or skis.

How about the locking storage compartment against the headliners or slide out bed drawer system?

LED lights and power outlets I prefer to install myself. Same with the power lock - I can tap off my powered pop n' lock in the tailgate.

I'm willing to invest up to $3,000 in this thing for most bells and whistles and I want to be happy looking at it as I approach my truck for years to come.

Any items to stay away from would also be good to know.

2014 DC SB

Thanks in Advance!

 

I'm not sure about the Leer packages but it sounds like you are off to a good start with your options. I installed Yakima rails on my ARE and went with, IIRC, the 66" bars. They stick out over the sides but I wanted more real estate for carrying boats/cargo box/bikes/whatever; they're up high enough that I don't hit my head on them. I also have room to hang a solar shower, mount an awning or fishing rode tube, hook lights up, etc. under them. You can get longer lengths and cut them to whatever size you want if you wanted longer. I have an air deflector on mine but honestly I don't notice a difference, probably because the rack is behind the cab.

You need to get an idea what you plan to do most with your shell- are you planning to use it as a work truck, simple recreation, camp in it, live in it? I sleep in mine a lot so I want it to be functional as well as pretty comfortable. With that in mind I like headroom so I can sit up. I wish I'd gone with my instinct and gotten a taller shell than the cab high. Because I also use it to haul stuff I don't like the drawer systems; they take up too much room in my opinion but lots of folks swear by them. Same with the full sized overhead lockers; I like the one that runs down the side though. I'd put up an overhead net instead. If you have pets that will ride in the back I'd get the screen protectors for the windows. I'd also put in a tailgate seal; it won't stop all of the dirt from geting in the bed but it will reduce it some. You'll probably want to tape the bed seams and seal around the cubbies as they allow in lots of dust. LED lights are a good option as is a charging port for phones or whatever.

 

You installed the Yakima rails yourself or got them as an option? I'm asking because I'm in the market for a shell and am trying to find a used one before I pay retail, being able to install the rails would open up the used market for me; however, I wonder if the roofs are the same in regards to reinforcement between the shells with rails and without...

 

Fwiw I went with a century cap. Same company, same mold, same warranty, $500 cheaper. I have the Thule tracks and Yakima bars. I will eventually add a third bar up on the cab for longer stuff. The Yakima box rides nice up there.

 

This is my daily driver and I drive 3-4 times a year from Cincy to GA to visit family, so thus far I've been timing my trips with good weather for the suitcases in the bed. Having a cap for my use gives more flexibility in travel plans and security for belongings when stopping for food / gas / rest along the travelled route.

Having racks on top gives more ability for long items - mainly my extension ladder so I don't have to pull my trailer.

I have two small side boxes in my bed now with straps, first aid, safety, flashlight etc that I could put behind the rear seat but I think I'll include their storage shelf thing up in the ceiling and put it there.

I don't expect to sleep in the cab...we're use to tents, air mattresses and there's 5 so we couldn't all fit.

 

I'll research Century...there is an ARE dealer closest to me, but I'd prefer not to do business with him based on past experiences. Leer is north of town and the locals I've talked to haven't had many complaints about their experience with the local Leer dealer.

 

I installed the tracks myself; it'd have been easier with a helper but I didn't have one at the time. Measure at least twice before you start drilling. LOL. I put blue painter's tape down- outside of the thicker honeycomb area- and did all of my markings and drilling on it. You must go outside of the thicker area as it's a honeycomb type piece that adds reinforcement but is also crushable- you'll start compacting/crushing it if you try to tighten the inside nuts down tight enough. Use a small drill and drill your pilot holes then work up to an appropriate sided bit or use a step bit. Use a drill bit stop or a piece of tape on your bit to stop it from going much past the fiberglass or the interior carpeting will get wrapped up in your drill bit. I used brand new bits to get the cleanest holes I could with the least chipping of the fiberglass.


Once your holes are drilled then pull the tape off. Install the rail slider bases, put the plastic caps on, clean the shell well where you will be applying sealant and on the nuts then install your tracks. For mounting on a shell you should get the nuts with the rounded plastic pieces on them. Yakima calls them "capnuts" https://www.yakima.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=capnuts I'm guessing Thule has something similar or you can use Yakima tracks/hardware, they're basically the same from everything I've heard. I'm sure someone can chime in with a professional opinion on that. You do not need to goop a ton of sealant in the holes; silicon will work fine but a better option is 3M's marine sealant. Coat the nuts, put some in the holes and install. Snug the capnuts down well and allow it to dry.


That's how my brother told me to install them and he'd been working for a bike shop doing installs for a couple of years. Mine has been on since 2006 and so far no leaks and I've had the rack loaded heavy at times. There are pictures of my truck in some other threads if you're curious.

 

I have 65" Thule square bars. As Bajatacoma said, they stick out beyond the sides of the cap, but they're nice for being able to carry plenty of stuff. The Thule areo bars are sized differently than the square bars, so I'm not sure what the options are for those. For any Thule accessories, you can probably get better prices somewhere other than the cap dealer. There are plenty of Thule dealers online, or you can watch for a sale at REI.

For LEDs, check out Ikea Dioder lights. They are 12v, so you just need to wire them up to your power. They have some different options for round lights and strips. I have some of the strips in my cap, velcroed to the carpet, so that I can move them around.

 

OP,
I just ordered a Century with everything you listed: headliner, removable front slider, vented windoors, tracks + thule rack, and a few battery operated LEDs. Although I'll eventually swap out for longer load bars, it didn't make sense to not get them because of the price.
I opted out of the locking overhead storage because I got the cab hi shell so didn't want to limit my head room anymore. If I'd gone with the taller one I would have considered it though.
Was going to get hooks for hanging stuff while camping but could only get 4 on one side or 8 (4 on each), but though 8 was too many.

 

Cost?

 

$2200 installed. Leer was at least $400 more.

 

If you are going with Carl's Stereo north of Cincy, ask about how they seal up the cap. I picked one up from them, and need to go back and get some of the seals worked on. I have a bad seal near the cab, which is a known problem spot. You could possibly prep the vehicle yourself prior to the install. If I had known, I would have prepared the vehicle prior to my install.

If you want sliding windoors (which is what I really wanted) make sure you specify it when you order. I made the mistake (and I do admit, it was partly my mistake) to just say I wanted windoors, when I really wanted sliding windoors. I need to go back and settle up on that too.

One thing I did, I asked them to get me the longest bars Thule makes (79" btw) and cut them down to size after the install (68" final). During the install they hot glued the caps to the end of the bars. Whenever I have installed Thule or Yakima bars, I just put the plastic end cap in. I have never seen anyone use hot glue on them before. Nothing a rubber mallet wouldn't fix. If you are unsure of your bar length, get the longest and trim them down yourself. It is easy to do and you can get exactly the length you need.

 

I was split between ARE and LEER, no doubt both make great caps. I've heard horror stories about ARE's customer service (when buying new caps). I would love to be able to afford a brand new cap. I even priced out out with all the accessories i wanted and it was a kick in the nuts. I just scoured Craigslist for that past 12 months and finally found a used (2011) Leer 100R in Rhode Island. It's not perfect, had some chips, but it already had pre-install roof rails and it had a front sliding window and a carpeted interior........couldn't say not for only $700.

 

As I have posted before, make sure you spend $75 for the fishing pole rack to hold your $15 fishing pole.

 

I got a quote from Carl's but have some questions and am gonna go there next week to get some clarification

 

Side windoors with vents and screens, I screwed up, can't be added later om my cap.

 

Very good to know! Thanks for the verbiage clarification!

 

Are the cap bars at the same level or on the same plane as the cab bars? As in, would a long ladder touch all 4 bars in distributing its weight?

 

I have a factory roof rack on my cab and while I haven't actually used it yet, my Thule racks appear to be an inch or two higher.

 

I'm glad I got the fold-down front window. It'd be a true whore to clean glass without it. The spots would drive me bonkers every time I looked in the rearview mirror.