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My truck cap was leaking so i took it off to re-seal the windows and clean it up and my son said it looks better. I'm like you think so? he said ya the cap looks stupid, it looks like it's trying to be a minivan with the cap on. I'm like minivan?! I said it's trying to be an suv he said only it's not, it's a truck. So I'm thinking minivan? maybe I'll leave it off for the winter, it sure is a lot easier to see with it off.
I've got the same truck, same color, same wheels and a cap, too. Took it off when we moved back to Texas and love having more visibility. My cap sits off the side of the front yard, where I can keep and eye on it or drop it back on if I need to. Leave it off for awhile, variety is good.
I like a cap in the winter to keep out snow, keep cargo dry and add extra weight for traction. In the summer, I usually remove it for better visibility, less weight = better MPG.
That's a great looking cap IMO.. matching color and a modern design and all, if it was some old square thing with faded white paint then it would be hideous. I guess it depends what you need, I use all my trucks for work they're not mall queens and a covered box is a good feature but for others it's just a play toy. To each their own.
Unless you prefer wet payloads/cargo, keep the cap on during winter, off during summer.
A open pick-up bed is next to useless here with the 60"+ of rain we get a winter.
Keeps cargo dry and secure.
Better aerodynamics, arguably better gas mileage.
Con's;
Limits cargo height.
Difficult to access front of bed.
Limits visibility.
Aesthetics are always individual. Normally, I loathe caps. but yours actually looks OK. I can't use one because I can't crawl inside which makes the bed kind of useless. I use a roll up tonneau cover to protect cargo.
I agree with all the above except for the "less weight= better mpg" The better aerodynamics makes up for the extra weight. Back when I had my 88 Ranger, I noticed a 2 mpg difference when I took the cap off. Mine was not a smooth aerodynamic one like yours, but an old boxy wood/aluminum one, so I would imagine your mpg difference will be greater. Still if you don't haul any cargo in the winter, and you like the look better without the cap, then go for it, it is your truck, and your decision, however, you did ask for opinions.
any truck i ever had I put a tonneau cover on. This one came with a cap on so i drove it for a while. Once i got it running good i started thinking about cleaning it up and found the leaks in the cap, this is the reason i took it off.
I was cleaning up some stuff at work and found some old diamond plate bed rails that came off an old F250 we got rid of. with a little cutting and bending I put one on today, this is making it hard to put the lid back on.
I have flat metal siderails that are kinda textured like diamond plate and my cap just drops on as usual, but I use those camper clamps (low profile, not a traditional C clamp). How is the diamond plate interfering with the cap?
I like your cap. Your truck looks good with or without it. I would recommend that you take good care of the cap. I've seen them deteriorate, especially when left 'laying around'. Wash it and wax it. Those things are not cheap! I've always wanted one but could never find the money.
I was gonna say, you priced a painted matched topper lately? Figure $2500 bucks new. I like them when I want one, they are a total PITA when I don't, hard to store. Good for keeping cargo secure and dry, and make a passable camper if you're not too particular.
