When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
How is visibility with a canopy. Not so much worried for me, just when my wife drives.
It definitely cuts down on the rear vis, especially if you have tinted windows.
BTW, here is mine with the Thule rack and the kayaks sitting on it. We typically use a trailer for the yaks, but sometimes, the places we want to go have no room for parking the trailer, so we go this route. Definitely more of a PITA to load and unload, especially the red 16 footer, as it weighs about 80 lbs, but only takes up one parking spot.
This is the trailer rig with 2 singles and a tandem.... From "The Clampetts Go To Sanibel" Collection....
When I got mine installed they had to mess with the rubber around the window a few times to get things 100% sealed. Bring it to your installer and ask them to work on that.
I figured out that it is leaking through the brake light housing. I'm gonna pull it off today and seal it myself, which, even though it is under warranty, is still far less hassle than making an appointment, driving the 30 miles roundtrip and waiting for them to do it.
The next cap I get will be custom order and the rear WILL be flush with the back/tailgate...the cap I bought last fall is slanted in at the top. Open the door with rain or snow on it. It falls and drips right into the pickup bed on what ever your hauling. And with the slant rear top. You lose 6" more from the already short bed. A aluminum cap is square on the rear. For me its not all about looks. I should of bought a functional aluminum cap.
Just had a Century Ultra Sport installed by Belair Shells in Garden Grove, CA. It was over $1,000 less than any other similarly equipped shell from Snugtop, Leer, or ARE and the fit and finish is superb. I got every option including Inside carpeting, tilt-down/removable front window, roof racks (Thule Tracker II), and remote lock/unlock and it was $2,500 out the door with taxes and installation. Although it doesn't look it in the picture, the color match is indistinguishable from the factory paint (my truck is very dirty in the picture whereas the shell is clean), and the evenness of the fit all around is damned near perfect. The rear window closes with a gentle push, and pops open easily with the flick of a finger after hitting the remote twice (which is the same as unlocking the tailgate).
The other big advantage of the Century caps is that replacement glass is a LOT cheaper if you break something - I compared against snugtop, Leer, and ARE and in most cases replacement glass was less than 1/2 the price.
I also opted for the rubber-framed windows because I like sliders instead of pop-outs - the ventilation is better and my dog gets more air that way. It was about $50 cheaper, IIRC.
Just had a Century Ultra Sport installed by Belair Shells in Garden Grove, CA. It was over $1,000 less than any other similarly equipped shell from Snugtop, Leer, or ARE and the fit and finish is superb. I got every option including Inside carpeting, tilt-down/removable front window, roof racks (Thule Tracker II), and remote lock/unlock and it was $2,500 out the door with taxes and installation. Although it doesn't look it in the picture, the color match is indistinguishable from the factory paint (my truck is very dirty in the picture whereas the shell is clean), and the evenness of the fit all around is damned near perfect. The rear window closes with a gentle push, and pops open easily with the flick of a finger after hitting the remote twice (which is the same as unlocking the tailgate).
The other big advantage of the Century caps is that replacement glass is a LOT cheaper if you break something - I compared against snugtop, Leer, and ARE and in most cases replacement glass was less than 1/2 the price.
I also opted for the rubber-framed windows because I like sliders instead of pop-outs - the ventilation is better and my dog gets more air that way. It was about $50 cheaper, IIRC.
02-20-2016, 06:31 PM
