2019 Truck cap/topper/camper shell thread

[IronByron]

I absolutely love this! I’ll be doing this to mine very soon. How is is holding up so far? View attachment 2931

I used it from August until the first freeze (end of camping season for us). I took it off for the winter as I hear the clear plastic can crack in freezing temps (I think it has to be real cold). Anyways I only use it during camping season to transport my dogs since family takes up all the cab room. That being said, it held up very well so far. During my research of the product there are folks using them year round without issue. They are high quality and built to last.

Love the truck color

 

[Bozo]

I thought I would start a thread around caps (or whatever you prefer to call them) so folks could get an idea of what everyone is using on the 2019 and up.

After some internal debate and skepticism I ended up going with a Softopper and couldn’t be happier. It’s the best of both worlds as far as protection of items in the bed and being able to take it down for large items in the bed. All doubts were shed after getting it installed (and consequently stowing it and redeploying, super easy). It’s sturdy and not noisy (at least up to 60 mph that I have gone so far)

I might go with a hard top someday but for now this absolutely works!

Nice truck. Any pics with the top stowed?

 

[elephantrider]

put the top down today to make a mountain bike load a little easier
to get in the bed. i freakin love this topper. down in 2 minutes.

 

[Phil T]

Hopefully, ARE will have a Z2 shell for the 8 foot bed before the truck is obsolete.

 

[IronByron]

Nice truck. Any pics with the top stowed?

I don’t at the moment, looks like elephantrider has one posted tho. I got the optional storage bag to put over the stowed topper as well, it wasn’t very much to add on.

 

[Power247]

Nice truck. Any pics with the top stowed?

Here's mine stowed in the optional cover. I highly recommend the cover if you plan on keeping it stowed most of the time.

Greg

2012 | RAM 2500 | CCSB | Custom tuned by Double R Diesel

2016 | Heartland Pioneer | DS310

 

[oaklandopen]

Just got mine on today. Really long story, but its done.

Really weird as I look back in the mirror

 

[Gray Ghost]

I have had a bed topper on every truck I've ever owned until now. With this new 2500 I went with a Diamondback HD bed cover and I'm loving it. I can load 2 ATVs on top of it and still access the bed storage under the cover. It gives me more capacity for hauling ATVs to the trails and the option to not have to tow a toy hauler at all just to go riding.
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[CtoF]

I’m new to the forum, and I’ve been slinking around in the background getting info. Anyhow, here’s my baby!

 

[UglyViking]

Anyone with an ARE/LEER topper know if the power lock works with the proximity keyless?

 

[Dakrt23]

I’m new to the forum, and I’ve been slinking around in the background getting info. Anyhow, here’s my baby!View attachment 5607

Looks great! Brand / model on the topper? Can’t quite tell from pics. If you have any other pics for different angles that would be awesome too! Thanks.

 

[CtoF]

Looks great! Brand / model on the topper? Can’t quite tell from pics. If you have any other pics for different angles that would be awesome too! Thanks.

The brand is “Swiss.” That just was what my local place worked with. I love having the cap, so much space to put stuff in and not worry about it. Here are a few more pics:

 

[HCOR]

so can you run the brake light off the brake light wire on tail light? mines a 2019 2500 and looking to hood up 3rd and some battery feed for led bed lights.

 

[steve49]

so can you run the brake light off the brake light wire on tail light? mines a 2019 2500 and looking to hood up 3rd and some battery feed for led bed lights.

So I prewired my 2500 Bighorn for an ARE Z shell with the LED lights, and electric lock for the rear entry window/door. The third break light wire is located near the rear bumper just above the spare. I ran a number 10 gauge black/red fused zip from the drivers side battery to the bed. The tailgate latch setup is different now, so you have to go to the drivers side door sill and tap into the door lock/unlock wires and run to the bed for the shell electric lock to work with your fob. The bed photo is a wire block with, third brake light, door unlock, door lock, 12v for shell interior light, a few extra 12v power. The PDF from ARE tells how to wire up the shell power lock.

 

[Gondul]

I tied the LED lights into the bed lights...

What did you do TO your RAM today?

Looks great! Any pics of how its mounted? I've got the rough draft prototype mount hardware photographed, although I don't have any decent ones of attachment to the undercarriage. Ignore the ugly aluminium brazing, it was a gap filler and cannot be seen from the finished side. I matched...

hdrams.com

 

[gilpincctx]

Just picked up mine from the installer yesterday. Leer 100XQ.

Anyone else get a Leer with the power lock?
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My '14 has the 100XQ but without the remote lock. I'm trying to find info on tying the pop-and-lock kit into the existing factory locking tailgate.
If anyone has some links with detailed instructions on how to do it, I'd REALLY appreciate it.

We're heading out of town in a couple weeks and the keyed lock is bunk. The key bent shortly after installation in 2014, and it's just an overall PITA.

 

[steve49]

You can't wire into the new tailgate locking system on the 19-20's because of the change in the tailgate locking system. I contacted Ram Body Build Div. and was told the tailgate locking system was changed to the same as on SUV's and cars. When you push the button on the tailgate latch system, it sends a Low voltage pulse to the latching system to open or lock. They advised to use the power lock on the shell, you would need to tap into the door lock/unlock wires in the wire channel, that run under the carpet next to the door step on either the driver or passenger side. The ARE shell install PDF attached to my previous post above, describes the factory wire to tap in to.

 

[gilpincctx]

You can't wire into the new tailgate locking system on the 19-20's because of the change in the tailgate locking system. I contacted Ram Body Build Div. and was told the tailgate locking system was changed to the same as on SUV's and cars. When you push the button on the tailgate latch system, it sends a Low voltage pulse to the latching system to open or lock. They advised to use the power lock on the shell, you would need to tap into the door lock/unlock wires in the wire channel, that run under the carpet next to the door step on either the driver or passenger side. The ARE shell install PDF attached to my previous post above, describes the factory wire to tap in to.

What about 2014's though? The tailgate doesn't have any kind of separate button on the key fob. The tailgate unlocks with the passenger doors on 2 presses of the unlock button on the fob.

 

[steve49]

Sorry I didn't catch the 2014! My 2014 Ram 1500 I had had the locking tailgate, so I was able to go in to the tailgate and see the wiring and taped into the wiring harness under the truck where the wires went into the tailgate, once I determined which were lock and unlock. With that the shell power lock worked with the key fob. It's been quite sometime, but I think maybe the wires in the tailgate were the same color code as the vehicle doors, but can't say for sure.

 

[UglyViking]

You can't wire into the new tailgate locking system on the 19-20's because of the change in the tailgate locking system. I contacted Ram Body Build Div. and was told the tailgate locking system was changed to the same as on SUV's and cars. When you push the button on the tailgate latch system, it sends a Low voltage pulse to the latching system to open or lock. They advised to use the power lock on the shell, you would need to tap into the door lock/unlock wires in the wire channel, that run under the carpet next to the door step on either the driver or passenger side. The ARE shell install PDF attached to my previous post above, describes the factory wire to tap in to.

Is this because it's low voltage only? I'm trying to figure out if the cap will work with the proximity tailgate? I'm guessing from your response it's a no. I don't understand how the cap manufactures can't answer questions like this. I reached out to ARE and Leer on this and they both gave me a "not sure". I just wish I could tie into the latch or proximity sensor in the tailgate.

This has to be a solvable problem right? If the tailgate sends a low voltage I don't see why that couldn't be stepped up or lower the amount of voltage the sensor expects to see. One of those has to be an option right?