Softopper - I've been waiting for

[SirRobyn0]

It is NEVER too early to have a drink!
Can I get a #ELL Yea!

My problem isn't that I can't drink at 8AM, my problem is that after that first drink at 8AM I'm then required to keep a small flow of booze all day, but if I at least wait until mid-afternoon....

 

[Radiohead]

pffffft, ear

 

[SirRobyn0]

I've always liked these as well. I typically have a hard shell for any truck I have, and never can take it off or put it on as easily as I'd like, so I struggle through open bed jobs with a cap, then struggle through things that should be enclosed because I can't find enough neighbors to help me install it for beer. A friend has one on his late model Chevy and likes it, I've seen him pop it forward pretty quickly, and seems to keep things dry enough for him to not complain about it when we are out camping.

As far as your questions, from where I stand on the other side of the internet, I think I's scoot it forward a bit, that sems like a big gap there. Of course, I'd probably fold it down first to make sure that gap isn't needed for it to stack up when stowed away.
And as for the back, I'd default to thinking that the fabric would stretch ever so slightly in warmer weather, but that's just my gut and sounds like other's experience says otherwise. It might also be my viewing angle from online, but the gap between the tailgate and the bed side looks a bit large. Is it possible the bed sides have "splayed out" a bit over the years, so that the top bed rails are a little farther apart than spec? I had to take a come-along and correct my sister-in-law's Furd for that when the tailgate quit closing, and recently saw some ads for braces that are supposed to help that issue on the aluminum bed trucks, but a few too many round bales could do that to anything, I'd imagine.

Oh, and I've had clamps similar to that on my cappers for year without issues, even in a rear-end collision it was fine and held on. My biggest issue was always wear on them after so many removals, the aluminum threads would get a little weak. Eventually one or two got replaced with Harbor Freight C-clamps, which also held fine. One truck I did have some pin holes drilled, but they were more for alignment and shear, I never actually put nuts on there to hold it "down".

That sounds like me when I use to run a hard shell on my Dodge, I always had it on when I needed it off or visa versa, I didn't use to have a problem pulling it on and off by myself as it was one of those aluminum skinned ones and was fairly light weight, but it just became to much of a pain over time.

I need to fold it down sometime this week and see where it hits. The top bars are suppose to hit the bulk head rail in such a way that they won't fall into the bed and won't hit the cab. Also I moved the softopper forward about an inch from when I took the photo and I think that's closer to where it needs to be.

Luckily the bed isn't splayed, but the tailgate is bent, it's something the former owner did and I don't know the story. But I think he must have had the tailgate open and ran it into a tree or parking post or something else round and not movable, so looking at it with the tailgate open the middle right side is bent outward / or down slightly. It's not terrible but it's enough to make the gap a little wide at the top of the gate. I can see that it's going to want to seep water in from that area so I'll have to figure out a way to seal it.

How tight should a guy make those C-clamps anyway? I've gone to where I felt like I had the seal under the bar pretty well compressed. I guess you'd call it snug, or maybe just a little more than snug. Thanks.

 

[Hunter79764]

My torque wrench was out for calibration so to speak (at the store, that I haven't bought it from yet...), so I just used a 3/8" ratchet choked close and tried not to bear down on it too much. In all reality, probably not much more than 15 or 20 ft lbs, snug enough to not rattle out but not enough to feel like I was going to pull threads or gall up when removing it. Leave the ugga-dugga's out for sure. And I probably still got it snugger than needed. Once the weatherstripping is compressed, it probably won't go much of anywhere by itself anyway and all but 2 of those clamps are for you, not the truck.

Makes sense on the tailgate. Don't you love previous owners?

 

[77 K20]

@77 K20 how do you like yours?

I bought mine used in 2012. It was wadded up behind some guys garage. He managed to stab/rip it somehow on the rear flap/window. Probably a 4" rip. I patched it, that panel is replaceable also but never did.

I love it. It can fold down if needed, it is water proof. I've camped in the back of the truck with it. I bought a very low foldable cot to get my off the 5th wheel rails in the bed. I've had a lot of wet heavy snow pile up on top of it before I was able to shovel it off (surprising amount of weight). It stayed in place on a lonely highway when I buried my 100 mph speedo (sides do get sucked in at that speed).

I think this is my first pic with it on. It has faded a bit from black to a charcoal grey. But it sits outside.

 

[77 K20]

My thoughts so far:
All the hard shell canopies I've had in my life ALL of them have been drilled and bolted though the frame rail. The softopper came equipped with clamps. The clamp has a C - shaped end that goes over the square aluminum tube which is the part of the frame that sits on the bedrail, and then the other part is a foot which goes underneath the bedrail. It seems like a pretty good clamp setup, but still I'm just a little nervous since there is no direct drilled though bolts. I'm sure I'll anally check the clamps for the next few weeks until I trust them. lol.

My biggest regret so far is that I only had time to install it this weekend and I did not get to play with it at all. I wanna fold it down just to get the hang of the procedure so when I'm sitting somewhere to be loaded with feed or whatever I'm not holding anyone up. Well I've got the week to do that since I do need to haul feed on Friday.

I think that the softopper should be pretty weather tight, at least it looks like it should be with one caveat. The stake pockets are exposed to the outside as are the three little bolt holes that held my old bedrails on. Tomorrow, if there is spare space in the shop I'll pull it in and let it dry out and then put that foil mastic whether proofing tape over the stake pockets and the bolt holes, then I'll order actual stake pocket plugs. My one and only concern about the sealing of the softopper itself is at the corners of the tailgate. I'll have to wait and see on that.

I previously had an aluminum topper. I started out with just clamps but when off roading and twisting up the frame I found that the topper would start to shift. I ended up just drilling one hole on each side to hold it. The ends still had a little "flex" in the clamps if needed. BUT- with the softopper I've only used clamps. And it has never moved. It does move and flex with the truck- you can see how the sides rippled here: But it hasn't been damaged at all. Even with tree branches scraping down it on narrow trails.

For sealing I put in the state pocket plug covers and I bought rubber weather-stripping at Lowes and went around the tailgate. I saw they actually make custom tailgate seals but a lot more money than Lowes generic stuff. Dust will still creep in, especially when some of my camping trips involved over 100 miles of dirt roads. I just wrapped all my stuff up in trash bags and took microfiber towels to wipe down some surfaces. (tailgate, wheel wells, inside bed rails I use as a storage shelf).

 

[77 K20]

Now for my question to anyone that owns or has owned one of these things.

First off I wonder if I should shift the bedrails forward some.


Second question, the corners seem so bloody tight. I was able to get the snaps snapped by hand, but it took a bit of tugging. I think that the answer is it was 40F out, the instructions state it is easier to install for the first time in warmer weather. This isn't this softoppers first installation, but it was only on the POs truck for 2 weeks a year ago. It doesn't seem to be up and down tension it seem to be side to side. See the snap picks. I'm really thinking it'll stretch in, but maybe someone else will be able to tell me if this is normal or not.

I think mine is moved closer to the cab than yours.

The corners are pretty tight on mine. The directions say pull down on the very top of the corners when snapping/unsnapping. I don't think the snaps will ever pull thru that material- but I did have 2 snaps pull out of the aluminum square tube bedrails. They are just small screws that screw into the thin wall aluminum. The snaps were a bit loose when I bought it and I was just yanking on the material to unsnap the sides. Pulled right out. The fix was I found a slightly larger screw for the snap, smeared JB weld all over the screw and threaded it in. That was probably 7 years ago. Still holding. But instead of just yanking on the material to get it to unsnap I use a screwdriver and do a slight twist on the snap to pop it apart. At least on the corner snaps. Usually don't on the center ones. I think they make an actual tool for boat snaps- heard rumors of one anyway.

One last thought- the front drip flap that goes over the front of the bed must move around in the wind at highway speeds. I just had a rattle can paint job on it for a lot of years and you could see scuffing on the paint from it. It looks like if you have a new one it comes with velco or snaps where you can fix it to the front bed rail to prevent movement. I didn't do this.

Also for camping or dogs they make a rear screen to allow ventilation.

 

[squaredeal91]

Thank you much! @77 K20

 

[DoubleDingo]

I like it. Great find. Seeing yours and the others soft toppers, I didn't realize how much I liked the look of them.

 

[SirRobyn0]

My torque wrench was out for calibration so to speak (at the store, that I haven't bought it from yet...), so I just used a 3/8" ratchet choked close and tried not to bear down on it too much. In all reality, probably not much more than 15 or 20 ft lbs, snug enough to not rattle out but not enough to feel like I was going to pull threads or gall up when removing it. Leave the ugga-dugga's out for sure. And I probably still got it snugger than needed. Once the weatherstripping is compressed, it probably won't go much of anywhere by itself anyway and all but 2 of those clamps are for you, not the truck.

Makes sense on the tailgate. Don't you love previous owners?

Ok, I didn't use a torque wrench either, I really think I'm in the ball park or if anything maybe a little on the tight side, but like I said earlier I'm just going to have trust issues with the clamps until I get use to them.

I actually new the PO of my truck. But kind of lost touch with him, until he passed and it was his widow that sold me the truck.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@77 K20 I wasn't very careful about making sure that the top rails rested on the bulkhead of the bed when I was putting it up, so I need to fold down the topper and see where it lands. Regardless it seem to stay back there just plain and stable as can be. I've had it to 70 mph so far.

Good info in the tailgate, did you just buy that foam seal and run it down where the tailgate meets the bed?

I put that foil mastic tape over the stake pockets for now, We have had severe rain the last few days, and I can see my biggest leaks are where the rail bolts were and the tailgate. Even still the center part of the bed is staying dry. Definitely want to get it to 100% though.

Good info on durability, sometimes on the farm one of the birds will get up on the vehicles, and I was a little concerned about the damage they might cause to the softopper, but if they take branches ok, they'll take chicken claws ok.

Might be next week before I get to doing much more. I've got cats coming today and need to install those ASAP as I guess I'm just not use to uncatalyisted exhaust anymore. Once those are in I work on getting the details of the softopper worked out.

 

[77 K20]

@77 K20

Good info in the tailgate, did you just buy that foam seal and run it down where the tailgate meets the bed?

I put that foil mastic tape over the stake pockets for now, We have had severe rain the last few days, and I can see my biggest leaks are where the rail bolts were and the tailgate. Even still the center part of the bed is staying dry. Definitely want to get it to 100% though.

Good info on durability, sometimes on the farm one of the birds will get up on the vehicles, and I was a little concerned about the damage they might cause to the softopper, but if they take branches ok, they'll take chicken claws ok.

I stayed away from the typical foam gasket material because I didn't want it to soak up "de-icer water" here and eat my truck more than necessary. I found some stuff that was more like a squishable rubber that wouldn't be as likely to soak up water (and potentially freeze in winter). I ran it down both sides of the tailgate sticking it to the bed of the truck itself (instead of the tailgate). As far as the bottom edge of the tailgate I also stuck it along the rear facing edge of the bed so when the tailgate closes it squishes the seal down. In the picture of my truck with the camping gear in the back you can just barely see the black line of the seal material.

 

[squaredeal91]

Butyl?

 

[SirRobyn0]

I stayed away from the typical foam gasket material because I didn't want it to soak up "de-icer water" here and eat my truck more than necessary. I found some stuff that was more like a squishable rubber that wouldn't be as likely to soak up water (and potentially freeze in winter). I ran it down both sides of the tailgate sticking it to the bed of the truck itself (instead of the tailgate). As far as the bottom edge of the tailgate I also stuck it along the rear facing edge of the bed so when the tailgate closes it squishes the seal down. In the picture of my truck with the camping gear in the back you can just barely see the black line of the seal material.

Thanks. My experience with the foam stuff is it's great for sealing house doors and things like campers (or the rails on a softopper), but don't hold up to use on things that move on automobiles. I think I know the rubber stuff your talking about, but I just replaced the back hatch seal on my Jeep, I wonder if I could do something with some of the old stuff, I'll have to look at that and see. Thanks again for all the tips and info.

 

[77 K20]

I believe this is what I bought at Lowes. Rubber weatherstripping, marine/automotive.

Weatherstripping link

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