Opinions on A.R.E. DCU tops please

[Clinton]

I'm looking for any feedback on A. R. E. Deluxe Commercial Unit (DCU) tops. They seem to be quite funtional and have an options list as long as my arm. (There are also a couple of used ones in the classifieds right now. ) So I was wondering if anybody has owned one and what they thought.



One thing about them that I can't decide on: they offer them standard in a 0. 030" skin and an optional ($100) 0. 040" skin. How much durability increase do you think you'd get with a 0. 010" increase in skin thickness? I would mainly be using it as a poor man's camper, not for actual commercial service. Thanks.

 

[j.mitchell]

I've owned three A. R. E commercial caps. I will be buying a forth for my new 03 and it will be another A. R. E. . I bought my first one in 1986 and they just keep getting better and better quality wise. They have all been used on work trucks so they havn't been treated kindly. They are usually are loaded way over specs on the racks with lumber and I've had no problems. The one problem I did have are the internal tool boxes started to pull off the ceiling after three years on my last one but again they are overloaded with tools. As for thicknes of the skin I line the inside of my boxes with plywood or else the tools inside make it look like you have gremlins trying to escape but if you are just using it for camping or you arn't going to have interal tool boxes you could probably get away with the thinner skin. Hope this helps!!

Mitch