Rear window "canopy boot" or "pass-through" for truck cap.

[Spooled-up]

I did some searching and couldn't find what I need.



Just placed an order for an A. R. E. Z series truck cap yesterday. With a baby on the way, we need a place to keep our dog Diesel on road trips. I'm concerned with keeping him cool and warm in the winter when he's back there. I saw in someone's reader's rigs a boot that expands between the windows of the truck and cap to make a "pass-through". It wasn't the inflatable kind, but looked like the window shade material and expandable hoops. What else is available?



I plan on making some kind of shelf for him so I don't have to heat or cool the entire cap area.



I've found this on eBay:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEWP...emQQcategoryZ50069QQihZ009QQitemZ190008920831



Any help would be appreciated.

 

[DJW]

Some years ago I had a truck cap, the dealer replaced the rear cab window with a sliding type, and placed a rubber type flange between back of cab and cap. For me it worked out fine, as even in heavy rain with movement between cab and box the interior was kept bone dry. He explained that perhaps the flange would show wear on the paint, (Heaven Help Us!) after prolonged use. After 112,000 miles the flange paint contact dulled. Seems to me, many buy vehicles for an unknown future buyer. I found the combination excellent, dry,draft free, and unites the truck cab and bed as one unit, it would be as if your dog was in the cab with you, and not isolated in another chamber. I am also aware of the rubber flange type mating the two sliding windows together, (pass through) but I was doubtful of their durability, owing to the movement between cab and bed. The A. R. E. is an excellent cap, I have one on the Dodge with the glass vertical rear door and two side windows, one couldn't give me the horizontal type now, step right in, not having to crawl in. (like a thief in the night) Hope this will be of some help to you.

 

[surfbeetle]

On my sleeper, they used a custom passthrough boot that is glued to the back of the cab. You could call them and see if they have something that works

http://www.mckinleyconversions.com/gallery.html

 

[vegasredneck]

I don't have a ARE but I do have an Astro and when I purchased I wanted the boot but the dealer told me no. 1: new trucks have a wider back window then the caps so the boot would not fit flush. 2: It would squeak with any movement of the truck and bed. 3: a main one for me was the paint wear. I did get the tilt slider and that is so much nicer than the old sliders and not being able to clean the back window.

 

[Spooled-up]

Thanks for the replies. The boot that A. R. E. offers with their caps is one that goes around the whole window. The dealer told me that they don't recommend them as they will scratch the paint and they are difficult to get re-sealed when you take the cap off and on.



The one I saw was only installed when both the cap and truck window was opened. It looked portable and lightweight and expanded into the 2 windows. It was not inflatable. I should have saved the pic when I saw it.

 

[BigPapa]

The dealer told me that they don't recommend them as they will scratch the paint and they are difficult to get re-sealed when you take the cap off and on.

I'm with DJW on this one. I've had 2 of these boots on 2 different trucks and plan to put one on the one I have now when I can. If you keep it clean it will not rub the paint off. One truck I had it on had over 200K miles on it and no paint damage. Most of this "paint talk" comes from a buddy of a buddy of a buddy kind of talk.



Scott

 

[dunderkofler]

I used something similar to the Truk-Boot (scroll almost to the bottom) on my Nissan + Six-Pack. #ad

 

[KSears]

check with a camping supply store( trailers ,caps,etc. ) Ihave one which is two hoops with material connecting them which fits into both windows and makes a connection, works great , except for dog wanting to crawl thru it ,,lol wasn't very expensive , maybe $20 or so

 

[MRosinski]

I used something similar to the Truk-Boot (scroll almost to the bottom) on my Nissan + Six-Pack. #ad

Thanks, i've been looking for that for a while now. I'm getting a ARE w/ the camper rear door. I guess its real hard to get a good seal w/the other non-inflatable ones because the rear door pulls everything backwards. My truck is black



#ad

 

[FJfonda]

Order it on the cap

I did some searching and couldn't find what I need.



Just placed an order for an A. R. E. Z series truck cap yesterday. With a baby on the way, we need a place to keep our dog Diesel on road trips. I'm concerned with keeping him cool and warm in the winter when he's back there. I saw in someone's reader's rigs a boot that expands between the windows of the truck and cap to make a "pass-through". It wasn't the inflatable kind, but looked like the window shade material and expandable hoops. What else is available?



I plan on making some kind of shelf for him so I don't have to heat or cool the entire cap area.



I've found this on eBay:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEWP...emQQcategoryZ50069QQihZ009QQitemZ190008920831



Any help would be appreciated.

I use my cap for the same purpose, 2 dogs in the cab on a long trip=everyone smelling like mutt juice.

I'm on my 2nd cap with a boot... 1st one was a Century cap and it basically fell apart. On this truck I have a Z series ARE like you ordered and it is beautiful. Neither cap boot wore the paint off but I always kept things pretty clean. Personally, I wouldn't do a add on boot ... order your ARE with it. I had to call ARE directly as the locals dealers were giving mixed signals on whether or not the cap could be ordered with a boot.

Does it leak? - slightly but not enough to be a problem. This is why most dealers don't want to order caps with boots... .

Here are a few other things your dog may appreciate:

- The bed gets HOT on a long trip from the exhaust system - at the very least, use a livestock mat in the bed to help insulate the floor and give some traction.

- We use a wireless thermometer to monitor the dog environment

- Don't expect too much - on a low 90's day, with the air BLASTING through the sliding window, we can only get the pooches to the low 80's. This translates into many watering (and dewatering) stops. Above 0F the heat works kind OK --- below, don't even bother.

 

[Spooled-up]

FJfonda,



I plan on getting a Bedrug for the back. I'm sure that will make it more comfortable, but I'll make sure to put his bed on the driver's side of the truck to keep him a little further from the hot side.



Where did you get the wireless thermometer?



My buddy also bought an A. R. E. on the same day I did so we could get an additional $50 off. He got his before me and we tried a little experiment to see what window configuration would get the most airflow through the cap. He's got a LB Crew Cab Ford F250. The most airflow came through the cap with all the door windows closed and the rear slider and cap slider open with the side windows on the cap open. He had no boot at all installed and we did the test at night when it was fairly cool. I don't think the A/C will do much of anything back there with all the airflow.

I was wondering if I install the boot and close all the windows if the A/C on max will actually cool the cap enough to make it livable. Low 80's like you say is livable for our German Shorthair, but I think I want the wireless thermometer to keep track of things.



Thanks.

 

[FJfonda]

Spooled-up,

I used a cheap Home Depo wireless thermometer. Non - A/C use I run cab windows closed (open sucks exhaust into the cab), slider open and rear cap windows open. A/C or heat I run cab windows closed, slider open and rear cap windows closed.

If the weather is cool enough, I prefer the slider closed as it gets pretty noisy at highway speed... . that is when the thermometer really pays off.

For a real test ---- have someone drive down the road for 10 miles or so while you ride in the back. I used to wonder why my dogs would be cross eyed after a 7-8 hr trip---- not anymore!!! Riding the bed is nothing like the plush cab.

 

[MRaynor]

Hey Spooled,

I bought one of the inflatables when I had my Dakota with a shell. It worked perfectly with all windows closed in shell.

I don't have that truck anymore and it is just sitting in the closet, in the box.

If you are interested I will blow it up and see if it will fit a full size truck, which I think it will, it was way oversized for a Dakota, and send it to you for just shipping which should only be the normal priority mail rate. It is not heavy at all. Just let me know.



Mike

 

[Spooled-up]

MRaynor,



I think I'll take you up on your offer. I'll send you a PM with all of my info and we can arrange something.

 

[Windjammer]

Quick Change Spring Boots

May be too late but I own the aparatus you mentioned so I looked at the manufactures tag seached the web and this is what I found.



http://www.centurydistributing.com/bootpage2.pdf



The insert works great! I have had mine for years. Hope you get this.

I did some searching and couldn't find what I need.





Just placed an order for an A. R. E. Z series truck cap yesterday. With a baby on the way, we need a place to keep our dog Diesel on road trips. I'm concerned with keeping him cool and warm in the winter when he's back there. I saw in someone's reader's rigs a boot that expands between the windows of the truck and cap to make a "pass-through". It wasn't the inflatable kind, but looked like the window shade material and expandable hoops. What else is available?



I plan on making some kind of shelf for him so I don't have to heat or cool the entire cap area.



I've found this on eBay:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEWP...emQQcategoryZ50069QQihZ009QQitemZ190008920831



Any help would be appreciated.

 

[BigPapa]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

Almost 7 years old! I doubt he even has the truck anymore... .....

 

[Wygate]

Spooled-up,

I used a cheap Home Depo wireless thermometer. Non - A/C use I run cab windows closed (open sucks exhaust into the cab), slider open and rear cap windows open. A/C or heat I run cab windows closed, slider open and rear cap windows closed.

If the weather is cool enough, I prefer the slider closed as it gets pretty noisy at highway speed... . that is when the thermometer really pays off.

For a real test ---- have someone drive down the road for 10 miles or so while you ride in the back. I used to wonder why my dogs would be cross eyed after a 7-8 hr trip---- not anymore!!! Riding the bed is nothing like the plush cab.

I have to agree on this post, I have spent way more time in the back that 10 miles. This was for the same reasons, wanting to see, also I really needed a nap. It was winter in northern MI and no cab heat in back, few blankets, rubber truck mat and spray in liner and all I can say is TIN CAN at hwy speed! I have 2 big dogs 80+ & 100+ lbs, they bring up temps themselves. Be aware of the vacuum that gets created in back, I "sealed" my bed and cap, would still suck in the wet road grime in the tailgate area, so who is to say how much other exh and ?? This was with the back closed up

I also used a full window inflatable seal, pain in the... worked OK kept big stuff and some water out.

Just my 2 cents