Ranch Mid-Rise cap topper photos

[Haha48]

I like it.
My biggest concern for ALL toppers is that there is no where for the water to go that falls between the cab and the topper. I have concerns that water will pond in there. Has anyone addressed this yet?

I guess you could fill the gap with a neoprene/rubber gasket, or provide for drainage the same way that the tonneau covers do...

Snugtop has a drain ditch on the canopy and the rest flows out the sides since they use 2 rubber seals the downside is on the side of the bed is a plastic channel thT funnels water in goes along the side hits the plastic drips in

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[oldblue]

Not having a truck yet, all I can do is explore photos on the internet. Maybe in a month (or four)... *sigh*

I can't deal with the SnugTop. The door extending horizontally, and at under 6' is just at face height. I value my eyes and often have the cap door open and tailgate closed. Walk around once to quickly... Not to mention the awkwardness of ducking under the door for any access.

The DCU is butt ugly. My SO/wife would not allow it. Nothing else matters. End of discussion.

The ARE V series is a nice choice, but it's gap up top does not seem to be good for snow/sleet country. There is nothing worse than snow/ice balls wedged between cap and back window. Door height appears to be acceptable.

The photos of the Ranch top, enclosed ,and on website appear to have a good door open height. There is a gap around the CHMSL, but not as bad (in photos) as the ARE V. Sight unseen, this is my first choice.

They all seem like they will have the same drainage/ponding issues. There is a silly vertical radius piece of trim on the bed/cab corner that seems like it would provide a dam on each side. Even if a gap is maintained between the cap front side corner and this trim piece, it will soon fill with seeds, leaves, dirt, and debris.

I'd love to hear someone with real world experience discuss this relative to the maverick. -- or anyone with other options --

I'll share my real world experience with the "butt ugly" DCU (someone else's opinion, not mine).

The gap, or lack of a gap between the cab and bed was a concern of mine from the beginning. I wrote to ARE and asked, I asked my dealer, I searched the internet.. no one had any answers for such a new truck. I couldn't believe no manufacturer or dealer had tried testing their cap on a truck with a garden hose, or maybe real rain, but no. Not one bit of information about how this is handled.

I needed a cap, and I needed it as soon as possible. I ordered the DCU months before it would be produced based on photos of a single truck.

I like the style of the DCU and I've owned several of them. All the others were relatively dry, but the lack of a gap on the Maverick leaves no place for the water to drain which sheds off the cab. Water collects, seeps through the foam tape seal, and drips inside. The bedrail caps leak at the joint/seam which causes a 1/8" gap just behind the curved plastic. Tool bags and boxes of stuff get wet in the back. This does diminish the utility of the DCU.

I'd probably buy that Ranch model and install racks- it would be cheaper and it looks better.

Overall I can't see how any shell will really be dry. Lack of a gap makes it tough, but the curved bedrail caps at the cab prevent any effective drainage. The water will sit, or seep through the foam tape. It wasn't a design with shell use well thought out, for sure.

I like everything about the Maverick except that my stuff risks getting wet in the back. I never had that concern in any Ranger, and it really bothers me that the Maverick will not be suitable for some intended uses.

 

[QuesoEnFuego]

I'll share my real world experience with the "butt ugly" DCU (someone else's opinion, not mine).

The gap, or lack of a gap between the cab and bed was a concern of mine from the beginning. I wrote to ARE and asked, I asked my dealer, I searched the internet.. no one had any answers for such a new truck. I couldn't believe no manufacturer or dealer had tried testing their cap on a truck with a garden hose, or maybe real rain, but no. Not one bit of information about how this is handled.

I needed a cap, and I needed it as soon as possible. I ordered the DCU months before it would be produced based on photos of a single truck.

I like the style of the DCU and I've owned several of them. All the others were relatively dry, but the lack of a gap on the Maverick leaves no place for the water to drain which sheds off the cab. Water collects, seeps through the foam tape seal, and drips inside. The bedrail caps leak at the joint/seam which causes a 1/8" gap just behind the curved plastic. Tool bags and boxes of stuff get wet in the back. This does diminish the utility of the DCU.

I'd probably buy that Ranch model and install racks- it would be cheaper and it looks better.

Overall I can't see how any shell will really be dry. Lack of a gap makes it tough, but the curved bedrail caps at the cab prevent any effective drainage. The water will sit, or seep through the foam tape. It wasn't a design with shell use well thought out, for sure.

I like everything about the Maverick except that my stuff risks getting wet in the back. I never had that concern in any Ranger, and it really bothers me that the Maverick will not be suitable for some intended uses.

Good info, I appreciate the report.

 

[QuesoEnFuego]

I'll share my real world experience with the "butt ugly" DCU (someone else's opinion, not mine).

The gap, or lack of a gap between the cab and bed was a concern of mine from the beginning. I wrote to ARE and asked, I asked my dealer, I searched the internet.. no one had any answers for such a new truck. I couldn't believe no manufacturer or dealer had tried testing their cap on a truck with a garden hose, or maybe real rain, but no. Not one bit of information about how this is handled.

I needed a cap, and I needed it as soon as possible. I ordered the DCU months before it would be produced based on photos of a single truck.

I like the style of the DCU and I've owned several of them. All the others were relatively dry, but the lack of a gap on the Maverick leaves no place for the water to drain which sheds off the cab. Water collects, seeps through the foam tape seal, and drips inside. The bedrail caps leak at the joint/seam which causes a 1/8" gap just behind the curved plastic. Tool bags and boxes of stuff get wet in the back. This does diminish the utility of the DCU.

I'd probably buy that Ranch model and install racks- it would be cheaper and it looks better.

Overall I can't see how any shell will really be dry. Lack of a gap makes it tough, but the curved bedrail caps at the cab prevent any effective drainage. The water will sit, or seep through the foam tape. It wasn't a design with shell use well thought out, for sure.

I like everything about the Maverick except that my stuff risks getting wet in the back. I never had that concern in any Ranger, and it really bothers me that the Maverick will not be suitable for some intended uses.

Can you post photos of how much moisture is getting in?

 

[djb_rh]

Dissenting opinion on looks…I really like the look of the SnugTop better than this. The way the window has no lower or front gap to the truck bed just looks better to me. This thing looks like it doesn’t belong somehow. I think darker colors would look a LOT better than the white, though, since that dark plastic trim on the truck bed would go away.

As for rainwater, I get none in the front of my SnugTop.

 

[Maverickman74]

Dissenting opinion on looks…I really like the look of the SnugTop better than this. The way the window has no lower or front gap to the truck bed just looks better to me. This thing looks like it doesn’t belong somehow. I think darker colors would look a LOT better than the white, though, since that dark plastic trim on the truck bed would go away.

As for rainwater, I get none in the front of my SnugTop.

The snugtop window is the main problem with it for me. It just doesnt open far enough for good ventilation for my dogs and doesnt open at all for front of bed access. The snug top isnt available with racks either. So far the Ranch model does all the things I want in a cap.

 

[djb_rh]

The snugtop window is the main problem with it for me. It just doesnt open far enough for good ventilation for my dogs and doesnt open at all for front of bed access. The snug top isnt available with racks either. So far the Ranch model does all the things I want in a cap.

Curious what the dog problem is? I’ve got an F-250 that I’ve had for several years as my previous dog hauler, and it’s got a Leer top with the *exact* same style windows. Now, I never leave the dogs sitting in the back with the truck stopped for very long, but on normal road trips my two large dogs have no problems whatsoever with the amount of ventilation they get. I suppose sliders that open further would be a good choice if you did need to leave them sitting for longer periods, but I just can’t personally do that, especially since I know mine would likely claw the screens in that situation so they could make new friends easier.

The roof rack thing is real depending on what you want to put on it, I guess. I know it’ll void any warranty, but it feels solid enough to me that I wouldn’t think twice about bolting through some rack mounts or rails and using it for bikes or kayaks. I’d do a backing strip of decent gauge sheet metal if doing rails and a bigger plate of some sort for towers, but maybe that’s just me. I know most of you are basing this on the fact that SnugTop says don’t do it and haven’t actually been able to see one in person to press on it and whatnot, and sure, it’s understandable that you just wouldn’t do it since they say not to anyway. *shrug*

 

[Maverickman74]

Curious what the dog problem is? I’ve got an F-250 that I’ve had for several years as my previous dog hauler, and it’s got a Leer top with the *exact* same style windows. Now, I never leave the dogs sitting in the back with the truck stopped for very long, but on normal road trips my two large dogs have no problems whatsoever with the amount of ventilation they get. I suppose sliders that open further would be a good choice if you did need to leave them sitting for longer periods, but I just can’t personally do that, especially since I know mine would likely claw the screens in that situation so they could make new friends easier.

The roof rack thing is real depending on what you want to put on it, I guess. I know it’ll void any warranty, but it feels solid enough to me that I wouldn’t think twice about bolting through some rack mounts or rails and using it for bikes or kayaks. I’d do a backing strip of decent gauge sheet metal if doing rails and a bigger plate of some sort for towers, but maybe that’s just me. I know most of you are basing this on the fact that SnugTop says don’t do it and haven’t actually been able to see one in person to press on it and whatnot, and sure, it’s understandable that you just wouldn’t do it since they say not to anyway. *shrug*

The rack is more about the fact that Ranch will put racks on it and still cost about the same as the snugtop base price. Thats nice.

As for the dogs, they go everywhere with us and we live in the Hawaii, it gets very hot in town. It may take an hour or more to get through Costco or other places. We want to rig the back window to be cracked open, and have the side windows fully open( no need for screens we got pups with good manners). We will also have fans going in there for em. Its basically what we do in our 96 Bronco. They seem to be happy about it as long as its parked in the shade.Its not just about them its about bystanders perception about how comfortable they are. We have had people talk about calling cops on us even though we left em for 45 mins in shade with fans, water, and breeze. Basically if it looks comfy enough for a human, we wont worry about someone breaking a window or calling cops on us. Snugtop looks too closed in for that.

 

[djb_rh]

The rack is more about the fact that Ranch will put racks on it and still cost about the same as the snugtop base price. Thats nice.

As for the dogs, they go everywhere with us and we live in the Hawaii, it gets very hot in town. It may take an hour or more to get through Costco or other places. We want to rig the back window to be cracked open, and have the side windows fully open( no need for screens we got pups with good manners). We will also have fans going in there for em. Its basically what we do in our 96 Bronco. They seem to be happy about it as long as its parked in the shade.Its not just about them its about bystanders perception about how comfortable they are. We have had people talk about calling cops on us even though we left em for 45 mins in shade with fans, water, and breeze. Basically if it looks comfy enough for a human, we wont worry about someone breaking a window or calling cops on us. Snugtop looks too closed in for that.

Yeah, different use case for us then, and that makes sense. FWIW, it’s hotter here in central NC than it typically is at sea level in Maui (during the worst of summer here, anyway), and the humidity is worse here. But again, we don’t leave them in there with the truck stopped for that kind of time, so that changes things entirely.

To me as long as you have an actual fan to circulate air with plenty of ventilation space to get the air, I don’t see anyone needing to have a problem with it. But idiots gonna idiot, so I get your concerns with what it LOOKS like.

 

[Maverickman74]

Yeah, different use case for us then, and that makes sense. FWIW, it’s hotter here in central NC than it typically is at sea level in Maui (during the worst of summer here, anyway), and the humidity is worse here. But again, we don’t leave them in there with the truck stopped for that kind of time, so that changes things entirely.

To me as long as you have an actual fan to circulate air with plenty of ventilation space to get the air, I don’t see anyone needing to have a problem with it. But idiots gonna idiot, so I get your concerns with what it LOOKS like.

Maui is generally nice but in town the parking lots can get pretty brutal. But yeah different uses is why we got options. Heck I was looking at the OG style DCUs from ARE just because of the unparalleled rack capacity and the simple modifiable design. But the ranch won out on style while still having decent racks.

 

[greenweever]

Could someone measure the interior height please?

 

[Maverickman74]

Anyone heard any word why the Maverick has be de listed on Ranch's quote builder tool?

 

[briandefilippo]

Thanks for the Ranch version. Snug top and Ranch not available in Illinois. ARE version not on market yet. So I ordered a Leer which is Ford authorized. Will send pics when installed.

 

[chuckles]

Thanks for the Ranch version. Snug top and Ranch not available in Illinois. ARE version not on market yet. So I ordered a Leer which is Ford authorized. Will send pics when installed.

You may want to try Jason truck caps. They seem to be identical to the Ranch and do have a Peru and Beardstown Illinois distributor on their website.

 

[Mavonorder]

-- or anyone with other options --
[/QUOTE]
I've been going back and forth on what to do for a bed cover and a rack for kayaks.

A cap would keep the bed dry/clean (presumably) and allow for cross bars for kayaks. But this pushes the price to about $2800 or more based on the cap. And for not much more, I could buy a pretty large trailer (6x12) to haul all kinds of stuff. Would still need a tonneau cover with the trailer to keep the bed clean though at $300 for a soft roll-up.

Decisions, decisions....

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