How to Remove a Truck Cap From a Truck
by Jody L. Campbell
Mostly made of fiberglass and not overly heavy, truck caps are awkward and rather bulky to remove. There are many people who have designed a way to remove the caps by themselves, but it's best to recruit some help if you don't want to damage the truck or the cap. If you're looking for more cargo space temporarily or to remove the cap for good, this project won't take up a lot of time.
Step 1
Open the rear cap window and the truck's tailgate.
Step 2
Climb into the truck bed and disconnect any wire connections to the third brake light and interior dome light if applicable. While most pigtail electrical connections, if installed properly, feature simple plug type connections, you may need a pair of wire cutters to snip the wires.
Step 3
Mark the inside of the bed rail to truck cap joints in several locations with a grease pencil or marker if you intend on replacing the cap. This will help you realign the cap during reinstallation.
Step 4
Remove the four cap clamps at each corner of the truck bed. If cap clamps are used to hold the cap to the bed rails, a ratchet and socket will be required. Some people use regular C-clamps to hold the caps to the bed rails.
Step 5
Recruit three other people to help you lift the cap off of the bed rails. Place one at each corner of the cap. Lift the cap and carry it over to a safe and secure location. You can do this with only one other helper if desired--one on each side--but if you care about the paint job on the bed rail or the cap, it's best to have enough manpower to do the job efficiently and carefully.
References
Tips
- If you're planning on replacing the cap, you can leave the foam padding, if applicable, on the bed rail. While it's best to remove and replace it for sealing purposes, the decision is up to you. If you're removing the cap permanently, you can find cleaning solution at most auto parts stores to clean the sticky foam padding off of the bed rails without damaging the paint on the bed rails.
Things You'll Need
- Wire cutters (optional)
- Grease pencil or permanent marker
- Ratchet and socket set
- One to four helpers
Warnings
- Be sure not to leave any snipped wire connections or pigtail plug connections open and vulnerable to the environment. Most electrical cap connections integrate the wire harness to the rear lights. Leaving them vulnerable can create future electrical problems with the rear lighting on the truck.
Writer Bio
Jody L. Campbell spent over 15 years as both a manager and an under-car specialist in the automotive repair industry. Prior to that, he managed two different restaurants for over 15 years. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book.
