Leer Cap and Yakima rack installed. Time to go fishing.
First Major Addition to the Tacoma – A LEER Cap
I’ll refrain from calling this a modification to the Tacoma, as installing a fiberglass Leer cap is more of an addition to the truck than a modification.
As mentioned in earlier posts, I will be attending the Annapolis First Sunday’s Art Festival this summer. When I sat down and started the build plan for the new Tacoma, I had to take this into consideration. The traveling art show did not travel very well last fall in the old Tacoma with the tonneau cover. I needed more and taller storage space. With that in mind, I stopped by Truck’n America and reviewed my Leer cap options.
The major problem that worried me was access to the bed of the truck when retrieving something from the front of the bed. Normally, that activity would require climbing up and into the bed and crawling around to reach things. The solution was side doors. Where typically along the sides of the cap windows are installed, for an extra $450, the Leer 100R was fitted with double latched windows that open like doors. 
The Leer cap has been on the truck for 3 weeks and so far I’m loving the side access. The camping gear, archery shooting stuff and fishing gear are currently all stowed in the truck bed and I can easily reach something when needed. On Saturday, I had to empty the truck to install the kayak rack and there was no crawling around to reach the boxes at the front of the bed. I was able to easily reach all the gear and remove it from the sides.
The Kayak Rack
So what does Augie’s Adventures do to a new 3 week old $2,000 truck cap? We drill holes into the roof. What else? Leer wanted over $450 to install a kayak rack on the cap and I had most of the parts from the racks on the old truck. So, I purchased new landing pads from REI for $43 a pair and installed the old rack on the new cap.
Installation is a simple task. Set the rack to the desired width; lay it on the top of the rack, measure and drill. Well, the smart installer might measure twice before drilling holes in the roof of a new truck cap. I took my time, even laying down masking tape so not to scratch the cap and mark the holes to be drilled. The complete install took less than 2 hours including emptying and reloading the bed of the truck.
Landing Pads #6 – 2 pairs – $43 a pair
Control Towers set of 4 – $195
58” Crossbar – 1 pair – $89
The Ultimate Kayak fits perfectly on top of the truck and I even have enough room on the crossbars to fit the ski rack I use to hold the fishing rods.
Leer Cap and Yakima rack installed. Time to go fishing.
The major build for the Tacoma may have to wait a little while, but with the Leer cap and Yakima rack, I’m ready for a summer of paddling and fishing. And I do believe the Tacoma is starting to get a little personality.
