Bed cap removing

[oxt127]

Hello all,

We're considering moving to a fifth wheel or toy hauler 5th. I currently use the truck for construction and have an ARE tool box cap on the bed. Does anyone one else have a cap that they remove to then put in there 5th hitch and tow?
I have a thrn over goose ball to get a B&W 5th plate to use.

[soren]

I recently bought the classic "Pappy" truck. A fifteen year old Chevy half ton, in pristine condition, with low miles. It was owned by a man who simply got too old to use it anymore, and had a set of maintenance records that rival a well maintained corporate jet. It came with an ARE one piece, custom painted, fiberglass bed cover. I had no interest in the cover, and was stunned to find that nobody else in my area did either. I tried Craigslist, and got nothing. I contacted several used cap dealers who refused to take it for free. One even told me that he gets stuck with a handful a year as trade ins, and will pile them up, then crush them up with a backhoe, and load the debris in the dumpster. I eventually found an ARE dealer who took it for free, and commented that he occasionally gets a customer that will pay $1200 for a new one, yet the used ones are hard to give away. I guess the point of all this is that a cover can be pretty handy, but buying a new one piece model may not be the smartest idea. Not to mention that they could be a giant PITA if you plan on removing and reinstalling it regularly.

[Lantley]

Physically taking cap off every time would old in a hurry.
Maybe removal is a viable alternative if you only camp a couple of times a year.
But if you camp regularly removal is a deal breaker for me with or without a winch.

[Labman7]

4 eye bolts (3/8 screw) in garage ceiling joices. 4 eyebolts at lower corners on cap , they only stick out ~1 1/2, and are painted to match the cap. Back the truck into garage and use 4 rachet straps to lift just high enough to drive out from under the cap. Reverse to reinstall cap. Can do it myself in less than 10 minutes. If it will be off for awhile and I want get the cap out of the way, I made a simple 2x4 frame and added some dolly wheels. Lower cap on frame and push it anywhere you want. What works for me.

[valhalla360]

Had a fiberglass one on the last truck. Not hard but takes 2 strong guys or 3-4 weaker guys (assuming you don't build some sort of lift).

Used to have an aluminum one and in a pinch I could do it by myself but easily with the wife lifting half.

[Lantley]

I am in the construction biz as well. I use a Bak Flip G2 Hard flip back cover.
I keep my tools and necessities in the bed using containers buckets and milk crates.
I unload my tools and stuff as required when I hook up the 5'er.
Because the stuff is in milk crates I can load/unload pretty easily/quickly
The cover flips back out of the way and does not interfere with the hitch.
Its not ideal but it works well enough. Been doing it that way for 6 years now.
My tools and stuff are secure enough to keep honest people out when the cover is closed and tailgate is locked.

[donn0128]

Winch in the garage. Aframe and winch outside. Several friends.

[BB_TX]

I use a hard roll type tonneau cover over my 5th wheel hitch that I can just roll back and forth and lock every 12" if needed. I had a solid hard type cover on a previous truck (not towing a 5er) that was not too difficult to remove. But removing it, storing it, and putting it back on for each trip would have been a pain.