Truck Toppers Protect Gear And Look Sharp, Too

Recently, I purchased a Ford Ranger pickup. Like many pickup owners, I decided to put a “topper” on the back - a cab-high cap over the bed to protect my gear.

My regional search took me to Spokane, where Bob Pallett - owner of Pallett Toppers and Truck Accessories - gave me an education about these products.

Pallett explained that the topper industry started in about 1958 with wood-framed, aluminum-skinned, square boxes for the back of trucks. At about the same time, a sheet-steel model came along that featured blind rivets like an airplane skin.

Those predecessors of today’s custom-molded, color-matched toppers were heavy, ugly, and often failed quickly.

“Back in those days, toppers came with a 30-day warranty,” Pallett said. “Even the first fiberglass models … were built with hand-laid boat technology and the corners cracked. The old gel coat finishes were not developed to withstand the sun and soon faded and turned chalky.”

“Chopper guns,” developed in 1964, allowed builders to blow a fiberglass slurry into a mold and then squeeze it to shape. This cut out some of the expensive hand labor.

In 1972, Glasstite came out with the industry’s first contoured fiberglass shell. It was with this model that Pallett got his start.

In 1974, he saw a picture of a Glasstite fiberglass cap in a magazine and wanted one for his dual-wheeled pickup. He phoned the plant and was told he couldn’t buy just one, but had to take 20 units. After mulling it over, he decided to take the chance.

Pallett sold the first shipment in less than two months, mostly to Spokane doctors and lawyers.

Over the years, he has worked with manufacturers to boost innovation and improve the industry’s image with consumers.

“Today, any reputable dealer will just fix any problem a customer has, even if that means replacing the shell,” he said. “The business is very competitive and consumers basically get the quality they are willing to pay for. But then again, we have a lot less problems than before.”

Pallett explained that most of today’s pickup caps come with a lifetime warranty. Gelcoat has been replaced by painted coatings that can be waxed and even repainted if necessary. Stiffeners and stress-point reinforcements made of wood, steel and corrugated fiberboard are standards that reduce structural failure, yet keep the shells light, often just over 100 pounds.

Aftermarket rack companies have worked with topper manufacturers, too. Famous names like Yakima and others now have sliding rail systems designed to carry virtually anything on top.

“Basically, if you can get it up there, today’s toppers and racks can handle it,” said Pallett.

Consumers can best protect themselves by finding a dealer who is knowledgeable and listens to their needs, according to Pallett. “It comes down to three things: anticipated expenditure, intended use, and looks. Once a dealer knows that, they can be sure most customers will be satisfied. And I recommend people only buy a painted top.”

In the future, Pallett expects more glass to make its way into toppers. Manufacturers are finding ways to build in huge curved windows that don’t leak. And fiberglass manufacturers are also developing ways to extrude the material, much like a plastic, into forms that have been impossible up to now.

“Caps are just becoming an aftermarket extension of the coach-building process of the vehicle,” he said. “The consumer is demanding a product that looks as good and lasts as long as these new, wild-looking pickups.”