Bel-Air or Tradesman over cab shells

[akrvbob]

I've heard that people who go to Baja with camper shells have to reinforce the bed sides.  I prefer a slide in like mine because the weight is on the bed floor,  no weight at all on the bed sides.  I'm seeing about 17 mpg with my utility shell,  contents,   4.0 V6 and 4X4 on my 2008 Tacoma.

This is absolutely true!! I built a plywood shell on my 1993 F150 and it was too heavy and I also used the walls for storage shelves. It was much too heavy, especially when you considered I went 4-wheeling with it. After about 5 years the struts that held the bed of the truck started to sag and collapse under the weight.

If I do it again I will get the lightest shell I can and not put any weight on the truck bed walls.
Bob

 

[cortttt]

My 2009 Tacoma standard cab, 4x4 (4cyl, 5spd manual) gets 20-21 with a medium height fiberglass cap, at normal highway speeds (65-70 for me).

If I slowed down, I could probably squeeze another mile or two per gallon. I figure the taller cap will probably lose 1-2 mpg, full load capacity another 1-2mpg, So I'm figuring (21-4); about 17-18 with the cap shown above. Not great, but a lot better than the 12-13 I currently get with the Express van!

I am hoping that the truck shown will approach 20mpg if driven at 55mph...

I put a lightweight but fairly tall (18"? above the car top maybe) camper shell on a 2wd 4 cylinder 2005 Tacoma. It went from 25-20 mpg. It was not heavy - it was the wind that brought the MPG down...

 

[cortttt]

http://www.mastertruckbody.com/master-75/ - fiberglass - is 450 lbs light?