Toyota Tacoma Truck Cap | ARE Premium Bed Caps
Our CX-Series represents four decades of engineering a Tacoma bed cap that performs like factory equipment. Every unit ships with ARE's proprietary Twist Lock system — the same clampless design trusted by fleet operators nationwide — and a molded ABS headliner that dampens road noise better than any competitor's fabric alternative.
We build each cap to your truck's exact bed length (5-foot, 6-foot, or double-cab long bed) and paint it in Toyota's OEM finish at our own facility. The result is a seamless color match you won't find with imported caps, plus a transferable lifetime warranty on the fiberglass shell that covers delamination, cracking, and UV fade.
What makes our Tacoma caps different
Construction & Materials
We hand-lay every Tacoma bed cap in a temperature-controlled mold using marine-grade fiberglass and two-part epoxy resin. This process — slower than compression molding but far stronger — produces a shell that flexes with your truck’s frame over rough terrain without micro-cracking at stress points.
The outer gel-coat is the same formulation Toyota specifies for bumper fascias: UV-stabilized polyester with a 92% gloss retention rating after five years of full-sun exposure. We spray it in three coats, wet-sand between layers, and cure under infrared for 48 hours before final buffing. The alternative RTM composite option substitutes resin transfer molding for a 12% weight savings with identical strength, preferred by overlanders who count every pound on long expeditions.
Fit & Installation
Bed-Length Compatibility
Our Tacoma caps ship in three bed-length configurations: 60.5-inch (short bed, Access Cab and Double Cab 2005–2015), 73.7-inch (long bed, Double Cab 2005–present), and the current-generation 60.5-inch for 2016–2025 models. Each mold accounts for Toyota’s cab-height changes across generations, so a third-gen cap sits flush with the 2020+ cab roofline without the visible gap older universal caps create.
Twist Lock vs. Clamp Systems
We discontinued drill-through clamps in 2011 after field testing proved our Twist Lock system outperformed them in both theft deterrence and bed-rail protection. You turn four knobs underneath the cap to compress rubber pads against the inside of your bed rail — zero holes, zero rust points. Removal takes 90 seconds with no tools, critical when you need to haul plywood or other tall cargo that won’t fit under the cap.
Paint Match Process
Toyota’s paint codes are notoriously complex — a single color name like Magnetic Gray Metallic spans three distinct formulas across model years, each with different flake size and resin base. We maintain an in-house spectrophotometer library of every Tacoma finish since 2005, cross-referenced to your truck’s build date and VIN range.
When you order, we spray a test panel and photograph it next to a factory fender under both natural and LED light. You approve the match digitally before we commit to the full cap. This two-step process eliminated the 11% remake rate we saw with paint-to-code-only systems, and it’s why our finish warranty has a 98.7% claim-free record over the past decade.
ARE Caps for Other Full-Size & Mid-Size Trucks
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Common Questions About Tacoma Bed Caps
Yes, we build the CX-Series in three bed-length configurations for Tacoma. The 60.5-inch short-bed version fits Access Cab and Double Cab models from 2005–2015, as well as the current third-generation short bed (2016–2025). When you order, we'll verify your truck's year, cab style, and bed length to ensure you receive the correct mold. The cap's mounting system accounts for minor cab-height differences between generations, so you get a flush fit regardless of model year.
Our finish warranty covers gel-coat oxidation, fading, and chalking for three years from the installation date. The underlying fiberglass shell carries a lifetime warranty against delamination, cracking, and structural failure for as long as you own the truck. Both warranties are transferable if you sell the vehicle with the cap installed, which adds documented resale value. We've seen less than 2% warranty claims on paint match because we use Toyota's OEM formulas and spray in a climate-controlled booth with the same cure process as your truck's original finish.
We recommend professional installation for first-time buyers because proper Twist Lock adjustment requires a specific torque sequence and cab-height alignment that's easiest with a laser level. The process is non-invasive — no drilling into your bed rail — but the cap weighs 185 pounds and needs two people to position correctly. Most ARE dealers complete installation in 90–120 minutes. Once installed, you can remove and reinstall the cap yourself in under five minutes using the Twist Lock knobs, which is helpful when you need to haul tall cargo.
Our standard fiberglass uses hand-laid marine-grade cloth with epoxy resin, producing a shell that weighs 185 pounds and offers excellent impact resistance. The RTM (resin transfer molding) composite option uses a closed-mold process with carbon-reinforced resin for a 12% weight savings — 165 pounds — with identical structural strength and finish quality. Overlanders and off-road enthusiasts often choose RTM to reduce payload impact, while most daily drivers prefer the lower cost of standard fiberglass. Both carry the same lifetime structural warranty.
The Twist Lock clamps compress four large rubber pads against the inside of your bed rail with 200 pounds of distributed force per lock. Unlike bolt-through clamps that can be pried from outside, the locks are only accessible from underneath the cap once installed, and releasing them requires simultaneous rotation of all four knobs. This makes opportunistic theft nearly impossible without cutting through the fiberglass. For maximum security, we recommend the optional three-point rear door latch with keyed cylinders, which adds hardened steel strikers recessed into the door frame.
The tinted sliding side windows sit flush with the cap's exterior and open inward, so they don't project into your bed space when closed. When fully open, each window slides 18 inches rearward along an internal track, leaving about six inches of the bed's forward area unobstructed. Most low-profile toolboxes (under 20 inches tall) fit underneath without interference. If you run a tall crossover toolbox, measure from your bed floor to the underside of the cap at the forward position — we can provide exact clearance specs for your truck's bed length before you order.
Yes, the CX-Series fiberglass shell is reinforced at four mounting points designed to accept ARE's proprietary roof rack system, which distributes up to 300 pounds of static load (150 pounds dynamic). We don't recommend drilling for third-party racks because it can compromise the gel-coat warranty. If you need heavy-duty ladder rack integration with higher weight capacity, our LS2-Series Tacoma cap has a reinforced composite roof rated for 500 pounds and pre-drilled rack mounts.