Crewmax rolldown back window and camper shell?

I have a 1st gen but my shell is open where it meets the cab. The boot keeps the water out, some drips through but it just drips onto the rear window, not into the bed. It's an awesome feature to have and really nice if you camp in your bed as you can just crawl through the window to reach anything. Also nice to be able to grab things at the end of the bed or while driving (rear passengers that is).

One down side is over the years it has rubbed the paint off my cab. Kind of a bummer if I ever go shellless (like right now) but o well. I'm sure you can put a film or something on the cab to avoid this, my truck already came with the shell so the damage was done.

 

That's pretty cool

 

Seems most replies here speak to the “seal” between the cab and canopy...

Here’s an option for the front window.

Snugtop has an option for a “fold up” front window. It folds up, into the canopy, and is held in place with gas struts. The kicker is that it has a handle that you can access from inside your cab, if you roll the back window down. You don’t have to crawl into the bed to open or close it.

I’ve been shopping around, and just learned about this option the other day.

 

Out of 3 main company’s snugtop is the only one that has that options. The person I spoke with said back in the early 2nd generation tundra models with the crewmax, Toyota had helped snugtop come up with the fold up window design so it works well with the crewmax window. So best option for easier access would be the snugtop with the optional fold up window. Just got mine the other day.

 

Tundra1078, could you post some photos of that fold up window? The only one's I've found online aren't very good... I'd appreciate it!

 

Attached is a picture of my brothers snugtop. I’m getting the exact same one.

 

Do all snugtops overhang the side of the bed a lil? I do not Like that look of it covering some of the trd sticker/pro stamp

 

Can’t say for sure. I don’t have one of those stickers/stamps so can’t say if they do.

 

Can you fold the window up from inside the cab with the rear window rolled down, or do you have to do it from inside the bed? Are you comfortable driving with the window folded up?

Do you know what the premium on the fold up window was? This feature could really sway me towards the Snugtop.

 

Sorry to revive an old thread but this seems to have the most relevant information to what Im looking to do. I definitely like how the snugtop offers the fold up window which is accessible from the inside of the cab. I like how ARE offers the boot but it would seem the boot they offer is just a generic rubber stripper boot you can order by the foot and its not exactly clear if you can use the boot and also have a window in the cap. My thoughts right now are to get the snugtop with the fold up window, putting 3m film on the back of the cab and then use some tube insulation and push it between the cab and cap, any thoughts here? My goal is to have an operational window on both the shell and truck but still have a relatively weatherproof seal bewteen the cab and cap, no worried about a little water, mostly want to be able to get AC/Heat into the bed.

 

I'm also interested in the same thing

 

Found a solution, went to Home Depot and bought two of these, fit perfectly without even having to cut them. One for the top and one for the bottom.
Kind of dark out for pictures but can take more another day.
Everbilt Semi-Slit 3/4 in. ID x 1/2 in. Wall x 6 ft. Long Polyethylene Foam Pipe Insulation - 210 Lin. ft./Carton
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...sulation-210-Lin-ft-Carton-ORP07812/204760801

 

I'd highly recommend not getting a boot to seal. I had one on my '03 Tacoma and it tore up the paint around the back window from the constant rubbing. I recently had a snugtop with a flip-down front sliding window, and it was pretty good until the interior clamps got all bent out of shape from vibrations due to normal driving and off roading. now I have a crewmax with an open bed. ha.

 

Yeah everyone says that about the rubber boots, plus with the crewmax I don't think a boot would work since it would most likely press against the window and get pulled down when you rolled it down. That's why I tried the foam pipe insulation, I'll probably pull them when out every once in awhile to clean and apply some wax to prevent paint damage. I'm going to leave the shell window out for now and see if any water gets in and just roll the back window down when I have the dogs back there.

 

So back to the drawing board, after driving to work today the foam makes way too much noise when going over any small bump.

 

I get my cap installed next week. Gonna try this out also. I’ll have two English mastiffs and a boxer in the back so this will work perfect. Thanks for posting. I wonder if some paint protectant film would work to help protect from rubbing.

 

I have actually found a better solution since then, I ordered 11 feet of this https://www.accordionboot.com/shop/product/compression-boot-flap-540/. It took a bit of modifying but works better than the insulation tubes. I did cut a couple pieces of the tube insulation for the sides though because the cap window is a bit smaller on the sides than the truck window. I'll do a write up and pictures when I get a chance. If you do the tube insulation I recommend rubbing them down with some Dupont silicone Teflon lube or they will make alot of squeaking.

 

Good deal thanks

 

I just picked up a Snugtop Rebel 2nd hand. I like the idea of being able to have the windows down and the top to be semi sealed to the truck. How the seal with yours?

 

There's no way to make a water tight seal and still be able to open and close the power window, but any water that does come in while the window is up just drips down the rear window and doesn't get in the bed. As far as the cabin air getting back into the bed it definitely makes a difference, I have a remote thermometer so I can monitor the temp in the bed from up front.

 

I have a Leer with the removable window on my CrewMax. Besides the pipe insulation, you can use backer rod. It comes in a variety of diameters.

 

Maybe try getting some vinyl and putting it on the cab and cap to keep from rubbing the paint. It would be cheap to replace if it started to wear from the boot in order to save the paint.

 

Just did this as well, perfect solution, I live in a rainy area so hopefully it keeps moisture out. Will see.

 

I know it’s been a while, but looking for the same kind of setup and wondering how this held up for you.

 

I still have the rubber boot in place from that website, it keeps any water from getting in the bed but it's not water right against the window of the truck so you need to keep the window up when it's raining which isn't really a big deal to me but I did order a second boot to try something a bit different when I get some extra time.

 

What did you slip the accordion boot onto to secure it? Have you noticed any issues with the paint being rubbed off?

 

So an update on this. Not sure if it was temp or things settling but the pipe insulation would slip out if i rolled down the rear window on the highway due to pressure differential. The fome wasn't ridged enough. The solution i came up with was simple. I bought some smaller gauge pipe insulation and put it inside the original installation and cramed it in, broke a sweat doing it. But it holds extremely well now, doesn't move at highway speeds when i roll down the rear and is 95-99% water tight. Sometimes it will get a drop running down the back window. And every once and a while I push it all back into place, it walks a little. But so far this has been a big improvement.

 

When you take the window out of the front of your cap there is a lip that it slips onto. The way I have ir now it doesnt touch the paint, i folded over the rubber and glued the rubber to itself so it sits against the window. Ill try too snap some pics tomorrow. I have a new idea to use velcro though.

 

Im thinking some closed cell foam and a hot glue gun, glue it to the topper and it will pressure seal against the truck?

 

A “CrewMax camper” enthusiast here

This is great info fellas- any more?

I’m seeking to do this as a “camper” option only occasionally.
Get to camp on a wknd every now and again... So install bed sleeping platform in cap with the foam seal/window down. Camp and remove foam, window up cruise home.
I’m 6’ so I need a sleep platform that can have extension into the cab about a foot .
In cab my little buddy can sleep horizontally on bench. Perhaps a Arb Awning - room on side of exterior cap?
Seems a snug top is the way to go with window folder