Sealing The tundra bed for camper shells

I use the back of my truck to camp in. But any dusty road pretty much covers everything in sand. How are you guys sealing the tailgate sides ETC.

 

From my experience, a standard tailgate seal that you get at a local truck store doesn’t work well. I get water in the sides.

 

They make tailgate seals. But none of them are really one hundred percent. You have to get creative. Use a tailgate seal kit and maybe some other material that you have to add to it. The kits usually go on the bed itself and the tailgate presses against it. But on the upper portions there is a gap still. You need to add more seal on the tailgate itself. Here’s mine. See I got creative with some extra weatherstrip I had lying around. It’s still not 100% because of the design of the tailgate jam. There’s also drain holes in your bed at the base of the bulkhead that allow dust in. As well as the upper portion of the bulkhead where it meets the bedside leaves a small area for intrusion.

 

I bought a kit off Amazon, been super happy with it. Not sure of the brand, but it was the highest rated and $. Haven’t had any dust or water issues yet, keep my black gun cases in back on the way to shooting matches with ranges on dirt roads, zero dust in truck bed.

 

The best way to test is to install the seal and get inside the bed and look for daylight through any of the gaps. Also a garden hose sprayed on any of the seams.

 

My bed has liner sprayed from factory also,so the gap is a bit less than without. I also did a real good job with installing, making sure that I had full contact with tailgate

 

I used the Extang tailgate seal kit. It actually applies to the outer edge of the bed. I found that after one hunting season (which is when I open and close the tailgate the most), the lower piece started to come loose. I then put a piece of the white foam seal (for windows and doors) along the bottom, and it’s held up much better.
For the camper;
I got the flat rubber seal (about 1/8” thick) from AutoZone.
I didn’t want to apply any foam/seal to the tops of my bedsides so;
I actually flipped my camper over on it’s top (with the help of some family) and applied the seal to the underside of the camper. The seal I used is about 1 1/2” wide, so I ran two strips to cover the entire part that sits on the bed sides. If memory serves, I think I only needed one strip across the top.
No water or dust. Been on since last fall.

 

The sides of the tailgate look like the biggest gaps. I can see like and inch of light coming thru them while driving.

 

Good idea for a tailgate handle. I haven't tried closing the tailgate from inside with my new topper, but this looks like a valuable addition.

 

Yea its hard and I’m tall i have to toe hook the shell and lean way out to get the gate to close from the inside

 

Just sealed mine up...no light shining thru...easy to figure out...the moisture and dust is sure to be slowed now! Thanks for everyone's suggestions!

 

I used the following. Had good directions on how/where to apply. After a month, it is doing a good job. Now i need to work a bit more on where the topper door meets the tailgate.

$29 ESI Ultimate Tailgate Seal with Taper Seal 10ft for use with Truck Caps and Tonneau Covers

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IPQWXZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

That looks pretty sealed to me. Nice job.

 

Yup, that’s the same product I used from Amazon, very please with results!

 

It's a good foam for sure! I purchased mine at Lowe's for about $8...

 

Tacoma’s have a real problem with dust/water coming through UNDER The plastic bedside caps due to the voids/holes in the top “rim” of the bedside covered up by the cap.

Do Tundras experience this? I’m contemplating a Tundra plus popup shell and wondering if I need to pull off the caps a seal underneath?

 

It would be peace of mind, but I'm happy with the level of "sealed" I'm experiencing currently...

 

Tailgate seal.

 

Yes they do. I have a lot of dust on my interior bed rails. Need to pull the tipper and seal the bed caps.

 

Any feedback on how you sealed the caps? KB Voodoo makes nice, flat aluminum cap replacements for Tacoma’s that a lot of guys with Drifter pop ups seal underneath and use, but the don’t make em for Tundras. I’m looking to get a Tundra for a camper shell so trying to figure out ahead of time. Did you remove the caps, seal and just replace the caps?

 

I have not done mine yet, but my topper guy said to lift the topper than use silicone under the plastic caps on the interior edge.

 

Sequoia.

 

I used the weatherstrip tape also, like 1" wide, and about 1/2" thick. Works for dust but haven't tested it with water. It does work for rain.

 

I have found that I need real rubber to get it sealed correctly the cheaper foam does not do the job that well.
They sell the good stuff at Advance Auto Parts much to my surprise but if you have a Body Shop Supplier where you are you can get the same rubber for a lot less money too.

I like the stuff that is 2" wide and has 2 adhesive strips on it this covers more of the rail to top edge and seems to just seal better every time for me.
It is also important to look at the cab end which on the 3ed gen is rounded for some reason and tougher to get a good lasting seal on and this is where I might use Silicone from a tube to enhance adhesion on the round surface.

Especially crucial seems to be that the thickness of whatever you use equal the same overall edge under the front and sides or the corners in front will leak every time.

I have even used a seperate set of clamps along the cab edge to make sure that the weird round edge makes a decent seal.

At the tailgate you just have to play around with it,again the real rubber seals until you get it sealed well enough but luckily I have no tailgate and the French Doors are a lot easier to get sealed tight for sure!