Camper shell rear opening dimensions

I have been looking at getting a Tundra to haul my hunting dogs and falconry birds (trained raptors that I use for hunting). One of the big plans is to have a camper shell/cap with a bed slide type storage system. I have been talking to a company called extendobed for the bed slide system and I have looked at ARE and Snugtop brand shells. We do not have any snugtop dealers here in Georgia, so ARE is my most likely option. My question for all of you folks with camper shells is- what widths do you have at the top of your rear openings? Finding these specifications has been fairly challenging, I have even gone to my local ARE dealer and we have struggled to get good information from the ARE main office. I was able to look at some shells they had at the store, but none of them were for a Tundra. I am trying to find a shell that has greater than 48 inches of width, 38 inches off of the floor of the truck bed. Some photos and/or measurements with make and model of shells would be great. Any comments on my "big plan" would also be welcome.

 

I imagine that since the common usable bed width is just over 48" to be able to load sheet goods that the opening is going to be about the same at the shell /bed junction?
The doors seem to angle in then towards the top so the shell does not seem too boxy probably.
Older shells were made with more boxy dimensions but then the Tundra is newer than those too.

What year is your tundra?

You can likely have a commercial shell made with any dimension that you want or at least it is worth asking.

This is an ARE as an example and the doors are the same width as between the wheel wells as is the bed slide.

 

I do not have a tundra yet- I am looking into getting one. It would more than likely be a 2018 or newer with a crew max cab. You are correct about the commercial shells, there is a lot more flexibility in their design and shape (or so my local dealer tells me). But I would prefer to have a fiberglass top for insulation and looks. You’re right about the shell starting out at the width of the tailgate, which I think is actually wider than the space between the wheel wells. And then it tapers in as it goes up, to follow the contour of the trucks cab. The angle of that taper, and the width at the top, are things that companies like ARE don’t publish for me to find online. Which is why I thought I would reach out on a forum like this, because I know there are tons of tundra owners out there who have ARE Mx and Cx caps (these are the two I’ve been looking at), that might be able to take the measurement for me.

My objective is to keep the hawks in their transport boxes in the truck bed on the extendobed, and the dogs in their kennels in the cab. I would then roll down the rear cab window and fold down the forward window in the camper shell. This way I can see and hear what’s going on, and get some airflow between the two spaces. I have read as much information as I can find about camper shell boots- and everything I have seen says that the boot contacts the glass window. Which results in not being able to use the rear roll down window. So I am planning to fabricate my own type of boot. I do not need it to be water tight at all. If it’s raining I will just have both windows up. All I need is for there to be a bit of an insulation barrier so that I don’t loose all of my conditioned air.

 

Now I just want to know whats going on back there too!?!

I have Commercial Shells with French Doors on both of my trucks and the door width stays the same from the top to bottom on these.
You can also get a single door that either swings or flips up and makes a neat canopy over the opening but again in the commercial shell only from the ones that I have found or seen.

I imagine you might be able to get something made if you need a more squared off opening in the back but I still dont understand why it needs to be as wide at the top?

Anyway the choices are not that wide and most shells are more alike than they are different which can be frustrating for sure.
I think many fiberglass makers just buy the doors from another company too and this probably limits your options as well where the commercial aluminum shell is put together at the factory and more likely to be available in a more flexible configuration.

 

I have an ARE Overland. Is this what you were looking for? Not the best pics but gives an idea. Also as far as driving with the front window folded down, it seems to me like it would bounce and possibly break. ARE sells boots but no front window comes with that option. You can also buy boots yourself in different sizes.

https://www.custompickup.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=3436

 

The hawks ride in transport boxes like these. They are each 12 inches wide (24 inches wide for the two door version), 24 inches tall, and 24 inches deep. The idea is to be able to fit 4 of these across the back on a sliding platform that can be extended out in order to get to more boxes or gear towards the cab. I also want to have drawers under the boxes for more storage (like the second photo). With the addition of the drawers, height becomes a problem.

 

Yes! This is what I’m looking for. So it looks like the opening is 48 inches wide very close to the top on the overland.

 

I have a 2015 CM with an ARE Overland cap and the Bed slide in it. I would have to get the exact measures since I don't know them off the top of my head. I have labs and carry two large Ruff Tuff Kennels on the bed slide without issue. In the picture, I was just finishing adding the lights. I also have some added a water port to the passenger and some Roto storage for water for the dogs. I do recommend that you choose the windows carefully, as changing from the sliding windows to pop up windows was very cost prohibitive, I bought the truck used with the cap. The sliding windows are fine but do not suit for being able to access things stored along the sides of the bed. From my bit of research the price when optioning out the cap is not much difference, so think about what you want and how you will use it.