ARE Truck Caps

ARE truck caps are manufactured at two plants in Ohio. One plant, in Massillon, makes fiberglass pickup truck caps, while the Mt. Eaton facility turns out aluminum ARE truck caps and custom fiberglass products.

 A.R.E. (named after the first initials of the founder, Sal Gatti's , 3 children; Anne Marie, Ralph and Elizabeth) started out as a child in 1969 manufacturing aluminum truck caps and storage buildings.

 The company quickly progressed technologically through wood framed caps, commercial aluminum caps and finally to custom fiberglass pickup truck caps. They are now one of the big kids on the block with an extensive dealer network(over 600 dealers for ARE truck caps in North America) and brand name recognition for both their aluminum and fiberglass truck caps, and their line of tonneau covers. You may recognize the  ARE Tonneau Cover which bears the A.R.E. name. Anyway, let's look at the 2 major styles of truck toppers that A.R.E. manufactures.

ARE Truck Caps - Aluminum

A.R.E.s Classic Aluminum and Commercial Series truck caps are intended for your personal use and enjoyment but are made with commercial strength ingredients in case you need to use them on the job. Baserails are made of .080" T6 aluminum with MIG welded corners, while the structural tubing of the body frame is .050" T6 aluminum with TIG welded joints. The exterior skin is a textured .019" aluminum or .035" in the commercial version. Door frames are made of the same .050" tubing as the body frame. The Classic Aluminum Cap and Commercial caps come in 4 standard height plus 3 wedge heights. These caps are lightweight and easy to remove as far as truck caps go, but you really need two or three people to do the job. A Deluxe Commercial Unit (DCU) is available from A.R.E. and adds a bunch of different cap size and dimension options along with things like security screens, commercial ladder racks, hatchback lift door and interior metal skin.

Aluminum ARE Truck Caps Options
- Side tool bins and roof racks
- Vapor barrier insulation
- Radius rear door
- All kinds of sliding doors and windows
- Interior lights
- Third brake light
- Gas prop for doors
- Standard colors are black, white and silver
- Optional OEM matching colors
- Edge trims
- Automotive grade locks
- Universal absorbent floor mats

ARE Truck Caps - Fiberglass

The first ARE truck caps made of fiberglass came off the line in 1982. In 1992 A.R.E. began offering an automotive quality paint finish as a standard feature. Since then the product has done nothing but get better. All the hardware is 500 hour salt spray tested, so you know it doesn't corrode easily. The roof is made of a 1/2" honeycomb reinforced, high fiberglass content material that really paints up nice. Add a coat of clearcoat and you've got a truck canopy that looks like it came with your pickup. Once you add the 3 year warranty on locks and brake lights, the 5 year warranty on gas props and the limited lifetime warranty on paint, you're looking at a great deal on a truck cap.

The fiberglass version of ARE truck caps come in 10 models. They are available to fit full size, mid size, short mini and extra short mini pickup truck beds. They range in weight from approx. 200 lbs for the full size to approx 120 lbs for the extra short mini. Here's some detail on each model.

 Z-Series
- Solid front picture window
- Screened vent side window
- All glass rear door
- Standard dark gray interior
- Fabric headliner

Overland Series
- Spray on protective
  coating increases
  strength in high
  stress areas
- Two tone trim
- Half slider windows
- Heavy duty rear door

CX-Series
- Front picture window
- F2 mitered half slider
  screened side window
- Single T-lock heavy duty
  rear door
- Outdoorsman tilt-up
  window/door option
- Pickup Vault heavy duty
  lined drawers option
- Walk in Door option

MX-Series
- Mid high roof for extra
  storage and headroom
- Front Vista glass window
- Screened Vent
  side window
- Single T-lock heavy
  duty rear door

MX Series (continued)
- Unfinished dark gray
  interior color
- No interior light
- Outdoorsman tilt-up
  window/door option
- Pickup Vault heavy duty
  lined drawers option
- Rigid Industries
  light bar optional
- Walk in Door option

V-Series
- Most economical choice
- Half slider screened side window
- Pet screens on slider window
- Front picture window
- Single T-lock heavy duty rear door
- Outdoorsman tilt-up window/door option
- Pickup Vault heavy duty lined drawers option

---

TW-Series
- Wedge design improves towing aerodynamics
- Front picture window
- Half slider screened side windows
- Single T-lock heavy duty rear door
- Outdoorsman tilt-up window/door option
- Pickup Vault heavy duty lined drawers option
- Walk in Door option

X-Series
- Newest ARE design
- Painted composite frame
- Front picture window
- F2 Mitered half slider side window
- Screen Vent side window
- X Series rear door
- 12 volt dome light
- Black palm handle
- Fabric headliner

ToolMaster Series
- Two steel toolboxes,
  one on each side
- 120 pounds of tools
  per box
- Commercial roof rack
- Ladder rack roller
- Secure side doors
- Standard size heavy
  duty rear door
- Optional bed mounted rack
- Optional bed slide
  rolling drawer
- Optional interior lighting
- Optional Ranger shelving
- Optional AluRack
  locking ladder
- Optional interior carpeting
- 2009 on Ford F-150
  long bed only
- Limited lifetime warranty

Site Commander Series
- Newest work solution
  cap from ARE
- Composite construction
- Oversize side and
  rear doors
- Rain gutters on all doors
- Locks program to use
  OEM truck key
- Interior rope lighting
- 5 year limited warranty
- Optional roof and
  ladder racks
- Optional side toolbox configurations
- Optional shelving and dividers
- Optional front and rear Radius windows
- Optional Bedslide rolling drawer
- 2009 on Ford F-150 long bed only

3DL Series
- doors open to side like butterfly wings
- entire cover opens from rear
- front hinge system
- 4 extra inches of vertical bed storage
- excellent rear visibility
- keeps products secure
- keeps products out of sight
- easy access to truck bed
- optional remote keyless entry
- optional LED strip lighting
- limited lifetime warranty

Fiberglass Caps Optional Equipment

- Sliding front windows
- Tilt down front windows
- Compression front boot
- Front Vista glass
- SV screen vent side window
- Side access Win door
- Side & rear privacy doors
- Single T-Lock rear doors
- Double T-Lock rear doors
- Full fiberglass walk in doors
- Bedslides, Bedrugs
- All kinds of racks
- Different kinds of windows and doors
- Dome lights, prop lights, power strips
- Fabric headliner
- Interior clothes rod
- Pet screen protectors
- Fishing rod holders

Note: You must have an RSS Reader installed and configured before clicking on the Orange RSS Button. An RSS Reader allows automatic download of changes/updates made to this website without having to visit this page. Saves time, effort and keeps you up to date.

Click Orange RSS Button to Subscribe to Site Updates