Finding a Canopy for a 2021 2500 8' Box Crew Cab

[Dean2]

So, I went shopping for a mid to high rise canopy for my new 2500 crew cab with an 8' box. The box is the same as it has been since 2019. Leer does not make anything but a cab height topper, Suntoper don't make a cap for an 8' box. ARE makes their TW version and Range Rider makes their Vista for this truck. The Vista, with a work door on each side, interior lights and colour matched is $3,400 Canadian and made in British Columbia, delivery 4-5 weeks. The ARE is made in the States and was $700 more in the same configuration but 15-18 weeks for delivery. I have had a Range Rider Vista on my 1996 Ram 2500 long box since it was new and it has been a great canopy so will likely go with another. Best prices were from Barb at Canopy West in North Edmonton.

A couple of interesting things, the 2500 and 3500 do not come in a Quad cab configuration any more. If you want an 8' box you get standard cab or crew cab. The Mega cab only comes with the 6' 4" box. Since I was originally having such a hard time finding a cap I did some measuring of my existing truck and a 2019 that was on a dealer lot. I don't know if Dodge did it on purpose but the length of the bed rails, width of the box and width of the Tailgate are almost identical on both trucks. Both beds are 71.5" wide at the front, near the cab, it tapers to 69" at the back near the tailgate. The Tailgate is 62.5" wide. This means that in all likelyhood I could just drop the 1996 canopy straight onto the new truck. The only issue is the rear door hangs over the tailgate on the 96, to form a good seal. The 2021 has that wide Whaletail flat spot and bump out on the tailgate. You would have to trim 1/2 to 3/4" off the bottom of the aluminum frame at the bottom of the door for the door to be able to close and allow the double T handles to latch up.




The back of the cab seems to have just a bit more outward bow to it than it did on the 1996 club cab but I doubt it is enough to affect fitment.





This is the ARE TW style of Topper, on a pre 2019 Burgundy Ram 1500 Quad cab, last picture, that doesn't have the new style tailgate.

Per the info and pictures from another post on this forum from 2017, for those of you that are interested, the 1500 Quad cab and Crew cab need different canopies. The Quad cab is more straight up and down at the back of the cab, the crew cab arches forward. The Quad cab canopy will fit on a Crew cab, you will just have a bit of a gap at the top of the cab. A Crew cab canopy will not fit easily on a Quad cab as it will tend to touch and rub. I don't know what the newest body styles are like and whether the move away from the Ram Classic in 2020 has changed this information.


Quad cab topper on a crew cab, notice the gap at the top.







Quad cab Topper on a Quad cab, notice the nice tight fit to the back of the cab.

 

[Dean2]

Can't figure out why this thread isn't showing up under Exterior.

 

[Dean2]

I now have the cap mounted, it is a perfect fit for the long box crew cab. Follows the bed rails perfectly, has the right arch on the front bed rail where it meets the back window, rear window mates perfectly to the tailgate. The colour match is also dead on perfect. VERY happy with the outcome. The 1996 truck has the exact same cap, it has stood up great for 26 years, under some pretty heavy duty use.