ARE CX Series Truck Cap – Premium Fiberglass Cap for Work & Play
The CX Series is our workhorse fiberglass cap designed for professionals who need secure cargo storage without sacrificing style. Built with hand-laid fiberglass construction and a smooth gel-coat finish, the CX offers superior durability compared to aluminum alternatives while maintaining the sleek profile of a factory-matched topper.
We engineered the CX with reinforced mounting rails and stainless steel rotary latches to withstand jobsite abuse and highway speeds. The aerodynamic roofline reduces wind noise and improves fuel efficiency, while tinted sliding side windows and a full walk-in rear door provide easy access to tools and equipment from every angle.
CX Series Build & Specs
Fiberglass Construction & Finish Quality
Every CX Series cap starts with hand-laid fiberglass panels that cure in climate-controlled molds for dimensional accuracy. This process creates a shell that’s lighter than steel but far more impact-resistant than aluminum, with natural flex that absorbs vibration instead of transmitting it to mounting hardware.
The gel-coat exterior is wet-sanded and buffed to match your truck’s factory paint before it leaves our facility. We use computerized color-matching technology that accounts for UV fade and metallic flake orientation, so your cap looks like it rolled off the assembly line as original equipment. The finish resists oxidation and environmental damage better than painted aluminum, maintaining its gloss through years of sun exposure and car washes.
Locking System & Weather Sealing
The CX uses commercial-grade rotary paddle latches at the rear door and tailgate interface, each with a stainless steel cam mechanism that pulls the door tight against dual-bulb weather stripping. This creates a compression seal that keeps out dust and water even during pressure washing or heavy rain.
All three locking points key alike to your truck’s ignition, so you carry one key for both vehicle and cargo area. The latches sit recessed into the door panel to prevent pry-bar access, and the internal striker plates bolt through reinforced fiberglass backing plates rather than threading into thin panel material.
Mounting & Truck Bed Compatibility
The CX mounts via six-point clamping rails that distribute load across your truck bed’s stake pockets and lip channels. We include application-specific clamps and foam gaskets pre-cut for your exact make, model, and bed length, so installation takes under an hour with basic hand tools.
The cap sits on continuous bulb seal that runs the full perimeter of your bed rail. This creates a weather-tight bond while allowing removal without leaving permanent marks or holes in your truck’s finish. The mounting system accommodates factory bed liners and spray-in coatings without modification, and the underside of the cap includes drain channels that route any moisture accumulation out through weep holes at the rear corners.
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Common Questions About the CX Series
Yes, the CX mounting system accommodates spray-in liners and drop-in bed liners without modification. The clamps adjust to compensate for the additional thickness, and we include extra gasket material to ensure a weather-tight seal. Just specify your liner type when ordering so we can include the correct mounting hardware for your application.
The CX includes reinforced mounting points in the roof designed to accept aftermarket rack systems. We recommend ARE’s proprietary rack that bolts directly into these pre-installed inserts without drilling. Third-party racks can be installed using the same mounting points, but verify that the rack’s bolt pattern matches the CX’s insert spacing before purchasing.
Fiberglass offers superior paint-matching capability since gel-coat is tinted throughout the material rather than applied as a surface coating. It’s more impact-resistant and won’t dent like aluminum, though aluminum is slightly lighter. Fiberglass dampens road noise better and won’t corrode or oxidize over time. Both materials are durable, but fiberglass maintains its appearance longer with less maintenance.
The CX mounts with clamps rather than bolts, so removal takes about 30 minutes and requires no tools beyond what’s used for installation. The mounting system leaves no permanent marks or holes in your truck bed. Two people can lift the cap off the bed rails and store it in a garage or lean it against a wall when not needed.
Every CX includes the fiberglass shell with factory-matched color, application-specific mounting clamps and gaskets, three keyed rotary latches, tinted sliding side windows, walk-in rear door with three-point lock, carpeted headliner, integrated dome light with door switch, and complete installation instructions. Optional accessories like roof racks, interior shelving, and backup camera relocation brackets are available separately.
The gel-coat is UV-stabilized and designed to maintain its color match for the life of your truck with basic care. Waxing twice per year protects against oxidation and fading. Most owners report the cap still matches their truck’s paint after five to seven years, even on trucks parked outdoors year-round. Touch-up gel-coat is available if you need to repair stone chips or scratches.
Yes, the rear door is designed as a walk-in hatch that opens independently of your tailgate. You can lower the tailgate and swing the cap’s rear door upward to create full access to the bed. This makes loading long items like lumber or ladders much easier than caps that require the tailgate to remain closed.