Pickup topper. Will S10 fit on Ranger?

[Windy in Kansas]

Do any of you know if a longbed 1986 S10 pickup topper will fit onto a long bed 1997 Ford Ranger? Correctly that is?

Thanks. Have a chance to buy one and I've been looking into getting one.

[DAVID In Wisconsin]

I use to own Rangers. Toppers from Chevy's won't fit a Ranger. Sorry.

[Windy in Kansas]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I have also just found a second Chevy one but will pass on it as well. Drat, both fiberglass and at a really bargain price, or at least I felt so.

[Macybaby]

Glad you added the "correctly" part! The other day I saw an S-10 with a full size topper on it. They made a plywood base for it to sit on so inside it had a shelf around it. Guess they had a reason - sure did make one stop for a second look.

Cathy

[misterB]

it may depend on the year of the trucks in question I have a topper from a s-10 that fits on mt '95 ranger perfectly.

About 5 minutes with a tape measure should answer your question .

[HermitJohn]

My first and only experience with fiberglass topper was helping elderly friend get one he had but didnt use loaded to take to a consignment auction. My gosh that thing was heavy. If they are all that heavy, why in world would anybody want one? Seems silly to carry around all that extra weight compared to an aluminum topper. They also seem quite pricey. I just dont get the attraction. Is it just all about looks or the "in thing" to own?

[Windy in Kansas]

Originally Posted by WV Hillbilly

About 5 minutes with a tape measure should answer your question .

With below zero wind chills and a fair round trip mileage I'd rather just ask.

HJ, the fiberglass toppers are fairly heavy, just heavy enough to provide great traction in snow in my opinion. What I learn years ago with a short bed full sized Silverado is that they change the airflow over the truck and I actually had a highway mileage increase as a result. Not a large one of course but it did show in the records I kept.

I also feel that the fiberglass ones are a more attractive and I suppose I'm just vain enough to want that.

Thanks everyone for the replies, comments, etc.

[HermitJohn]

All I can say is if you get a fiberglass topper, means you probably dont ever remove it. That one my elderly friend had was for full size longbed pickup. However you really needed camper jacks to take it on and off. I imagine some of those old aluminum slide in campers (the short compact ones anyway) didnt weigh much more. Now if they had designed them with couple attachments to hook chain to, guess could use tractor loader to take them on and off.

Now an all aluminum topper, though it might be bit clumsy, I can lift into place all by myself, no jacks needed. I'd actually like to find super cheap one for my old Ranger but havent been to many auctions in recent years. Dont drive that much but cab space is at a premium so be nice on shopping day if caught in a rain. Also nice if I have to take dogs to vet.

[arabian knight]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

With below zero wind chills and a fair round trip mileage I'd rather just ask.

HJ, the fiberglass toppers are fairly heavy, just heavy enough to provide great traction in snow in my opinion. What I learn years ago with a short bed full sized Silverado is that they change the airflow over the truck and I actually had a highway mileage increase as a result. Not a large one of course but it did show in the records I kept.

I also feel that the fiberglass ones are a more attractive and I suppose I'm just vain enough to want that.

Thanks everyone for the replies, comments, etc.

Very true and that is why I have one also on mine is for wt. in the winter time more then anything else. And besides once a topper in on very few take it back off anyways. They leave it on year in and year out which also protects the bed of the truck from snow and such, so it is a win win situation.

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by arabian knight

And besides once a topper in on very few take it back off anyways. They leave it on year in and year out which also protects the bed of the truck from snow and such, so it is a win win situation.

Difference between a work truck and a car with a big trunk. If you never need to use pickup box beyond stationwagon use why buy a pickup at all? Van or even Suburban type vehicle would be roomier and more solid. Even a stationwagon though I see few of them anymore. Think minivans and SUVs killed them off.

[plowjockey]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

With below zero wind chills and a fair round trip mileage I'd rather just ask.

Maybe the point here, was that if you know the measurements of the bed opening, you can ask the seller to measure the cap and save yourself the trip.

Craigslist and ad papers have lots of free and cheap caps. Often they are advertised for "Ranger" or "compact truck", without a lot of specific model years. Bed sizes change change throughout model years.

Measuring is the way to know for sure.