Good news! Your MOTŪ will ship directly to you via UPS in a single box from
our Seattle warehouse. That box weighs about 90 lbs. Don't worry about shipping
cost--it's ON US!

Check out the 1-minute assembly video in the gallery section here for a visual representation. Quick summary: you'll attach bed rails (with standard Toyota cleats - for more info on bed rails, look below for that specific FAQ); then you'll slot in a cab-side and tailgate-side arch and insert a center beam between the arches. The center beam is secured with two hex bolts. The arches are secured to the rails with hand bolts (you can see them in the picture near the MOTŪ logos).

Now that your frame is built, you attach the canopy from inside using six hand bolts. That's it for the basic config. You can also attach up to four gear plates (one per side, two on roof) and T-slot/cleat rails up top. Those aren't necessary to build out a full truck cap, but they're handy for carrying more gear.

With two people (recommended) it takes about 45 minutes. You DO NOT NEED PROFESSIONAL help, nor do you have to drill anything into your truck. A step-by-step setup guide comes in the box and you can check out the 1-minute assembly video here.

MOTŪ currently supports Toyota Tacoma Gen 3 and Gen 4 (with the 5' bed) and Jeep Gladiators that are 2020 or newer. That's because the 5' bed sizes on these three trucks are the same. We'll be launching more trucks and bed sizes very soon! Please ping us with your interest here so we can keep you up to date.

MOTŪ Gear Plates use 6MM slots. Most side-mounted equipment comes with fittings to adjust to this size. We've found that to be the case with popular jerry cans and skid plates, for example. When the Gear Plates are mounted on top, they can be flush with the frame or flipped for basket mode. This comes in handy when you simply want to throw a cargo net or bungies over your stuff. Check out the gallery for examples.

The MOTŪ Cleat Rail is a low‑profile aluminum T‑slot / T‑channel rail that runs along the top edge of the MOTU rack. It is dimensionally matched to the Toyota Tacoma factory bed rail system (Gen 3/Gen 4), enabling the use of a wide ecosystem of T‑slot accessories. When paired with appropriate T‑nuts and hardware, the rail can accept many mounts from leading brands (Yakima, Thule, Rhino‑Rack, etc.).

Third‑Party Compatibility (Examples)

Many accessories that fasten via M6/M8 T‑bolts or slide‑in T‑nuts are compatible with the MOTU Cleat Rail, including but not limited to:

• Kayak/SUP mounts and universal T‑slot cradles from Yakima/Thule when mounted to T‑slot crossbars (or directly, if the accessory offers T‑slot hardware kits). Yakima’s HD ecosystem and OverHaul systems are designed around T‑slots; Thule’s Xsporter/TracRac families publish Tacoma rail adapters and T‑slot mounting.
• Rooftop cargo boxes & baskets (mounted to crossbars that attach via the MOTU rail’s T‑slot). Both Yakima HD Bars and Thule load bars use T‑channels for accessory attachment.
• Rooftop tents (RTT) (mounted to crossbars that are in turn fastened to the T‑slot). Marketed bundles such as Retrax XR + Yakima OverHaul HD explicitly rely on the T‑slot rail + T‑slot crossbars model and state broad Yakima/Thule/Rhino‑Rack accessory support.
• General overland mounts (eye bolts, load stops, recovery board mounts, shovel/axe/RotopaX plates) that use M6/M8 T‑slot hardware designed for Tacoma/Retrax/HD‑Bar channels.

Note: Some brands require a T‑slot adapter kit or specific T‑bolt size (M6 or M8). Always verify the accessory’s T‑slot hardware spec (M8) before ordering.

While parked, MOTŪ ExoFrame can hold more weight than the rated axle load of your half-ton pickup (that is, > 1,000 lbs). That's "static" mode. When driving, which puts lateral force on the load, MOTŪ is rated to 320 lbs. The ExoFrame is certainly strong enough to support a rooftop tent with campers inside. See the FAQ above to address compatibility with gear fittings.

Short answer: Yes. Tacoma pickups come standard with M8 T-slot bed rails on the sides of the bed wall and on the cab side front of the bed. Jeep Gladiators use the exact same rails, however they are an "option" on Gladiators. If you don't have them, they are very easy to get and install. Here is a link to Amazon with the bed rails for the 5' bed that will work on Tacoma and Gladiator. To install them, you use the included screws and line them up with the existing receiver points in your truck bed.

For now, we only support the 5' Tacoma bed (short bed). However, we are evaluating demand for the long bed. If you're interested, please hit our contact page and let us know you're looking for it. We're currently developing multiple products to support a wide range of truck beds.

Yes, your MOTŪ is waterproof and we've driven thousands of miles with it in some horrible Pac Northwest weather. It is designed so that rain slicks off the roof & sides, which keeps the rain out. There are rubber gaskets on the bottom of the MOTŪ bed rails that make a nice, tight seal with the top of your truck bed. That said, if you were to apply a pressure washer at odd angles not congruent with natural weather patterns, you create some water ingress. The canopy is not a submarine :) but it will certainly keep the weather out.