Opinions on a tonneau cover

I've had pickups off and on for most (about 60 yrs or so) of my driving years and most of the time I had a cap on the back. However, for various reasons a cap is out in this instance so I've been kicking around the idea of a tonneau cover. Since I have never had one before I'd like some opinions. For you guys that have had a tonneau cover, which style do you prefer; tip up hard cover, tri-fold, or rollup style and why? Thanks.

 

Depends. What will you be hauling with the truck that doesn't work with a cap?

Do you need full access to the bed?

I've had all three: Hard tri-fold BAKflip, soft tri-fold TonnoPro, and a Leer 100R. They all have plusses or minuses. Really depends on what you plan to haul, how much bed access you need. Or if it's just for hauling tools, maybe a toolbox is for you.

 

Can't go wrong with tri fold or roll up it it's the nice ones that are like a garage door

 

This is what works for me...

 

Nice, and I like how it allows full use of the bed. My concern is how does it hold up to heavy snow? In the past couple of years we've had two 18 inchers and that's a lot of weight on the fabric. Anybody have experience with something like that?

 

I've got one sorta similar that is a trifold with a truck bed carpet mat. Love it. Simple. Inexpensive around $300. Can remove it in five or 10 minutes. Or simply fold it back and snap in a few seconds.




I did a lot of research on this and there are some amazing ones. One brand will support several hundred pounds so you carry heavy strapped loads and such on top of it

Several of them have the water channels with drains, so your bed doesn't get wet

Some manually roll back so you don't have to pull it back. Same brand also offers electric. But they are pricey. Depends on how much money you want to spend.


I'm content with my $300 trifold for now

 

I went first with the TonnoPro here. I ended up giving it away because it wasn't doing what I needed.

• Pros: Lightweight, easy install/removal, sheds water nicely, obscures what's in the bed, easy to clip/unclip to open up and flip, good secure clips to hold it open.
• Cons: Not so secure, someone can cut it, the fabric looks like it'd bake hard in the sun. You need to uninstall to use the bed fully, unlike the velcro units which I find to be a pain in the ass to get nice and taught.

I got a great closeout deal so I upgraded to a BAKflip FiberMax, 2nd pics. It's currently in my attic with all the hardware packed up b/c I swapped it out for a Leer 100R cap. I'd sell this BAKflip in a heartbeat at a good price to someone local who could use it.

• Pros: Sturdy enough to hold my entire body weight laying down, opens to allow 95% access to the bed by folding up against the window, pretty secure (can be jimmied if you know how/where to fish).
• Cons: Initial install can be tough to get all seams right, and unit flush/sealing, and if you do need to fold it up to get near-full access to the bed, it totally blocks out the rear window so you're stuck with your side mirrors, that may suck for some folks.

TonnoPro pic:

​

Bakflip FM pics:

​

 

Dub what brand is that, got a link? Had that on my last truck and it’s perfect for my uses. I now have a garage and am going to rig up a way to remove the shell except for when I want it.

 

Don't remember...got it on eBay for ~ $150. I'll try to find the details

Edit: Here it is

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163393329648

 

I like the low profile of your hard bed cover!!!

My Extang 2.0 works great, just sits a little higher...

 

If it'd fit your truck, I'd roll your way and give it to you but DC uses a different part#.

It's water-damn-tight. It's a great cover. BAKflip makes awesome stuff. I just wish I didn't need to blackout my whole back window to use the entire bed. It makes it impossible to see what your load is doing while hauling things. And the one time I needed to haul a refrigerator, I was sweating it the whole way back from Jonesboro.

 

For some reason I didn't get any email notices for this thread. Hmm? Anyway, I really like the hardtop folding type but my concern from the photos is it doesn't overlap the rails. Doesn't the rain get under there? How does it seal?

 

It's more watertight than a seal's ass when installed properly. If you properly clamp the side rails to hold the trifold panel snugly into the bed, at least.

It's not super clear in the picture, but all along the edge of the panels, there's a stout, arched and reinforced rubber seal that has a pretty substantial overlap onto the bed caps, posting larger pics below. But in addition to that, the metal rails they have you install along the inside of the bed which run just below that seal catch any water that may bypass the seal, and any water that may drip into the hinges between the panels, and funnels it toward the cab, where you'll find two drain tubes, one on each side. So, in the event you were to take on water, it should theoreticallly make it to the drain tubes and out. The side seal travels to the cab of the truck as you can see in the 1st pic below.

I still have my factory blown-plastic bedliner installed, and I routed the drain hoses into the holes drilled in the bedliner to give access to your tiedowns. I've driven through my fair share out SE USA torrential downpours. I kept a fair amount of metal, electronics, and paper stuff in the bed of my truck. Never once did I see signs of water intrusion. Best part is, with the model I've got at least, you still have access to your stake pockets. Where the metal lip overlaps the tailgate, there's a multi-sweep rubber seal there too, to prevent back-leakage if you're parked on an incline.

​

 

Ah, ok, I do like the looks of it and I think I much prefer a hardtop rather than fabric. My concern with fabric, aside from the weight of a heavy snow, is that somebody could just use a box cutter to get in if they wanted to. Hmmm, guess I gotta start hunting for one before Winter gets here.

 

My only gripe is this. There's no way to secure it half-open (like, with the 1st flap closest to the tailgate folded back), the two main lockable positions are 70% open, and 95% open, but the 95% open position blocks off your rear window. It was never a major problem when I had to use it, more of an annoyance than anything. I ran over some stout bumps with it up against the back wall (it has thick rubber pads to avoid damage). The stabilizer bars that hold it up are really stout.

​

 

Well I did it. Took a chance on Ebay and got this nice 3 section hardtop. Surprisingly well made and solid. They claim it'll hold up to 350lbs.

 

That looks almost identical to my Extang Solidfold 2.0... and I bet you paid a whole lot less Nice find!

 

Mine came with an OEM Toyota hard 3 piece folding one. 0/10, would not recommend. I've had the soft rollup ones for my trucks in the past and they are easy to use and take up zero bed space basically. Only reason I still have this horrid 3 piece one is that I'm way too cheap just to buy another tonneau cover while I still have a functioning one.

 

$429 with free Fedex 2 day shipping.

 

Actively trying to get rid of mine.

 

Ditto, but more passively really.

GLWS!

 

Surprised no one has recommended Diamond Back. Waterproof and will hold 400 or 1600 pounds depending on the model. Expensive but well worth it.

 

I mean, you're in the 1st gen / 2000-2006 subforum, some of the guys in here's trucks have a lower resale value than you'll pay for Diamondback's baseline SE cover, at $2000 after taxes.

 

X2 diamond back rocks

 

I have a hard folding cover on my GMC Canyon. Mine now leaks as the rubber around the piano hinges is completely gone but I've done a lot of work using that cover as a table of sorts.

One issue I have is it will freeze solid to the top of the tailgate in winter.

 

I am sure they will sell you replacement rubber

 

and then coat it with silicone so it doesn't freeze fast.

 

According to KBB my2001 Tundra (farm / work truck) is worth almost $8k.

I also have a 2024 which is my every day driver

 

They probably do. I could use it!

If I ever get another one, it'll be in white. Touching a black cover to open or close it on a sunny day, OUCH!

 

Everyone says all tonneau covers leak. My Bakflip MX4 is no exception. I get water in the passenger side of the bed after every heavy rain. I have closely examined the cover and all seals appear to be tight.
One thing I need to explore is whether the fact that my driveway has a pronounced tilt (left to right looking at the tailgate) may be a contributing factor. So water will run from driver side to passenger side.
Anyone else experienced similar?