Bakflip MX4 vs RealTruck quality

I had to warranty my 2.5 year old MX4 due to some water leak and a snapped release cable for the second panel.

Campway installed the warranty replacement today. Just picked it up and was surprised to see RealTruck - who bought out Bak - has changed the material and manufacturing quite noticeably. Not…necessarily…in a bad way, I guess. But it leaves me wondering if quality has degraded under the new owners. The panels on the supposedly comparable replacement Mx4 or whatever RealTruck is calling it feel MUCH, MUCH lighter weight. Doesn’t feel as hefty and durable as it did before. Worried the lighter weight may also make it blow up easier in the wind if I’m driving with cargo that slightly extends taller than the bed and the panels lay on top of it.

anyone find any opinions one way or the other on RealTruck’s MX4 quality?

 

@SantanaRealtruck may have some info about the change in design and why it feels lighter.

 

My experience with BakFlip was beyond a joke about 4 years ago. I got stuck with a 1k paperweight (Cliff note Version).

Don’t know when they got bought out because at the time BakFlip referred me to RealTruck and everyone was beyond useless.

Yes I am EXTREMELY bitter especially after sending 50 plus photos **required** to start the warranty claim.

Garbage…

 

that’s interesting. I bought my truck on New Year’s Eve 2021, and bought a Bakflip MX4 less than two months later. RealTruck was no where in the picture I could tell, and certainly not on any of the branding or receipts. I figured the buy-out happened some time after that.

aside from being an unreasonably slow process (part of which is the retailer’s fault and part of which is just a long process), I have nothing to fault about the RealTruck warranty I’ve just gone through. Just worried about the whether or not quality has changed with the materials and new ownership.

 

I remember getting bounced around a lot between the two companies. At the time I do remember thinking it was the same company because at the customer service numbers took me to realtruck.

I didn’t purchase it through either source either. It was an authorized dealer that my family and I have used for years.

In the past BakFlip was a quality and long lasting product. I have seen four covers go about ten years.

Basically the panel seams were not done correctly because water would leak from the seams that went from the driver to passenger side (middle ones/not the ones touching the gate or by the cab)would leak. I had the bucket latch and the rubber stops blow off on the highway.

My truck only has 20,300 miles as of today so I barely use the cover yet it’s falling apart. Outside of fading my old 10 year BakFlip worked better and only leaked a little at the 4 corner (which is reasonable). If it rains the entire bed is wet on my 2020…and again I know and never expected it to be a waterproof product.

 

Thanks!

@SantanaRealtruck, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what (and why) was changed on the MX4.

 

Hello, I asked the folks at Bak/Real Truck about the water logged panels on covers that were built in the last couple of years. Yes we get rain several months of the year and the tonneau covers are going to leak
no matter how well they are installed. But why do the foam filled panels get so heavy and water logged, they could not tell me, they do not dry out and go back to original weight. I have tried on a few times to see what would happen, keeping covers inside heated shop letting the water drain out of the panels and get good and dry but they still weighed way more than when they were new. I just got in a displpay of the new Adarac LOMAX Stance, looks good but have not installed one yet. The Leer HF650M have sold and installed several in the last couple years and no complaints about them at all so far. Cheers, Laverne.

 

I'm new to Tundras, but here is what I experienced with my (now sold) Tacoma.

I started with a used Bakflip MX4. It worked great and had pretty substantial build quality. I then decided to get into the off roading / overlanding fad and sold the cover and bought a Diamondback. I loved the Diamondback, but then my needs changed and I needed full access to the bed frequently, so I bought a new Backflip MX4 from Truckhero.

Here is what I noticed about the new Bakflip versus the old on the Tacoma:
(1) the build quality felt lighter and cheaper
(2) The buckles no longer had a place to buckle onto the cover when it wasn't folded up. They were just supposed to hang in little slits.
(3) The new model no longer relocated the bed rails but instead used the bed rails as-is.

Part (3) was disappointing because it meant that the aftermarket solutions that let you attach bed rails or T slots to the Bakflip no longer work.

In all, I found the new cover very disappointing compared to the old one. I am not sure what has changed for Bakflips made for Tundras, but my experience with the Tacoma has me unsure if the Bak is a good product for my new-to-me truck.

 

Thanks Dr Ramsom. I just got a great deal on a new in the box MX4. I previously had a 2015 that came with a backflip rollup, and really liked it.

Carved out a morning and installed my bed rails on my 2021 CM, and then went to install the MX4 and got confused. I’ve seen a video with a guy that had brackets to lower the rails, but the customer service guy acted like I was from the moon.

This explains it! Very disappointing to hear that. A great product has met its demise. Although the guy I bought it from said he had a problem with his and they sent him this brand new one no questions asked… But I guess he figured out his other cover.

Not sure whether to just take out the bed rails and use this backflip or just sell it.

if I do decide to get something else, any suggestions?

 

Just bought a new MX4 backflip for my 2024.

I will say, i'm a bit disappointed. The overall build feels cheap/fragile. I already had a plastic clip break that was holding the straps, and the fit was 8/10 I would say (not perfect but now awful). For the price, it's a bit disappointing, but after reading 101 different reviews, it doesn't seem there is a "high" quality trifold out there. I wanted to consider diamondback, but I need access to load a motorcycle so that doesn't work.

It doesn't relocate the existing Toyota rail, so the whole system just holds itself by pressure. There's a hook piece that I suspect in the past would hook right under the rain for added security/fit, but now there's a gap where the hook clamps just float, and the whole system is held by the oem rail and the pressure of a bolt and flat plastic side. Questionable...i can see how the older version where it dropped your rails would hook in nicely.

I also threw out the weather stripping they give you, it's garbage off the shelf stuff and way too thick which then makes the cover stick up at the bed front. Went to my hardware store to buy something thinner (half the thickness so things sit tighter).

If i can get 3 years out of my backflip MX4, i'll be happy. I just hope another competitor comes to the table. I don't mind spending the money, but all the trifolds have mix review (some good, some bag). It's a no win situation is what I've concluded. I live where it rains like 8 months of the year, so anything out there is unlikely going to be waterproof but I tried my best to put some extra weather stripping and a light touch of silicon for now.

Overall rating, 7/10 I would say.

 

I think you have the right mindset that there is no great trifold solution. The Bakflip MX4 before the redesign was almost there, but the new version is worse. For my Tundra, I waited for a Facebook marketplace deal and found a Truckhero Ultraflex for a couple hundred dollars. It has flaws, but works well enough to keep water and opportunistic thieves out. My recommendation to anyone looking for a trifold is to try to find something good-ish that has been used.

 

Just following in hopes there’s a better solution. On my second Backflip. First was OEM then got a new one that leaks worse than the OEM. There has to be a better solution. Other than tri-fold what’s the best for leaks? Has anyone tried a roll up?

 

Just came across this. Hope my feedback can help…

I had a bad experience with the Bakflip F1. The cover finerglass kept delaminating. Warranty claim, replaced, and the replacement did the same thing. I HATED the terrible knobs and slots used to secure the cover in its folded position too. Everyone keeps talking about “sturdy”, but in reality, I like one that’s a little bit lighter (but not flimsy).

I got an Undercover Armor Flex on my 2023 Sierra and I LOVED it. It’s coated with bed liner material, so it’s VERY scratch resistant. And it’s a little lighter, so it’s not difficult to fold. I had it for 20 months and it still looked new when I traded my truck last week.

 

Really appreciate the reply. Has it been in much rain? Any leaks? I’m in So Cal so the rain shouldn’t be an issue, but the Bakflip was so leaky even in a small drizzle

 

Very little. I have dealt with 4 brands of tri-folds… they ALL leak a little. Some are worse than others. I’ll also say that the amount they leak has as much to do with installation and fitment as the manufacturer. And if you level your truck so the rails don’t slope a little towards the front, it’s going to be more prone to water getting in the bed. That’s true with any cover that uses the rails to drain the water towards the tubes in the front.

 

Well, I’ve now had the warranty replacement MX4 installed for a couple months. It’s holding out water and the cords haven’t snapped like my original, but in most other ways it just doesn’t feel like the original at all. Even the knobs that move the slider that allows you to look the back posts are falling off, and so are the posts themselves. Disappointing. It’s an expensive product to be this shoddy. I’m hoping it at least will keep most water out and not snap the cords anymore. That’s the minimum I need.

I find it rather telling Realtruck was tagged by someone early on in this thread to clarify what changed from the Bakflip build to Realtruck’s build after the acquisition, and they haven’t bothered to reply.

 

Looking at the Undercover Armor Flex, it looks identical to the MX4. Same Manufacturere (RealTruck). Curious what the difference is?

 

I also had a Bakflip F1. It’s not the same. Realtruck bought both Undercover and Bakflip. Between the two, I can say that the design for the prop rods for full open support are MUCH better in the Undercover. The Undercover also doesn’t rest against the back of the cab when fully open like the Bakflip does. The Undercover is also not as thick and a little lighter, which makes it easier to open/fold.

 

The BAKFlip MX4 features UV resistant smooth, matte black aluminum panels that fold up for full bed access and can support up to 400 lbs. of evenly distributed weight. The UnderCover Ultra Flex is also an aluminum panel construction, but it features a carpet-like material on the underside that's both protective and adds a high-end appearance. The MX4 will include heavy-duty bumpers so that the cover can safely and securely rest against the cab of the truck without blocking your third brake light, while the Ultra Flex is propped straight up and may block your third brake light.

BAK Industries and UnderCover are proud members of the RealTruck family of brands, and they both offer products that work to suit your needs and the aesthetic of your truck. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

 

Thanks, which one lets in less gallons of water during a light rain sprinkle?

 

No cover out there is 100% waterproof, but as long as you have everything installed properly, it's the next best thing!

 

Hello to everyone here. I have been selling and installing truck canopies and tonneau cover for many (30 plus) years. The way new truck boxes are put together gets worse and worse with every new model change.
To eliminate some leaking, rains here several months of the year, we have to use rtv silicone, plumbers putty etc. at the front top corners of the truck box. the plastic bed caps are not sealed to the truck, a major leaking issue. Take a flashlight and have someone in the truck box and someone outside holding the light shining it at the top corners of the front of the truck box. You will SEE the light!!! The LEER HF650M so far has been good for us, no complaints from customers. We just installed a cover for a customer from Access Cover, the LOMAX Stance, interesting cover with no foam filled panels. Looks easy to replace rubber seals on sides if damaged.
We installed a hard folding cover last week (first one) from Trailtop. This cover does not prop up behind the cab so is a great cover for people that do not need that option, very reasonable price, flush mount style. have ordered another one for another customer, much cheaper than the Extang Solid Fold ALX series and at first glance a much better cover. In my opinion the new covers from Bak Ind. / Real Truck are way over priced now
considering how they have changed them. Diamond Back is a totally different type of cover but will last for ever with a little bit of maintenance done to it. The one piece trunk lid cover Undercover series have always been good but not meant to drive with them open, tie it down if you have to drive with it open. Cheers, Laverne.