We will be looking for a way to cover and lock our truck bed in the next month or two...I have no idea where to start! There are soooo many choices these days - tonneau, folding, fiberglass, etc.
I would be most grateful for opinions on what you have, how you like it, what you may not like about it, and maybe even an "I wish I had gotten a..."
Please be brutally honest...and if you have a "horror story" that someone else told you about, I'd be interested in those as well
Thanks for your time everyone
lori
Bob & Lori (BNL)
2012 Tracer 230FBS (Cupcake)
2012 Ram 1500 ST Hemi 5.7 (Smoke)
Why didn't we do this sooner ?!?!?
I always make mine, one for every pickup I've ever had, from a couple of sheets of 4'x8'x3/4" plywood. Buy the wood, lay them in position, lay out the cuts, remove them, make the cuts, re-position both, remove the rear, clamp the front, drill through the wood and the bed rails all at once, for 3/8" bolts, repeat with the rear, remove both, paint, final install.
The good: cheap ( $60 or so for full-size long-bed, with bolts and paint ), theft-resistant, durable, really helps MPG, can carry big heavy stuff on top, can stow between the wheelwells, guaranteed fit, can use for firewood in case of extreme emergency, can use for loading ramp for riding mower.
The bad: not the most beautiful possibility, the wife may have difficulty with it, gotta crawl inside and have help outside to install and remove, may not exactly match the color of your pickup.
In summary: I keep doing it, and always will.
'06 GMC C2500HD RCLB gasser 4.10:1, 4L80E, custom camshaft
'84 Trans Am 6.2 diesel, 700R-4, custom Class-3 receiver
'69 F350 dually. GM 6.2 diesel, turbo, 700R-4, NP208 all pending.
I have the soft rollup style. It keeps things out of site. That being said, I have NEVER had anything stolen from my pickup bed when items are out of site. I did have something stolen when I did not have the cover. I have carried my generator back there for over 3 years and no one has stolen it. I am sure the fact that no one knows it is there has something to do with it.
Jim
RV:2012 Montana 3625RE Quad Slide SKP#108921 TV:2004.5 Dodge Dually 3500 HD Favorite Quote:''Life's tough, pilgrim, and it's even tougher if you're stupid.''-- John Wayne
Like my Fold-A-Cover. Am on my second one. Locks, water resistant, strong, and best of all it folds so I don't have to remove it if I need to haul a load of trash to the dump. I can also use it with my fifth wheel with no problems. While nothing is positively secure, out of site out of kind works pretty well.
Donn,Lorri,Max (The Rescued Lab)
Resident Know It All
I have a TonnoPro (tonnopro.com) truck bed cover. It was $250 delivered, no buttons or rails to install, and keeps water out when going through an automatic car wash. It took me longer to get it out of the box than to install. Has a 10yr warranty. I love mine.
donn0128 wrote: Like my Fold-A-Cover. Am on my second one. Locks, water resistant, strong, and best of all it folds so I don't have to remove it if I need to haul a load of trash to the dump. I can also use it with my fifth wheel with no problems. While nothing is positively secure, out of site out of kind works pretty well.
yes; this.
folds in 3; has a frame so you don't have to deal with snaps/velcro or shrinkage, lock your t-gate and you cannot get in w/o cutting the heavy fabric.
folds forward so all 3 pieces are front of bed, or remove in 30 secs with no tools.
I have an Extang Full Tilt. Its a soft cover that has a frame so it can be tilted up. It comes with 2 gas shocks that keep it in the open position. It can also be rolled up like a traditional cover. It is also removable by tilting it straight up and lifting up out of the front channel behind the cab. It has an aluminum frame and weighs only 30 lbs. total.It's very well made and light and has been on my last two trucks and has held up very well.
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