Autos

Hard Tonneau Cover -- 5 Tips To Pick One

by Al Bullington in 24.08.2010 16:54

For better security and weather protection, the hard tonneau cover is worth a closer look. Some of the features of these covers aren't really offered with soft covers and in some case the hard tonneau costs just a little more than a roughly equivalent soft cover. Some brands offer high value and others are noted for different features. Here are 5 tips to consider if you're looking at tonneaus for your truck, including certain models that contain certain features.

1. Remote Control Like A Locking Trunk

For trunk-like operation including the electric tonneau option, the retractable bed cover is the no-compromise choice. What you get with retractable covers is an aluminum bed cover that really is a metal sheet that slides into and out of a can at the front of the bed. The aluminum sheet, usually coated with a polymer coat, rides in an aluminum frame. As you can probably picture, it's quite a simple matter to add a motor to open and close the tonneau. Push a button and the metal covers slides up or back and stops anywhere in the travel. Several companies make these models. Pace Edwards makes several models including the JackRabbit. Other suppliers include Truck Covers USA, Peragon, Roll-N-Lock as well as others.

2. Weather Protection

Any kind of cover beats no cover when it comes to weather protection. But in general hard lids beat soft when it comes to durability. What you have to watch for when considering weather is sealing and sagging. Snow loads may not be a problem where you live, but if they are the cover must stand up to heavy loads. Then again, rainy climates put a particular demand on weather seals. Those seals are key to keeping out rain as well as dust. Several different designs are used to try to keep out water and dirt. Maybe one of the best ways to judge how effective the seals really are isn't to read how great the seals are on the supplier marketing materials. It may be better to read reviews from the many owners who post reviews online. For example, you can read large numbers of reviews on the AutoAnything site and see what owners like and dislike about the weather-proofing of covers.

3. Forget The Soft Cover Sag

Soft covers must be loose enough to get them fastened but tight enough to prevent flopping and sag. That's especially a challenge since you get some size change with changing temperature. Most soft tonneaus include some sort of support bows to keep the cover tight. But it's still a major challenge for soft tonneau makers. This all gets skipped with hard bed covers since the rigid nature of the hard materials eliminates the sag problem and makes it simpler to weather proof the bed. Especially difficult to keep tight are the snap in place soft tonneaus.

4. Some Hard Lids Still Cost Just A Little

One very valid reason to buy a soft tonneau is just the value with the cheaper covers. Though that is true that soft tonneaus offer great value, it's also true that some hard models cost just a little more than some tonneaus. Especially is that true with folding tonneaus. Extang, BakFlip and other make hard tri fold lids that cost just a bit more than the better soft versions. With a tri folder, you get the weather protection and durability of a more expensive cover with easy full bed access and not limit on the height of cargo.

5. The Locking Tonneau Option

Most bed covers include some sort of lock. But with the hard covers, locking the covers and the tailgate means only the most determined thief will get past the cover itself. That means with the locked cover in place you get a pickup bed that basically turns into a locking vault or at least the equivalent of a locked trunk, a big one at that. It's another advantage to hard covers, the rigid material becomes a really secure cover for whatever hides below it.

Protecting cargo as well as protecting the bed of a pickup itself makes the hard tonneau cover one of the more popular pickup truck accessories. One real challenge when it comes time to but is the bewildering number of options. But luckily if you think through how you use your truck, some options quickly eliminate themselves.

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