roll-up tonneau covers

1680 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by sbsyncro, Mar 10, 2007

mossman77

Discussion Starter · Mar 10, 2007

Does anyone have one of those aluminum roll-up tonneau covers installed on their Tundra? If so, what brand do you have and how do you like it? What do you dislike about it? Does it have a weather proof lock? Does the cover rattle when you go over bumps?

Save

1 - 5 of 5 Posts

01jlstubbs

· #2 · Mar 10, 2007

mossman77 said:
Does anyone have one of those aluminum roll-up tonneau covers installed on their Tundra? If so, what brand do you have and how do you like it? What do you dislike about it? Does it have a weather proof lock? Does the cover rattle when you go over bumps?

I've got a pace-edwards Jack Rabbit tonneau cover on my Tundra. Love it. It does lock with a rubber seal against my tailgate.

If I'm driving at high speeds (i.e. interstate, etc..) I can hear it rattle a little bit only if I put the back window down. It's not bad and I can't hear it at all with the windows up.

Pace-Edwards and "Roll-n-lock" are the two best brands IMO for locking tonneau covers.

JL

Save

Mazutoytundra

· #3 · Mar 10, 2007

Search the forums and you will find a lot of members with the retrax covers.

I also think this Truck Covers USA looks awesome, but it's pretty pricey at around $1400.

Truck Covers USA - Tonneau Truck and Bed Covers

Save

VTer

· #4 · Mar 10, 2007

I had a Pace-Edwards Jackrabbit on my last truck - the one they call the "Full-metal" Jackrabbit because the plates are powder-coated metal instead of encased in rubber. I liked it and it never rattled at all. My only dislike about it was that after only about 3 months of use, it was starting to get "rough" with the opening and closing, like some grit or something was caught in the rails. Easy enough to clean out, I guess, but I like things like this to be as maintenance-free as possible. I also don't think it should NEED maintenance at only 3 months. Other than that, it was a solid product.

It was a bit pricey (about $1500, if I remember correctly) and if I had to do it again, I'd probably try a Retrax. Everyone who got one says they're great and they're about a third less money.

Save

sbsyncro

· #5 · Mar 10, 2007

After a lot of searching for the right solution, I settled on a Peragon cover, which uses aluminum plates joined with hinges. When retracted, it folds into an "accordion" type arrangement that lays flat against the back of the cab and only takes up about 8" of bed space. If I need that space, the entire cover removes with two wing nuts. There is a lock that secures the cover, and the installation was very straightforward, taking about an hour and a half with simple hand tools (no cutting or drilling). Pictures on Tundra and Tacoma are here.

Any cover you select will be a compromise of security, flexibility, water/weather resistance, convenience, and ease/flexibility of removal if necessary. I found that the Peragon was the best compromise for me. What I wanted most was the security and good look of a hard cover, with out the bed space loss of a "roll-up" cover, and one that was easy to remove if I needed to haul something in the open bed (this negated the possibilty of a "hard cover".

Sliding the Peragon open is very easy - a slight push on the forward part initiates the "spring tension" that causes the rest of the cover to retract and collapse onto itself. A tether and clip allows you to secure the folded cover closed so that it doesn't rattle. Closing the cover is as simple as unclipping the tether and pulling it back toward the tailgate. This may require crawling up in the back of the bed (or standing on your running board) to unclip the tether. I typically tie the tail end of the tether to the rear u-bolt tie-down so that it is easy to reach and pull.

Downsides of the Peragon are that it can sometimes get cock-eyed on its rails and jam while trying to close, but this is fairly rare and easy to fix if it happens (just re-opening and realigning the first couple of slats). The cover is also not totally water-proof. There are rubber seals between the slats that keep it from rattling, and these tend to keep most of the water out, but in a heavy downpour, water will get into the bed.

Overall, I have been very pleased with the quality and workmanship of the cover, and after a year of use, I'd recommend it to anyone that is looking for a secure cover that is easy to open and close and even remove if needed.

There is a lot of

See less See more

Save

1 - 5 of 5 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month