Truck Bed Covers

[devildog1]

At some point in the near future I need to buy some type of bed cover for my F250. I have looked at Roll-N-Lock retractable aluminum truck bed cover but that seems a little high on price.

Also thought about just a standard bed cover/camper shell. This would be easer to remove but I think the roll n lock would be more secure but limit the space available.

Does anyone have something similar on their truck?

I have one called Retrax, it rolls up and seals truck bed and it also locks. Now it's on my F350 4X4 and the neat thing is the Ford 350 tailgate also locks so items stored in bed are safe from some who would take.
DevilDog

 

[bdeboer]

One feature that I don't like about a bed cover is that they tend to make the bed become a catch-all. Obviously this is a personal problem and not a defect in the cover but still it happens.

I have this problem also.

 

[lostcause]

I do not see how you guys live with a bed cover or topper????:confused2:

I put stuff in my bed daily and 1/2 the time its loaded by a chain and FEL or a fork truck on a pallet. I had one on my first Pick Up, a Toyota, and it was off and in the garage in 3 months. Just did not work for me.

Chris

i always had similar issues. i'd never go with a hard cover because of this, but i've had an extang trifecta since i bought my truck in 2006. there are plenty of times when the weather does not cooperate (november-april) and you need to keep some cargo dry, and it comes in handy.

the nice thing about that cover is that it comes off in about 60 seconds and folds up to 1/3 its size and about 4" thick. generally, if i know i am gong to be hauling an awkward load i will just leave it home, but on those occasions when the cargo wasn't planned i've been able to toss it in beside or on top of the cargo and secure it with a couple straps or a piece of rope.

that style of cover doesn't leave the tube frame on the bed to get damaged or be in the way, so it's very fast and easy to remove or put on. also, around here, everyone i know with the conventional soft covers always gripes because they are difficult to stretch on enough to latch the fasteners to the frame, especially in the middle of winter. since these have the fabric permanently attached to the aluminum frame that isn't an issue either.

 

[schmism]

At some point in the near future I need to buy some type of bed cover for my F250. I have looked at Roll-N-Lock retractable aluminum truck bed cover but that seems a little high on price.

Also thought about just a standard bed cover/camper shell. This would be easer to remove but I think the roll n lock would be more secure but limit the space available.

Does anyone have something similar on their truck?

My good friend who runs an irrigation company has the exact roll-n-lock on his truck. he really likes it. water tight (mostly) and can basicly still make use of 95% of his 5' bed

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I do not see how you guys live with a bed cover or topper????:confused2:

I put stuff in my bed daily and 1/2 the time its loaded by a chain and FEL or a fork truck on a pallet. I had one on my first Pick Up, a Toyota, and it was off and in the garage in 3 months. Just did not work for me.

Chris

I have a lot of good ideas to look at now. Just need to find the time.


Diamondpilot, this is one of my main concerns. I haul a lot of things and would need to remove the cover. Thats why I'm trying to find something for both worlds.

 

[sparc]

I have a lot of good ideas to look at now. Just need to find the time.


Diamondpilot, this is one of my main concerns. I haul a lot of things and would need to remove the cover. Thats why I'm trying to find something for both worlds.

I am also looking and the bakflip has my interest. I see they also have a cross-bed box that fits under the bakflip.

http://bakindustries.com/p-8254-bakbox-tonneau-toolbox-overview.html

If you get to eyeball this I would like to hear what you think of it.

 

[Sterff]

Im probably one of the few guys that likes the snap style. I don't haul anything in my bed though, I just hook up a trailer if I need to.

 

[sparc]

I like my bak flip f1 but what would make it even better would be a solenoid on the tailgate lock so it would lock and unlock from the key fob remote. I wonder has anyone added this to their tailgate and what was involved.

 

[sparc]

I found a place that sells the tailgate locks. Not cheap but probably by the time you buy an actuator and all the bits and pieces to wire it up you will spend half what they want for their kit.

Pop and Lock Power Tailgate Locks

I am sure there are other sources, this is just on of the first ones I found that will work with my F-350.

 

[cmyoung2]

I had one long time ago, on a 1981 Datsun 720. Lost a little bit of bed space, but not much. I loved it. Kept everything dry, out of sight, and i could get it out of the way easily. I have had trucks with camper shells-they work ok for sleeping, but are a real pain to load stuff like firewood, or anything you have to get in the bed to move. (They do work good for hauling sheep & goats) The roll ups are expensive, but they work very well, look good, and are much tougher than you would think.

 

[grnspot110]

The newer 1/2 ton pickup beds are too short to haul much more than tools anyway. And I prefer to be able to lock mine!

I use trailers for hauling and don't need a 3/4 ton anymore! ~~ grnspot

 

[jejeosborne]

You can search other forums I have seen someone on an f150 forum post adding a tailgate actuator they purchases on eBay for about $5. There are generic actuators that are very inexpensive and they wire it into a door.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I like my bak flip f1 but what would make it even better would be a solenoid on the tailgate lock so it would lock and unlock from the key fob remote. I wonder has anyone added this to their tailgate and what was involved.

I have done it to a bunch of GM trucks. Not bad. Running the wires is the tough part.

Chris

 

[WilliamBos]

Want a Diamonback HD for my next truck, They are the cats meow. ATV on top, gear in box.

DiamondBack HD Truck Bed Covers - Heavy duty truck bed covers : DiamondBack Truck Covers

 

[meburdick]

I have the F1 Bakflip on my '11 Tundra. Works well. And, with the tailgate lock, it effectively turns the bed into a "trunk" (because there's no way to open the tonneau without opening the gate, and that requires the key).

The Tundras have a well-documented mod available for a gate actuator that will tie into the factory harness for unlocking the gate. And, because the gate is on torsion assist springs, it opens and lowers itself very nicely as well.