Let's discuss tonneau covers!

[darrentoma]

I'm looking forward to seeing if the Extang Tri-fold works. It seems to be the easiest to use, easiest to install, nicely priced, good looking, lockable, it's out of the way of cargo and rear window.

This type of trifold seems to stack up equivalently in height compared to a rollup:

But the trifold stack will also extend back toward the hitch by +2' (on a 6.5 ' box) vs only a couple inches to the high point of the rolled up tonneau. Just seemed to me when looking at them that the sight lines when hooking up would be a lot worse for a trifold like this than for a roll up (might not be an issue for other pickups though).

I can see the possible advantage of the trifold securing things when travelling hitched -- but for me it was at least having a chance to see my own hitching in process (such as fastening a fresnel lens on rear window). This might not be a big deal for some -- most truckers cannot see anything when hooking up. And until the advent of rear view cameras anyone with a bumper pull did this all by sense, feel or another set of eyes outside the cab.

My Truxedo Lo Pro was very easy to install also - I think many of these basic types with clamped rail systems are pretty easy to DIY.

 

[lefttee]

After measuring my Silverado bed at 6' outside, I find out it's really supposed to be a 5'8" bed per Chevy specs. The Extang cover (Solid Fold 56445) has three panels. Starting from cab back there is a 24 3/4" panel, 3" hinge, 21 7/8" panel, 5/8" hinge, and a 20 7/8" panel. When folded back they all lay on the 24 3/4" panel.

Outside measurement from the cab end of the tonneau to the axles is about 32". Inside the bed it's about 30-31" from cab to axles. The bed measures about 69" or 5' 9" inside (with a Rhino lining).

Bottom line...there appears to be 6" +/- to work with a hitch and leave this particular cover folded in place. If a B & W Patriot would slide 2 more inches to the rear...it might work. If the king pin is far enough forward the whole deal could be golden. Lots of variables though.

 

[Brian B-P]

I have been using a couple of rubbermaid action packers...

I have a couple of these, too. One has been sitting outside for a couple of years, and seems to be in good condition. They don't have any kind of seal, but seem to be decently weathertight due to the design of the container edge and lid. I would consider them suitable for truck box use.

I also have a hinged box which rode in my Focus carrying miscellaneous stuff (it was a wagon, so the stuff would be loose otherwise). Although normally in the car, it has been outside for months at a time, summer and winter, and has stood up fine. The same product is available at various stores; I most recently saw it at Home Depot: GSC TECHNOLOGIES Storage Locker I think this would be fine in the truck bed, too.

There are stronger and more secure boxes for trucks (typically aluminum but sometimes steel), but they can be very heavy and very expensive. In special truck boxes, both across-the-bed front boxes and "pork chop" boxes would work well with a fifth-wheel.

Most general household plastic storage boxes degrade significantly with outdoor exposure to sunlight and temperature extremes.

 

[darrentoma]

They don't have any kind of seal, but seem to be decently weathertight due to the design of the container edge and lid. I would consider them suitable for truck box use.

I agree - I should have said these action packers are quite weather resistant (rather than weather proof).

One of the early negative complaints was that if there was something slid under the front of the cover where the folded leafs go, the cover would not open. Required climbing in under the cover and moving said objects... No idea if they came up with a fix.

Further to this, if hooked up for an overnight stay and you don't want to unhitch I very much doubt you are going to get at your stuff under the trifold stack (ie. you cannot crawl under if hitched). If one keeps their BBQ, propane, stove, firewood or anything else at the bed area forward of the fifth wheel hitch - you wont be able to get at this stuff on a quick overnight stay where you prefer to remain hooked up.

Thanks Interesting option: the rigid panels fold down, so they would not obstruct the view of the hitch... and it is available in white for Donna (although generic white might not be a close enough colour match), or matched to a specific truck paint code at a higher price. With the fifth-wheel, it would presumably be used with one pair of the six (three pairs) of panels extended, and the rest stacked against the front of the box.

This Peragon Retractable was initially mentioned by someone with a bumper pull I believe. I got around to having another look at their video. I am not sure this can be used in this way for a fifth wheel set up. In the video they show a fifth wheel at the beginning but do not show the retractable cover and how it is used when hitched. Perhaps there is a way of modifying this set up - but here is Peragon's answer (in the FAQ) as to the question: 'Will it work With a fifth wheel hitch' (note they mention 'hitch' not 'trailer'):
'The Peragon bed cover will work with fifth wheel hitches if the highest point of the hitch is at least one inch below the top of the truck bed.'

'You will also need to examine the full range of movement of your trailer (including turns onto an inclined driveway and sharp turns while backing the trailer on inclines) to ensure you have the clearance needed. Our rails protrude about 3" on both sides of the truck and they rise 1" above the bed rail. If necessary, the tongue on your trailer may be adjustable to increase the space between the trailer and the truck bed rails.'

In their answer, they are not referring to the cover being partially closed - they are simply saying extra consideration needs to be taken for clearances for mounting hardware, etc. Also consider another answer in the FAQ if planning to store any gear in the front of the Truck (having to shuffle things around each time in that very small area in front of the fifth wheel hitch could be a royal pain each time one opens/closes the cover ... especially considering how high up these new trucks esp F150's are when reaching over the rails):
'The panels require some extra clearance to fold and unfold.'

Unless there is something I am seriously missing, rethinking all my long winded posts on this thread - I think I could have simply summed it up this way: I don't think any of these foldable tonneaus are very practical in a fifth wheel set up. If looking to keep forward gear sheltered/secured by the tonneau while travelling with the fifth - I think the retractables (that slide into a case) make the most sense. Out of these, the only one I would consider is the Retrax - and if it wasn't for the extra expense and the precious cargo space it takes up I probably would have went with it over the Truxedo Lo Pro rollup.

 

[J Mac]

I now have a beautiful white, 2014 Ford F-150, 3.5L w/ecoboost sitting in my driveway. OMG.

I plan on leaving the 5er hitch in the bed all the time. No safe place to store it, no strength to take it in and out. I'm looking for a lockable weather proof/resistent tonneau that I can leave on and tow the 5er.

TIA.

darrentoma, long winded yes but very informative. I thought, based on Donnas original post, that a tonneau was being employed to cover the 5er hitch 24/7 when not in use as well as serve as a dry secure storage spot when un-hooked.

 

[DeadEyeDan]

I have been using a couple of rubbermaid action packers for years similar to this:
Amazon.com - Rubbermaid 1172 ActionPacker Storage Box, 24 Gallon - Lidded Home Storage Bins

Yes they are plastic and the lock would not be very hard to break into but they have served me very well. Two of these fit real nice at the front of the truck bed as you can see in this photo I found on the net:


So basically I place mine just like the front two in that photo. I would then lock them in with a kryptonite cable similar to this:
Amazon.com: Kryptonite 720018210610 KryptoFlex 3/8" x 7' 1007 Double Loop Security Cable: Sports & Outdoors

I have a cable like that for my solar panels and my generator. Sadly, it looks a lot like the one that was holding my bicycle on the bike rack on my trailer, the one the thieves cut cleanly when they stole my bike.

At that same time, the rest of my stuff was in the back of my truck under the bakflip.

I think we stayed too many days in one place, in the city, in a space that was visible to the outside world through the back gate.

But the cable lock, was a bad joke.

 

[Donna D.]

Got the tonneau cover on today! I ended up buying the BacFlip G2. Got a good price direct from the manufacturer. I tried to buy local.. what a joke. They wanted nearly $1,000 for it and $40 to install.

I got it for $745, shipped free and I put it on... easy peasy. No drilling, no power tools. First watched the Packers spank the Bears went out to put it on and got back in the house before half-time was over for the Eagles/49ers game... which I'm watching right now.

There's going to be plenty of room to safely tow Ten Forward with the tonneau folded and locked to the front, sweeet!

 

[BCnomad]

Awesome. I have same and was hoping for good news.

 

[DeadEyeDan]

Got the tonneau cover on today! I ended up buying the BacFlip G2. Got a good price direct from the manufacturer. I tried to buy local.. what a joke. They wanted nearly $1,000 for it and $40 to install.

I got it for $745, shipped free and I put it on... easy peasy. No drilling, no power tools. First watched the Packers spank the Bears went out to put it on and got back in the house before half-time was over for the Eagles/49ers game... which I'm watching right now.

There's going to be plenty of room to safely tow Ten Forward with the tonneau folded and locked to the front, sweeet!

How does it lock down? Mine locks with two little arms when it is fully up, but then it is against the cab blocking the view out back.

 

[Donna D.]

Dan, locking may be a bit of a misnomer. I'll actually use two nylon straps and strap it down. Here's an image, they say one thing and show another:

 

[DeadEyeDan]

Dan, locking may be a bit of a misnomer. I'll actually use two nylon straps and strap it down. Here's an image, they say one thing and show another:

That makes sense. The wind could get under the sections if you drive when they are open, blowing them over, so using straps that way would work.

 

[padlin]

Went with the soft cover Trifecta, worked out very well on our trip out west. Easy on and off for those occasions when you just have to actually see what you are doing out the back window. Folded up it "locks" out of the way with 2 straps and clips.

If anyone is interested, the last 3 images show a way to make backing up to the king pin easier when you can't visually see the hitch, like when the tonneau cover is in the way. Use a piece of tape to mark the center of the tonneau cover towards the trailer while folded, as well as a strip centered down the pin box. As long as you are going fairly strait on to the trailer you just look in the rear view mirror like normal and line up the tape. My copilot adjusts the trailer height as I back up.

I had to remove the center backseat headrest.

 

[Donna D.]

Thanks Bob! I'm going to do the "tape" thing. Cool beans!

 

[MyronL]

My roll it up choice came down to either velcro or button snaps. I chose button snaps at Accessories Unlimited. A little harder on the fingers but a friend who had the velcro told me after several years his lost their stick. My Tonneau cost $345, in the box. They wanted $40 to install but it was easy enough DIY.

OOps.. just realized you already got one.