Chances are you’ve seen trucks driving around that have covers over their beds. These covers are sometimes soft, sometimes hard, and always look good. They help protect anything you want to store in your truck bed, and they have several other benefits as well. These covers are great for many reasons, but you need to know a bit about them before you purchase one. So read on to discover everything you need to know about tonneau covers.
Are Tonneau Covers Worth It?
Most truck owners find that tonneau covers are definitely worth it. They provide protection and security if you’re hauling cargo. For those who care deeply about the aesthetics of their vehicle, such as those who have paid the cost of a truck lift, tonneau covers also give any truck a sleek look. They can also help improve gas mileage. Tonneau covers are available in a wide range of styles and prices as well.
Ultimately, though, you must answer the question of whether a tonneau cover will be worth it for you. There are several things to consider in your decision to get a tonneau cover.
Things to Consider Before Getting One
The first thing to consider is the security you want with a truck bed cover. This will depend on what kind of cargo you haul and how often you haul it. If your truck bed is filled with expensive tools, prized possessions, or anything of value to you, you’ll probably want to get a hard tonneau cover that locks.
Style
The style of cover you get should also be easy to open and close. There’s nothing worse than a tonneau cover that you have to struggle with every time you need something out of the truck bed.
Full or Partial Access
You’ll also want to consider whether or not the tonneau cover gives you access to the entire tuck bed. This is important when you need to haul oversized objects that don’t necessarily fit under the cover. And if the cover you get needs to be removed, it’s important to consider how easy it will be to remove and reinstall again.
Warranty
Finally, you’ll probably want to get a tonneau cover that comes with a good warranty. While these covers do range widely in price, you definitely don’t want to end up with a damaged cover that won’t be replaced by the company.
Do Tonneau Covers Improve Gas Mileage?
Although exact figures vary, tonneau covers are known to improve gas mileage. They help reduce air drag by covering the truck bed, which some figures put at improving gas mileage by up to 10% at highway speeds. Other estimates put that figure around 5%.
If you think about it, the fact that tonneau covers improve gas mileage makes sense. Without a cover over the bed of your truck, the air flows over the windshield and the roof to go down into the truck bed, which creates drag. But with a tonneau cover over the truck bed, the air can flow straight off the cover without creating drag against the tailgate.
Are Tonneau Covers Easy to Install?
Tonneau covers come in so many different styles it’s hard to make a blanket generalization about their ease of installation. Most basic tonneau covers are easy to install with one or two people. The more involved covers may require professional installation.
Most tonneau covers include specific manufacturer instructions that will allow you to install the cover yourself. However, when you get a more secure hard cover that needs to be permanently clamped into place and installed with locking mechanisms, you may want to pay a professional to install it to avoid a big hassle.
Are Tonneau Covers Secure?
Tonneau covers come with varying levels of security. Soft covers are the least secure because they can easily be cut through. Hard covers are more secure for obvious reasons. No matter the tonneau cover you get, it’s definitely more secure than leaving your truck bed open.
When installed correctly, you don’t have to worry about your tonneau cover coming loose while you’re driving. These covers are designed to fit securely on the truck bed and they won’t easily come loose even in high winds.
Do Tonneau Covers Lock?
The majority of tonneau covers have some kind of locking mechanism that allows you to secure your truck bed. Others overlap the tailgate so that you must unlock the tailgate in order to access the truck bed. Either way, you can rest easy knowing that your truck bed is secure.
The makers of tonneau covers know how important it is to be able to lock your truck bed to keep your items safe. This is why some covers come with a built-in locking mechanism and others utilize the truck’s locking tailgate in such a way that it’s essentially the same thing. However, there are some covers out there that don’t lock, so it’s important that you make sure a lock is included if it’s a feature you require for your tonneau cover.
Are Tonneau Covers Universal?
Unfortunately, since truck beds come in many different dimensions, tonneau covers aren’t universal. However, it’s not like you need to have a tonneau custom designed for your truck. You’ll be able to find a wide range of tonneau covers that will fit your truck, provided it hasn’t been modified.
It would be nice if you could pick any tonneau cover and have it fit your truck. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. But, that doesn’t mean it’s hard to find a cover that will fit your truck. All you need to do is measure your truck and keep that figure on hand. Or, you may be able to just have your truck’s make and model to find the right cover. But it’s still good to have your measurements on hand, just to be sure.
Measure the length of your truck bed from the inside of the tailgate to the inside of the bed just behind the cabin (the bulkhead). Write down both inches and feet. This will give you the length of the tonneau cover you’ll need, which are often rounded to the nearest inch. So if you don’t see the exact size, pick the one closest to your measurement and you should have no problem getting it to fit, provided it’s within an inch or two of your measurement.
Are Tonneau Covers Waterproof?
No tonneau cover is 100% waterproof. However, most of these covers are water resistant, keeping moisture out of the truck bed to varying degrees. Some tonneau covers are better at this than others, so if you’re concerned about water, you’ll want to look at certain tonneau cover styles.
The most water-resistant covers tend to be hard covers of certain styles. Some soft covers can do a pretty good job of it, but if you want the best water resistance possible, take a look at these three types of hard covers:
One-Piece Covers
One-piece tonneau covers are probably your best bet for keeping the most water out. These are usually made from one single piece of material — usually ABS composite or fiberglass. They have a single pivot point at the bulkhead that allows you to lift the cover up to access the back on locking hinges located on each side of the truck bed. These typically cover both sides of the bed, the bulkhead railing, and the tailgate, so water rolls off the cover and down the sides of the bed, not into the bed itself.
- Click Here to See the Best One-Piece Cover on Amazon
Hard Folding Covers
These covers are made of several segmented sections with hinges that allow them to be folded back toward the bulkhead of the truck for access to the bed. These are often made of thermoplastic or a plastic-coated aluminum. The hinges attaching these segments are solid, so water can’t get through them.
Some of these covers even come with a vinyl lining over the top for added water resistance. But, keep in mind that some water can still get inside the truck bed under the right conditions. This is most likely to happen where the cover attaches to the bed just behind the bulkhead. Still, these covers are good for keeping 99% of water out during your average rainfall.
- Click Here to Check out a Selection of the Best Hard Folding Covers on Amazon
Retractable Covers
Retractable tonneau covers also provide excellent water resistance. These covers have small, flexible segments that roll out of a canister installed in the bulkhead when you close the cover. The cover slides into place on rails on each side of the truck bed. The rails are often designed to funnel water out of the truck, which can keep the bed dry. Most of them have a compression seal where the cover attaches to the tailgate to keep water out.
Once again, these are not 100% waterproof, but they’re one of the best kinds on the market for keeping water out of the truck bed. If you need a 100% waterproof cargo area, there’s not a lot of options aside from having a shell installed over the truck bed.
- Click Here for a Look at the Best Retractable Tonneau Covers on Amazon
Are Tonneau Covers Easy to Remove?
Most soft tonneau covers are very easy to remove, taking only a few minutes on average. On the other hand, hard covers are a different story. These are often more difficult to remove, usually requiring at least two people and thirty minutes.
Since some covers are difficult to remove, you’ll want to consider how often you’ll need to remove the cover before choosing one. Luckily, many hard tonneau covers provide near-complete access to the rear of the truck in case you need to transport bulky items. But if you’re not too worried about security and you often transport items that require the whole truck bed, you may be better off getting an easily-removable soft cover.
Are Tonneau Covers Car Wash Safe?
Some types of car washes should be avoided with certain types of tonneau covers. Car washes that use brushes could damage your cover, if not at first, over time. These brushes can scrape your cover and bang into the rails. It’s also important to avoid wax, as it can leave a residue on the cover.
If you have a hard tonneau cover, you’ll probably be fine going through an automatic car wash that uses brushes. But do so at your own risk. Some car wash brushes are more aggressive than others, and your cover could get scratched.
Soft covers should never be taken through a car wash with brushes, as the material can be damaged easier than that of hard covers.
The best car wash options for those with tonneau covers include touchless washes and DIY car washes. And keep in mind that no tonneau cover is 100% waterproof, so anything in the back may get a little wet.
Tonneau Cover Pros
There are many benefits of having a tonneau cover on your truck. Here are a few of the top ones:
- Added Security – Even a basic soft tonneau cover gives you an added level of security, helping to protect anything in the back of your truck.
- Improved Gas Mileage – Tonneau covers have been shown to improve gas mileage by decreasing aerodynamic drag. This can result in a modest or significant increase in miles per gallon, depending on many factors.
- Water Resistant – While you won’t likely find a 100% waterproof tonneau cover, you can get covers that keep 99% of water out of your truck bed under normal conditions.
- Easy to Install – Most tonneau covers can be installed with basic tools and without professional help.
- Aesthetically Pleasing – Many people like the sleek look that these tight-fitting covers provide to trucks.
Tonneau Cover Cons
There aren’t many drawbacks to tonneau covers, but there are a few that it’s important to remember:
- They’re Not Cheap – There are a ton of tonneau covers out there at a ton of different prices. However, it’s not likely you’ll get a decent cover for less than $500. Some of the better hard covers sell for around $800 to $1200.
- They Can Complicate Things – Certain types of covers may make it difficult for you to transport large objects that take up the entire bed. You may need to remove the tonneau cover to access the entire bed, which can be easy or difficult, depending on the cover.
In Conclusion
If you want to protect items you transport in the back of your truck, tonneau covers are a great option. There are so many types and styles available, that you’re sure to find one that you like and that (hopefully) fits your budget. They also have the added benefit of improving gas mileage, which may offset the cost of the cover eventually. It’s rare that you find someone who regrets purchasing a tonneau cover, so if you’re in the market, simply measure your truck bed and get to shopping!