Different Options for Sealing Tonneau Covers

Posted on: November 14th, 2011 By: admin Under: Auto

You are probably aware that there exists an extensive variety of tonneau covers for pickup trucks wherein one gets to have the liberty of choice.  It doesn’t stop there.  These tonneau covers can be secured to the truck’s railings in different ways which calls for another decision-making process.

Here are several of the most popular options for sealing tonneau covers into the truck bed’s railings:

  1. Snap – This type has been the only option for quite a time for many years.  Many of the early soft tonneau covers came with buttons or snaps for it to be secured or attached into the truck bed.  A soft tonneau cover has the tendency to shrink or stretch up to an inch.  So if you are planning to purchase one with buttons or snaps, make sure that you choose one with adjustable snaps for sooner or later, adjustment on the location of the snaps or buttons may become necessary.
  2. Snapless – The latest designs of bed covers such as armor lid feature a sealing system that is snapless.  Snapless is a great sealing option to use on covers for the whole year on different or varied weather conditions.  The snap is eliminated with the use of a rubbery or plastic tongue-and-groove seal.  The plastic/rubber seam is pushed into the aluminum channel and slid down into the truck bed rails.  The armor lid tonneau cover offers the easiest sealing option.
  3. Drilling – If you decide on a hard tonneau cover, they may be a need to drill holes into the truck bed’s railing.  Heavy hard tonneaus such as ones made of fiberglass need to be secured to the truck bed in a more sturdy way or else it will fly off; which may lead to serious injuries.  The entire installation process may take at least two persons.

It is not enough to pick a tonneau cover which you think is best for your truck.  You have to check out the versatility of a truck bed cover, as well as the security it will provide.  A hard tonneau cover is very reliable in terms of securing your truck bed.  They are manufactured using dependable materials with built-in locks in order to keep your cargo safe.  But even if they provide great security, a cleaner look should also be taken into consideration.  You may opt to get a tailgate handle lock to prevent unauthorized people from opening your tailgate.

The type of tonneau cover you choose will always depend on your need.  Some offer better security and weather proof seals while others offer low maintenance and ease of use.  Consider security as well as aesthetics not only on the truck bed cover but also on the sealing option.

Comments are closed.