Many truck owners can attest to the value an installed tonneau cover adds to their trucks. A tonneau cover does not only improve the aesthetics of a pickup truck. There are also several other benefits to why it is worth a purchase. Here are some worth considering with a tonneau cover installation on your pickup truck.
- Bed Covers help save fuel. – The tonneau cover helps minimize drag caused by the tailgate, which acts as an airbrake. A tonneau cover installation is effective in reducing wind drag, thus effectively increasing fuel savings and mileage. The increase, however, may be more apparent in highway driving.
- Cargo Security – the tonneau cover hides precious cargo from prying eyes, especially if it is lockable. A tonneau cover hides your things or equipment from the public, minimizing thoughts or acts of theft. Wind or draft will not be able to move cargo under a tonneau cover.
- Increase in Pickup Truck resale value. – A tonneau cover installation also prevents or minimizes the effects of the elements on your pickup bed. A well-maintained and un-abused bed also adds to the resale value of your pickup truck.
Bed Cover Installation on our Choice Pickup Trucks and Bed Covers
The Best 2019 to 2022 Ford Ranger Tonneau Cover To Install – Gator Recoil Retractable Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
Ford Ranger Bed with a Gator Recoil Tonneau Cover
This bed cover includes a receptacle upon which the whole bed cover retracts. It is made of aluminum strips packed together to form a layer. The package comes with all the hardware needed for the bed cover installation. Thus, all that you will ever need are the simple tools you already have in your garage. Here are the steps on how to install a Ford Ranger Bed Cover.
First, the tools you will need in the installation process:
- Quarter Inch Allen Wrench
- 5/64th Allen Wrench
- 3/16 Allen Wrench
Here is the guide on how to install Ford Ranger Bed Cover:
- Place the bed cover canister on the front of the bed at the top of the bulkhead. Make sure that the rubber flaps are on top of the sides.
- Two rails support the bed cover. The passenger side rail has a hole at its end to help you identify it.
- You will find a single channel on each rail. Now place eight of the included nylon locknuts inside the channel of each rail. Make sure that the locking side of the nylock nuts faces outside.
- There is a provided end cap for each rail which you need to slide into the end of each rail. Take one nylock nut from the channel, and with an Allen bolt, secure the end cap to the bed cover rail. Flip the rail over, put in one of the provided screws to fasten the end cap further.
- Slide the rail on the provided receptacle on the ford canister, then with the self-tapping screws included in the package, secure the bed cover rail to the pickup bed.
- Install a latch stop on the channel using the last nylock nut. After which, the clamp shall follow. The embossed portion of the clamp should align to the groove of the rail. Use one of the nylock nuts to screw in the clamp.
- Next on how to install the trunk cover process would be the other latch stops.
- At the end of the rail near the bulkhead, use the second to the last nylock nut in installing the next clamp.
- The last latch stop position should be about ⅛ inch from the end of the rail.
- Push the bed cover rails towards the front of the bed or the bulkhead to give clearance to the tailgate. Close the tailgate to ensure that they do not bump with each other. Adjust the rails accordingly to allow a ⅛ inch gap between the two.
- Plastic Set Screws are provided to fine-tune the placement of the rails. The more you tighten the plastic screws, the more the rails push into the truck bed.
- Take the last latch stop and install it between the clamp and the canister. This latch secures the first locked position of the tonneau cover. Finalize the placements of the other latch stops accordingly and tighten the provided bolts. The latch stops serve as locking receptacles for your bed cover whenever you need a partially covered or partially open Ford Ranger Tonneau Cover.
- The next step on how to install the bed cover is by pulling it towards the tailgate and check for any misalignments. Then test the latch stops if they can hold the Ford Ranger Bed Cover in place.
Thus ends the steps on how to install trunk cover for the Ford Ranger.
The easy way for a 2017 Honda Ridgeline hard tonneau cover install – BAKFlip MX4 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover
Honda Ridgeline shown with a BAKFlip MX4 bed cover
This Honda Ridgeline Tonneau Cover from BAKFlip is composed of three sturdy yet lightweight aluminum panels. The construction of the bed cover minimizes wind buffeting, which results in a relatively quieter ride. How to install Honda ridgeline tonneau cover? Follow on through to the following guide. There are two pairs of rails in the package, the top bed cover rail, and the bottom rail.
The tools you need:
- T50 Torque Bit
- 9/16 wrench
How to Install Honda Ridgeline Tonneau Cover
How do you install tonneau cover on Honda Ridgeline? Upon receipt of the package, you will notice that the tie-downs secure the bed cover and the other components, so remove them first and then read on for our Honda Ridgeline Tonneau cover installation instructions and guide:
- Before starting on the Honda Ridgeline tonneau cover install, note that the passenger side rail has a cutout designed to fit the tail end of the truck bed.
- Remove the bed tie-downs first before going ahead with the bed cover installation. The rail brackets use existing bed holes of the Honda Ridgeline to secure the bed cover in place.
- Place one of the provided brackets to the end of the rail. The tie-down should be between the bracket and a provided metal plate for securing the Allen bolts, do not tighten the screws yet.
- With the other bracket, align the oblong-shaped holes with the holes on the tie-downs, make another metal sandwich. It is also advisable to flip the original tie-down of the Ridgeline so it would be easier to use it with the brackets.
- Upon assembly, mount the brackets and the tie-downs to the truck bed. Use the existing holes and the original screws to secure your bracket assembly to the truck bed.
- Tighten all screws once you are satisfied with the alignments and fitment of the assembly.
- Repeat the steps for the driver-side rail that is included in the BAKFlip Honda Ridgeline Bed Cover.
- Locate the top rails and attach the provided drain tubes. If you have a bed rug, place the drain hose behind it. Place the top rail on the bottom rail you first installed, then push in the included clamps to secure the rails together, making sure that the grooves of the clamps and the rails are aligned together.
- There are two pop rods in the package. Install them by pushing the ends of each on the ball sockets. You should hear a click when they are already correctly seated.
- On one of the tonneau cover panels, there are two provisions for clip receivers. Install the clip receivers with the provided screws, with the openings facing the bulkhead.
- Set the Honda Ridgeline bed cover to the bulkhead. You must make sure that it aligns well with the truck bed and the rubber seals. There are two holes on each side where you must insert two water-tight bolts with rubber washers. The bolts go through the downside of the cover sheet where you can screw in the star knobs, do not tighten just yet.
- Lastly, unfold the Honda Ridgeline Tonneau Cover and make sure that all fittings are aligned with each other. Check and tighten all bolts and nuts.
Instructions on how to install hard tonneau cover on Honda Ridgeline are easy to follow. They will guide you towards a smooth and easy installation process and also augment the included literatures in the packages.
How to Install TRUCK BED covers FAQ
What are the benefits of a bed cover installation?
As presented in the first parts of the article, bed covers present various advantages such as improved fuel mileage especially on the freeway, truck bed preservation, cargo security, and your cargo stay put during transport.
Full-Size Chevy Silverado on the freeway. Tonneau covers improve the fuel mileage of your truck especially on the freeways.
How to install the trunk cover or a Honda Ridgeline bed cover?
In this article, we have presented installation guides for four types of trucks and different bed covers. This article serves as a guide, for instance, on how to install a tonneau cover on Honda Ridgeline. The guide is presented as a step-by-step installation text to make it easier to follow. The other pickup trucks mentioned are the Chevrolet Avalanche, the Ford Ranger, and the Jeep Gladiator. These trucks represent the cross-section of the truck market in the country.
