Leaky bed with any cover?

[MainSqueeZ]

Got these two emails from my local ARE dealer today. Any truth to this?

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[710-oil-614]

Interesting - I would not expect the bed/box to be fully water tight. I have experienced extremely minimal leakage anywhere with my extremely cheap Ford (Truxedo) soft roll tonneau cover - and none ever from the "leaky plastic rails".

It sure sounds like a dealer passing their incompetence off on Ford.

"We spent 4 hours trying to do something - it's not us!!"

 

[MainSqueeZ]

I mean, unless I'm not reading this correctly, they can't even guarantee that items on the shelves that hang ABOVE the bed rails, protected by their very expensive aluminum doors, will stay dry!

 

[colinl]

No guarantees at all, and they're alluding to the fact that it's probably going to leak at the front and could leak in other locations. This is pretty well known about Maverick beds.

So what are you wanting to store under the cap and if it's not waterproof by itself can you make it waterproof by putting it in a container?

 

[BoskoPColtrane]

Got these two emails from my local ARE dealer today. Any truth to this?

You cannot fully waterproof your truck bed but you can come close if you do it right. There is always gaps at the tailgate. I have very minimal water leak in, even on a heavy downpour. Just gotta make sure you seal everything.

 

[MainSqueeZ]

No guarantees at all, and they're alluding to the fact that it's probably going to leak at the front and could leak in other locations. This is pretty well known about Maverick beds.

So what are you wanting to store under the cap and if it's not waterproof by itself can you make it waterproof by putting it in a container?

I'm a Last Mile courier, so anything and everything. I plan on being the mileage leader with this baby! But that's what the shelves were for. Apparently they can't even guarantee those will be dry... at this point I might as well go with the Flated, as water leakage is my biggest concern and if it doesn't matter which I get, the versatility to remove it at a moments notice to takes some lumber or a fridge is very appealing.

 

[colinl]

I'm a Last Mile courier, so anything and everything. I plan on being the mileage leader with this baby! But that's what the shelves were for. Apparently they can't even guarantee those will be dry... at this point I might as well go with the Flated, as water leakage is my biggest concern and if it doesn't matter which I get, the versatility to remove it at a moments notice to takes some lumber or a fridge is very appealing.

I'm familiar with last mile data services, but not with what all you might be delivering. some of it probably is costly if it's a switch, fiber, etc. and flated isn't secure at all. I would do a hard tonneau and ladder rack. strap stuff on the ladder rack or tonneau if it is big, and under the tonneau if it is expensive.

 

[Grand Nat.]

There were some adjustments that had to be made when I first installed my cover on my Tremor. I hardly get a drop of water in the bed. And it has been tested in the hardest storms this fall out here on the east coast. I agree that most of these covers will initially leak at first. There will have to be some effort put into the installation to get them right. The main concern is that split seam on both sides of the trim panels. At lest on the Maverick. I must disagree with you as an auto tech for 35 years I have seen all sorts of problems with beds and tail gates from all manufactures. I am retired now and worked for Local 246 In charge of NYC Police, fire, EMS, Sanitation, Highways, DEP So my question here is what do you see in the design of the tail gate and bed construction that's flawed. As in unibody construction there should not be any movement I've actually seen more movement on the vehicles at work with framed chassis with body mounts.

 

[Bob The Builder]

I never expected my $160.00 tonneau cover to be waterproof but to my surprise I only get a little water egress in from around the tailgate, something that has nothing to do with the tonneau at all.

 

[CTYankee]

When I was selling tonneau covers, we'd check for watertight installation by having someone climb in the bed with the cover and tailgate closed. Then we'd go around the outside with a flashlight so we could see where light (and water) came in. That told us where weatherstrips were needed. I suggest getting your cover or cap from someone willing to do that level of installation.

It's true that no truck bed is watertight but a good quality cover can be.

 

[Dmat]

personal experience trying to waterproof mine showed that in the front corners of the bed. There is a small bump that prevents most bed rails from sitting flush so a gap is there. I've added weather strip but there is still a tiny gap that I cant really plug up. I feel like a small dab of silicon will be needed no matter what to seal that small spot so it drains into the rails properly.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

I'm a klutz and installed the OEM soft rollup myself and haven't seen any leaks.

 

[RLmesc]

My WeatherTech hard tri-fold DOES NOT LEAK, rain or car wash. You can shut it AND close the tail gate or vice versa without a problem.

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