Has anyone done any thorough research on the various manufacturers of roll tops? I've been using hard fiberglass lids but it's a pain taking it off to haul tall items; rock, etc. But the roll tops have their drawbacks as well.

Anyone? Pros and cons.

 

Ones that come to mind for me are Pace Edwards, Roll-n-Lock, and Retrax Covers.

I chose the Retrax for looks, low profile, and it's the closest thing to having a hard cover.

Check out the gallery for more picts.

Tony

 

Another option is the rolling cover from Truck Covers USA. They are partnered with many Rhino Linings dealers and are very comparable in price to other roll-n-lock covers. However, the upside to this product is the cover is made of dual-channel brushed aluminum while many other covers(such as the Pace Edwards) are single-channel and are not able to support as much weight.

The demonstration I saw at their HQ involved a large guy, probably 250 lbs., walking on and bouncing on the cover while it was closed. No damage whatsoever. Tough solid rolling cover.

www.TruckcoversUSA.com


Dave Wiesenhofer
Rhino Linings of Ruckersville, VA

 

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I have an older (3 years old) Pace Edwards roll top cover. It's pretty much shot now. During the past winter we had an ice storm and a small part of a tree branch fell onto the cover. The branch weighed about 10 pounds and fell from about 20 feet onto the cover near the tailgate and passenger side (in about a foot each). It put a dent in the cover and messed up the aluminum channels on the cover itself. I tried to fix it, but the way the channels are it wasn't worth my time to bend each one back into its proper form. Also, the spring that is inside the drum that the cover rolls onto is now too weak to pull the cover back. I have to unscrew the top and reach in there with my hand to physically roll the cover back if I want it to go all the way back. If I don't do that, then the cover will only roll back a little over half way (short bed).

I'm not saying the cover should take the abuse of trees falling and people walking on it. The spring in the drum being weak is not from the tree.

If it still worked it is handy to have. Maybe they made them a little more durable in the past 3 years.

 

another option may be the folding cover. I just got one from FOld-a-Cover and I like it alot. You can access the front or back and it locks. Just my $0.02

 

I just recently added the Access Cover to my F-150. I did quite a bit of research and discovered this to be the best cover for the buck. Mine ran me $400.00 installed. Its very low profile. We tested it by placing my 50 pound son up on it and it did not bend at all. It rolls up and fastens easily behind the window. Great Cover in my words.

 

Access makes a fine cover but in my opinion is a little pricey. I really don't think that Access is 33% better than say Xtang if you would compare cost and quality of the two.

Quality spray-in liners are fine for commercial use but not very attractive two or three years down the road of heavy use and exposure.

Tonneau's and roll backs are great for keeping the weather out and maybe, just maybe, help conserve fuel by eliminating tail gate wind plowing. Normally black is the right color for most vehicles unless you are trying to match Arizona Beige which is nearly impossilbe.

Bed Rug is a nice application but like a drop-n or spray-in liner it will become fatigued with exposure or virtually destroyed by heavy commercial use.

Hard (fiberglass) covers look really nice. They keep the weather out and are somewhat secure. If a thief wants in, a hard cover is no substitute for a locked cab. They are heavy and cumbersome to remove and store. I can not handle one by myself, and I doubt many people out there can. Yes, there is a way to unlatch some and slide them off the vehicle, but if you like to take chances with a $1,000 piece of glass, be my guest, as long as it isn't mine.

I don't think my camping tent will survive a tree limb falling on it, nor do I expect a 50lb child to jump on the roof. These are the exceptions. A tonneau or bed cover is just that, a cover, not a structural part of the vechilce any more than the hood as serving for temporary storage space of heavy equipment, such as a chain saw, or hydraulic floor jack.

The bottom line is the end user. Most people can get by with a cover and bed mat. I use a Penda non skid liner in my 02 Lariat because my local Ford dealer did not have a "Ford" liner in stock for my truck when I bought it, and I needed to use it as a truck. That particular liner is fine for my region (Texas) where there is rarely any ice or snow. In my 82 XLT I have a tonneau and bed mat which serves just fine. My 05 KR is naked. I am thinking of a Bed Rug and low profile folding tonneau, yet I am still up in air about that.

 

I have a role-n-lock all black coated stainless steel. They stoppped making the all stainless steel a few years back from what I understand, because of the cost, well over a grand and that wasn"t the electric unit. It will handle a good 100 lbs of weight on it easy. Not that I would make a habit of it

I paid $500 for mine 3 years ago, off ebay, new. It came from a reputable truck specialty shop in Madison, Wis. This thing was the best investment I have made on my truck. Not only does it keep my "stuff" secure and dry, It looks great. A little maintenance, ie: oiling the runners and lock, cleaning out the inside of the unit.... well worth the price, and the looks I still get from other drivers..that's what I call *Priceless*

 

I put a role-n-lock on my 2003 F150 Supercrew about a year ago and like it very much. Its nice too throw something in the back with out having to tie it down. I liked the looks of the full hard tops but after talking to some people that had them and how you had to take them off to carry anything tall I went with the role-n-lock. With the hard top if you go out of town and find something too bring back home, what do you do with the top.You lose little at the cab where it rolls up into, put it's worth it. Each brand has it's good and bad points, so by reading the forms you can weed them out on the one to get for your truck.

 

i have the retrax very simple to use. but the space the canister
takes is about 13 inches. a lot of space wasted plus some of
the stuff i haul the canister coud get damaged when i haul
a riding mower i have to leave the tailgate down. next time
i will go for the canvas roll up. just my 2 pennys