Retractable tonneau covers?

[Maineiac12]

Is anyone using retractable cover? Do you like it? Any issues with them in the winter states? I’m considering selling my tri fold and getting a retractable one.

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[Prime8]

Is anyone using retractable cover? Do you like it? Any issues with them in the winter states? I’m considering selling my tri fold and getting a retractable one.

I've had Retrax pro on a couple of other trucks and now on my Lightning, a solid product that holds up to daily use. I've only used them a few times in really cold weather and they worked fine. Pretty water proof too if you install them correctly.

 

[21st Century Truck]

I seriously considered the Retrax but with our short truck beds, I didn't like the loss of room for the "spool" canister.

I went with Decked Drawers instead... gained a whole lot of really useful locking compartmentation for tools and camping gear, and a tonneau-like top bed surface with eight mount / latch points.

 

[PJnc284]

Considered it but went with a BAK Revolver X4S since it's easier to remove if needed.

 

[BarryGoyette]

I have the American Truck Covers retractable. Similar quality to the Retrax pro with a better locking system and smaller canister. I’ve had it a year and it looks/operates like new. Truck is parked outside, although I don’t think Coastal California qualifies as a winter state, even though yesterday it was 56°. ;-)

 

[Dglambert]

I have the Retrax Pro MX (this is the aluminum not the poly one), I wanted to get the motorized one but all the installers I called warned me against it, plus i couldn't get my wife onboard. I went with Retrax cause I also installed a Thule TraxRac ladder rack which seems to be the best tonneau cover combination I could find.

I had it installed in October, however the other day after some snow and alittle melt, it was indeed frozen shut. I think if i had cleaned it off better and opened it when it was warmer out before everything froze it could have been fine. So something i suppose you can deal with, i didn't particularly need to open it that badly when I noticed it, however I'm not sure what I would have done if I had needed to open it.

Also as said above the canister does take a fair amount of space, which make a small bed even smaller. I've resorted to roof boxes mounted above the bed rails and looking at getting one of those hitch mounted cargo carriers for when we go on trips.

Overall I'm happy with it and would buy again.

 

[Prime8]

I have the Retrax Pro MX (this is the aluminum not the poly one), I wanted to get the motorized one but all the installers I called warned me against it, plus i couldn't get my wife onboard. I went with Retrax cause I also installed a Thule TraxRac ladder rack which seems to be the best tonneau cover combination I could find.

I had it installed in October, however the other day after some snow and alittle melt, it was indeed frozen shut. I think if i had cleaned it off better and opened it when it was warmer out before everything froze it could have been fine. So something i suppose you can deal with, i didn't particularly need to open it that badly when I noticed it, however I'm not sure what I would have done if I had needed to open it.

Also as said above the canister does take a fair amount of space, which make a small bed even smaller. I've resorted to roof boxes mounted above the bed rails and looking at getting one of those hitch mounted cargo carriers for when we go on trips.

Overall I'm happy with it and would buy again.

I have the same rack/tonneau setup and thought about the same cross rail system. Looks like you cut a TracRac toolbox mount and used it for the cross rails. I was going to do the same, any issues? Nice cargo box also, which one is it? Thx!

 

[Dglambert]

Yup! They are the toolbox mounts. I can't say i can take credit for it though, as i got the idea from this guy. Had a few other thing you'll need, lubricating oil, square nuts, low profile replacement thumbscrews. Overall im happy with it. It was a really pain before I added the oil though, so definitely needs to be lubricated. Also I had to cut the slides down so that I could mount two bars, I cut them short so they didn't have to take up as much room when I push them towards the cab out of the way, however having them short like that just means they don't slide as stable together, as when they are longer, but not really a problem just an FYI

Toolbox slides - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002IGGH6
Inno cross bars (79 inch) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TRIHLO
PTFE Oil - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UKUHXK
Replacement thumbscrews - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRZ8S13M
Square nuts - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TDSPQWT


The box is this one. I shopped around a ton, and realized this design had been ripped off so many times, so i just found the company who had it for the lowest price, however you have to get two pairs of the mounts, and 4 more bar clamp style mounts to connect it to the rails. I actually just ordered a second box from Amazon open box.

Hard case - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Q7ZVL4Z
Hard case mounts (2) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BX4QH3ZY
Bar clamp mounts (4) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CT8W4ZN7

 

[Philsford]

Is anyone using retractable cover? Do you like it? Any issues with them in the winter states? I’m considering selling my tri fold and getting a retractable one.

I had a retrax cover on my Chevy Siverado. It leaked and took up too much room when open so I went back to the Ford trifold when I got the Lightening a year ago. So far its better than anything I;ve had before

 

[Dglambert]

Oh yeah i completely forgot to mention, when I roll mine up after it rains, all the water goes into the canister, it has rain hoses off the bottom, but i don't think they were installed correctly, or poorly designed possibly, but I do get some water in the bed leaking from those hoses when I close it and the cover has water pooled on it. Been meaning to look into this.

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