Jump to content

Fold-A-Cover G4 Elite Hard Folding Tonneau Cover Review

loganbent

By loganbent
in Vendor & Product Reviews

 Share

Recommended Posts

loganbent Enthusiast

loganbent

Posted
Posted

Had been searching for a hard folding tonneau cover and eventually decided on the Fold-A-Cover G4 Elite, purchased from their factory store. This will cover a couple of the criteria that I was looking for in a cover and why I chose the G4 Elite and my thoughts on the cover after installing it and having it for a grand total of 2 days so far. I will try and post an update in a couple weeks after I get some more time with it.

 

When searching for a cover I was wanting a hard cover that allowed quick access to the entire bed and I had to be able to pull the cover/panels off anywhere as I often end up with impromptu purchases(dang craigslist) that are large enough to need the entire bed. After initial searching I had narrowed it down to likely either the BAK Fibermax or Roll-X, however after seeing several positive comments here on the Fold-A-Cover I took another look at it as I had intially ruled it out due to not being able to get full bed access as quickly as the BAK line or some others. After reading the manual and seeing that the Fold-A-Cover did come completely off by simply removing (4) easy to access bolts I took a deeper look at this cover.

 

Main reasons I chose this cover as opposed to some of the other options:

  • Front and rear opening-I like to keep a couple bags with tools/straps/trailer accessories and other truck stuff with me and this way I can keep those bags strapped toward the front of the bed for easy access
  • Mounts on top of side rails-The stuff I find on craigslist generally tends to be large so getting the rails up on top of the bed means more room in the bed and less chance of damage to the rails

This cover was roughly $175 more than the other one I was strongly considering and I'm sure that I would've been happy with it, but I felt that for me the features this cover had over some of the others were worth it to me.

loganbent Enthusiast

loganbent

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Installation was pretty straight forward, well documented with pictures and instructions that were clear, easy to follow and accurate for my model(2014 Double Cab). I had watched the various installation videos on their website prior to purchase(and again prior to it arriving) so I had a good idea of what to expect. I am not going to review step by step install, just my thoughts on packaging, installation process and initial impressions of the cover, if you want step by step instructions hit their website up.

 

Cover was shipped in (2) packages, a box with the panels and hardware and a tube with the rails. Packaging was good, panels were well protected from common shipping damage with a heavy cardboard box, foam corners and inflated air pockets. Open up the box and the cover panels come out easily and fully assembled ready to place on the truck once the rails are installed.

 

post-125682-0-73366500-1388964990_thumb.jpg

 

Installation was straight forward, hardware worked as expected without any problems. In a couple spots they could probably swap out the hex head bolts for button heads using an allen wrench to give a little cleaner look but the included hardware does the job. I did not install the additional tailgate seal yet, I had enough other things I wanted to get done the night I installed this that I put that one off for later. The lock strikes took a bit of work to get adjusted, the locks have (2) latch points in them and if your latch strike is too deep(far away from teh panel) it can get the first latch point but not have enough downward travel to completely lock, once I realized that completing the lock strike adjustment was straight forward.

 

First impressions, I'm happy with the cover and they appear to have done a nice job on all aspects of it. The fit/finish is very nice, everything aligns like it should. Materials are cut cleanly, no burrs, ragged cuts, offset screws etc. They put several extra items on the cover that help position it as a "polished" product that was well thought out and executed, even though they're primarily aesthetic and really don't have an impact on function. Example is the weatherstrips they used(shown below) to cover up the cable linkage used to actuate the locks, this has a bit of a functional purpose as it helps limit the ability of someone to "slim jim" the panel lock with a coat hook.

 

post-125682-0-55391000-1388965686_thumb.jpg

 

It's not water proof by any means and I'm not expecting it to be, but should definitely keep 95% or more of mother nature out, allow me to store some of the common truck stuff in the bed instead of under a seat and still allow quick conversion to full bed capacity.

 

post-125682-0-18207400-1388966735_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-73366500-1388964990_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-55391000-1388965686_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-18207400-1388966735_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-73366500-1388964990_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-55391000-1388965686_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-18207400-1388966735_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-73366500-1388964990_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-55391000-1388965686_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-18207400-1388966735_thumb.jpg

  • Like 2
PhilB Enthusiast

PhilB

Posted
Posted

Thanks for sharing your review. I am thinking of the Fold-a-Cover for my '14 also. I have seen the different videos too. One thing I can't tell from them is the stake pocket holes. Since the rails mount in the stake pockets, are all the pockets totally covered? I suppose you could opent the back panel and then have access to the hand-hold pocket for using the step in the bumper.

loganbent Enthusiast

loganbent

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thanks for sharing your review. I am thinking of the Fold-a-Cover for my '14 also. I have seen the different videos too. One thing I can't tell from them is the stake pocket holes. Since the rails mount in the stake pockets, are all the pockets totally covered? I suppose you could opent the back panel and then have access to the hand-hold pocket for using the step in the bumper.

 

The rear pocket/hand hold is partially available, I took a picture of it and will try and get it uploaded over lunch. I didn't have a problem using it as a hand hold when installing the cover, but haven't tried accessing it with gloves yet....since the truck says -11 right now it should be a good time to try.

 

Update: Took a picture of the rear pocket showing what is available, let me know if you'd like any more!

post-125682-0-02029400-1389031609_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-02029400-1389031609_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-02029400-1389031609_thumb.jpg

post-125682-0-02029400-1389031609_thumb.jpg

Edited by loganb
mfleharty Enthusiast

mfleharty

Posted
Posted

Just wanted to follow up on this review. I also have installed a G4 Fold-A-Cover on my new 14' and with out a doubt, this is an awesome product. I also installed a Bed Rug and both complement each other very well and make for a very functional bed.

  • Like 2
  • 8 months later...
JimmyVal Enthusiast

JimmyVal

Posted
Posted

Installed this cover on my truck too, along with the 'personal caddy'. The caddy comes in real handy for my wife when she get's groceries. I've used it for placing items under the cover that you don't want moving around. There's also a expandable metal tray built in that is also very handy to have. Love this cover!

EXSlider400 Senior Enthusiast

EXSlider400

Posted
Posted

I should install mine this weekend. Dealer said it sits up higher in rear and some do not like that...but they look good and flush to me in all pics I have seen.

  • 4 weeks later...
JimmyVal Enthusiast

JimmyVal

Posted
Posted

If you're referring to the cover itself, it doesn't sit flush with the bed rails as some covers do. It sits about 1/2 inch above the rails.

post-130867-0-71083700-1415020043_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-06158500-1415020045_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-71083700-1415020043_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-06158500-1415020045_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-71083700-1415020043_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-06158500-1415020045_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-71083700-1415020043_thumb.jpg

post-130867-0-06158500-1415020045_thumb.jpg

  • 1 month later...
EXSlider400 Senior Enthusiast

EXSlider400

Posted
Posted (edited)

As an update I love mine. Perfect for going camping with bikes and stuff in the bed where a non fold or tri-fold would not work. And no drain tubes or flapping.

Edited by EXSlider400
BigBadSierra Senior Enthusiast

BigBadSierra

Posted
Posted

I like the center latches it has now too. Keeps the center from lifting in high winds..

 

I had issues with that on my Colorodo with the old design Fold-a-Cover.

 

You just have to make sure you lift the back panel cover up and then down to ensure the latch.

  • 1 month later...
dustycourt Enthusiast

dustycourt

Posted
Posted

I just got this cover installed on a 2015 Silverado(should be same as 2014). How well does this keep out the rain based on your experiences? Did anyone add a tailgate seal, and how much did this help to keep out water?

Thanks in advance.

JimmyVal Enthusiast

JimmyVal

Posted
Posted

The cover is not waterproof. The folks at Fold-A-Cover mention that on the website. However, it is very good at keeping 99% of the water out. In heavy rain I'll get small puddles toward the front of the bed. But that's it. I bought the personal caddy, and that, for me, is water tight. I haven't had any water in it at all.

 

When I ordered my cover from Fold-A-Cover, they provided a tailgate seal kit. I didn't use it at first and I got a lot of dust in the bed over a 200 mile or so trip. I decided to install the seal and it made a huge difference in the amount of dust collected. I get very little if any now. Granted, I don't live in a very dusty climate, but I saw a difference right away. I can't say how effective it is with water as I was never in the rain with the cover on and no tailgate seal. However, with it, I don't seem to get any water in that area.

 

Hope that helps!

  • Like 2
BIG THUNDER II Enthusiast

BIG THUNDER II

Posted
Posted

I installed a Fold-A-Cover G4 Elite w/Personal Caddy on my 2014 Sierra about four months ago, and absolutely love it. It leaked a few drops of water after the first rain, but I haven't seen a drop since. Highly recommended.

  • Like 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Grumpy Bear
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      Can it still be Assembled I?    Stribeck says that we need a certain amount of viscosity under conditions of load and velocity to prevent two surfaces of a know roughness from tearing each other asunder. And we have marketing trying to tell the masses that those two surfaced require less of that commodity due to more exact limits being placed on the same old clearances. We also know that there are limits to how hard something can before it becomes to brittle to be viable and to smooth to 'wet' the surface and that both of those conditions have been known and met since about the Second World War.    That viscosity value shook out at 10 centistokes at 212 F just under a hundred years ago.  Give this a look: [Anton Parr]     What is advertised is the Kinematic viscosity (mm2/s) or that which has been density adjusted but the value we are after is the dynamic viscosity (mPa.s) or true viscosity. You can see that this number is dependent on density thus base stock and temperature. You can also see that an SAE 30 doesn't reach that value in this example. However an SAE 30 that is at the upper end of the SAE 30 range; 12.5 cSt (mm2/s), might. 12.5 * .83 = 10.375 (mm2/s). If you could find an SAE 30 at the upper end these days.   Then there is the complication of viscosity modifiers or VII or VM, whatever you wish to call them. Polymers added to very thin base oils, perhaps 3 to 6 cP oils, that will meet the SAE *W30 spec at 'tested' shear rates and 100 C/212F  target temperature. So a polymer fortified base that is a fraction of the 10 cP requirement Stribeck insist upon.   This could be all well and good if those polymers didn't have two very problematic 'features'. They shear or loose viscosity both 1.) permanently and 2.) temporality. And they do both omitted in the advertised data with the distinct  purpose of deceiving the consumer of the actual operating state of the fluid. I've shown the example of Warren Oils COSTCO 10.91 cSt 5W30 formuation several times where the 100 C HTHS value is 6.9 cP!! That's the temporary shear down and with and SSI or shear stability index of 9.4 cSt. Note the intentional deception in using mixed units?    After a short while that 9.4 cSt oil has a viscosity corrected dynamic value of 7.8 cP. But as the SSI is still within the range of an SAE *W30 whose lower value is 9.3 cSt.    This allows them to continue to call this SAE 16 weight oil a 30 weight, the cake, and still meet the API requirements for fuel efficiency IMPROVEMENT mandated by the EPA. The eating of the cake. By the time you've worn out your motor doing the responsible thing by adhering to the warranty requirements, (the stick), you get deprived of the carrot, wear control. So sad, to bad.   So what can be done? Do I need actually say? [Anton Parr]       Even this must be monitored if the oil is on the low side and the VII an organic or you opt for a 0W40 with an even lighter base oil and more / higher MW VII. (Note the lower density of the 40 weight versus the SAE 30 mono-weight?)    There is another workaround. Temperature. An SAE *W30 run at a bulk temperature of between 180 and 195 F.    Being the belt and suspenders sort I am I do both. Run it cook and run it heavy.    In Part II I'll work the AW package. 
    • Atlas
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By Atlas · Posted

      So, do I go elbow-deep on this thing or list it for sale and play dumb? Seems to "runs good."   I'm about $1200 away from having: -a rebuilt injector ($300) -a new cat ($250) -a new cat back exhaust (OE style) ($300) -a new AC compressor ($200) -AC refrigerant charge ($150)   In theory, this should rectify the obvious detracting issues from its value and operability. Cold AC with a non-squeaking AC pulley both sounds and feels good. An exhaust that isn't cut/hacked in 17 different places and doesn't vibrate on a crossmember would make it sound and feel less janky. A working cat would help the stink, and will save the earth, but *if and only if* the fuel system is working properly, which would also address the intermittent "rich" CEL.   Heard a good one... CEL for "Rich condition" means you haven't spent enough money on the truck lately, and it's letting you know.   Rebuilding the injector would seem to be the most important part. Replacing the cat would be secondary. I don't think mine is plugged or overly restricted, but it might be a little restricted? I have no good way to tell other than seat of the pants feel. I hate the smell.   The current theory is I have a rich idle problem: A bad fuel pressure regulator, or a leaking injector(s) being the highest probabilities. I already replaced the FPR but that doesn't mean its replacement isn't also bad. It was a new part from Dorman, but the packaging looked like it had been sitting on a shelf for 20 years.   This is the (single) upstream O2 sensor shown at idle. I'm getting a lot of "rich" it seems. Sometimes it stays high like that and doesn't drop down. That makes me think it's processing injector leaks or a partially stuck open injector.     Other times it looks like this. Nice oscillations between rich and lean, which is what I think it should be. Under load and at speed, the oscillations are nice and tight and uniform looking, high and low.     Fuel trims suggest the PCM is compensating pretty hard at idle to pull fuel out. But it's not enough to trip a CEL. Something about slowing to a stop: brake vaccum booster, EGR, or the EVAP purge is delayed, or there's pooled fuel in the intake again that's draining into a cylinder is enough to set the CEL. Of course, in two days of driving, it hasn't set. I was hoping to actually look at the freeze-frame data when it sets. IAT is high because it's idling on an 83 degree day here.  
    • Another JR
      Gasser Subforum Has Been Quiet - - So, Regenerative Braking and Using L10

      By Another JR · Posted

      Have considered installing a DC to DC charger in your camper to replace your isolator?  
    • newdude
      Gas fill door

      By newdude · Posted

      Common failure.  You need to replace the fuel door housing.   The painted cover transfers over to the new housing.  To remove the old one there is 4 spots where you poke the plastic to release it.  
    • newdude
      Gasser Subforum Has Been Quiet - - So, Regenerative Braking and Using L10

      By newdude · Posted

      No such thing as regenerative braking on a pure ICE vehicle.     Regenerative braking is the re-capture of energy from electric motors and stores it in the battery pack.  So hybrids, PHEV and EVs have regenerative braking.     What you are seeing is the charging system changing modes is all.  Its likely entering charge mode for some sort of reason is all.  All of the charging modes will be listed below.   As for L10 vs D.  L10 turns off automatic grade braking.  L10 puts you in control of grade downshifts where in D it will automatically do it based on brake pedal position and other factors.  Otherwise L10 and D drive exactly the same aside from that one aspect.    Battery Sulfation Mode The BCM will enter this mode when the interpreted Generator output voltage is less than 13.2 V for 45 minutes. When this condition exists the BCM will enter Charge Mode for 2–3 minutes. The BCM will then determine which mode to enter depending on voltage requirements.   Charge Mode The BCM will enter Charge Mode when ever one of the following conditions are met:   Windshield wipers are ON for more than 3 s. Climate Control Voltage Boost Mode Request is true, as sensed by the HVAC control module via serial data. High speed cooling fan, rear defogger, and HVAC high speed blower operation can cause the BCM to enter the Charge Mode. The estimated battery temperature is less than 0°C (32°F). Battery State of Charge is less than 80%. Vehicle speed is greater than 145 km/h (90 mph) A current sensor malfunction exists. System voltage is determined to be below 12.56 V When any one of these conditions is met, the system will set targeted generator output voltage to a charging voltage between 13.9–15.5 V, depending on the battery state of charge and estimated battery temperature.   Fuel Economy Mode The BCM will enter Fuel Economy Mode when the estimated battery temperature is at least 0°C (32°F) but less than or equal to 80°C (176°F), the calculated battery current is less than 15 A and greater than −8 A, and the battery state-of-charge is greater than or equal to 80%. Its targeted generator output voltage is the open circuit voltage of the battery and can be between 12.5–13.1 V. When fuel economy mode is active, the generator is not charging, only maintaining open circuit battery voltage. The BCM will exit this mode and enter Charge Mode when any of the conditions described above are present.   Headlamp Mode The BCM will enter Headlamp Mode when ever the head lamps are ON (high or low beams). Voltage will be regulated between 13.9–14.5 V.   Start Up Mode When the engine is started the BCM sets a targeted generator output voltage of 14.5 V for 30 s.   Tow/Haul Mode (if applicable) Pressing the Tow/Haul Mode button located on the center stack, the vehicle system voltage is raised and the remote (non-vehicle) battery will be charged. Having the headlamps on will raise the system voltage and if the Tow/Haul button is applied it will not serve any purpose. The voltage is regulated between 13.9-14.5 V.      

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...