Has anyone installed a Fold-A-Cover G4 Elite themselves?

[71sbeetle]

02/26/15 update:
It appears I had a front latch assembly that was moving around because one of the two nuts was not tightening all the way, the bolt it is on just spins with the nut. I spoke to Fold A Cover and they are sending me a new latch assembly under warranty! So far, I have to say they have top notch customer service! As for the striker bolts, I replaced the stripped T-nuts with 5/16-18 square nuts and I was back in business. I did note that with two washers and the extra thickness of the personal caddy the striker bolt didn't thread into the T-nut as much and I think that's how I stripped it, so I only re-installed with one washer and it threads all the way.

 

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So I just spent the last 3 hours installing my G4 Elite .... and I'm still not done!

I installed it and had to adjust every single rotary latch as they were not lined up, and the timing was way off (one would open as soon as you start lifting the handle and other side would open when handle almost all the way pulled, same thing in the front and back)

I adjusted the striker bolts, the rear ones were super easy and lock pretty easily, the front ones were a pain because where it didn't take all my force to close the panel, the panel would not be flush with the rails, and if I made it flush with the rails, not only did I have to put all my weight into closing them (while standing on the step) but only one side would latch at a time so I'd have to go to the driver's side, open the rear door, get on the step and slam the thing shut, make sure it was locked, then go to the other side, open the rear door, get on the step and put all my weight in above the latch to get it to lock. I finally found a "happy medium" and with the panel sticking up about the thickness of 2 pennies stacked together it would close both sides at once.

Then I installed the personal caddy, first marked the T-nuts and removed both front striker bolts, put the caddy in, tucked the seals, re-installed the striker bolts and once I closed the panel it was a lot harder to close (back to one side at a time) but also the passenger side would not lock all the way (if I pulled on it, it would go up). I removed the driver side striker bolt and it pretty much pulled right out ..... T-nut was striped out ..... so much for buying that new torque wrench that can do in.lb .... I'm guessing the soft aluminum just wore out from tightening/loosening the striker bolt so many times (and it's not like you make that thing tight, it's only 70 in.lb which is less than 6 ft.lb!) so now with the passenger side striker bolt in only, before I loosened it, I decided to try and see if it would lock, tried to close it but it took a lot of force, and I could still pull it up some, it was locked but had about 1-1.25" of play that it would go up if I pulled on the panel. I figured maybe it only latched halfway, so I loosened the striker bolt, raised it a little, and tried again. Now it would lock with no movement, but the panel would stick up way too much from the rails, so I decided to put the striker between the two and test it, after I moved the striker, closed it and pulled on the panel to see if it was locked and the whole thing just slammed open .... second T-nut also stripped out and pulled out when I pulled on it.

Now I'm left with no front strikers and I have to drive the truck to work so I'm guessing I have to pull the whole panel piece off.

For those of you that have installed their G4 Elite themselves, did you have any problems getting the front latches to latch properly with the panel flush with the rails?

Edited February 26, 2015 by 71sbeetle

[ShotgunZ71]

My install went fairly smooth. Had 2 people, so that helped with adjustments. Took about an hour, from start to finish.

[71sbeetle]

Yeah my wife was there helping too. As it turns out I have one of the rotary latch tightening nuts that doesn't tighten all the way so the latch moves around it looks like that may be my problem for the latching part where I can't get it to latch when it's flush. As for the striker bolt T-nut I noticed that with the personal caddy it adds extra thickness, and with the 2 washers the striker bolt doesn't thread in as much in the threads so that might be the reason it stripped out easily. I replaced the damaged T-nuts with square nuts from the hardware store, used one less washer and it's fine now. I got in touch with FAC customer service and they said I may need a whole new latch assembly for the one that cannot be tightened, now I am just waiting to see if it will be covered under warranty or not. So far, customer service has been helpful and knowledgeable which is always a very good thing and makes me more confident in my purchase! I really like the way it looks, and it complements the bed rug very well!

[PhilB]

I installed my FAC myself. I did have a bit of trouble getting the latches to latch/lock correctly. IIRC, I adjusted my latch bolts by closing the cover, then crawling into the bed, loosened the latch bolts until the cover was down all the way. I may have put some weight on the cover to assist with that. Then I tightened the bolts. It was trial and error. I also had the issue of the latches opening up with the cover was closed and locked. That was because the latches were too low for the latch to grasp them all the way. I also had to adjust the timing of the latch opening. Wasn't too difficult. Haven't had a problem since.

[71sbeetle]

I installed my FAC myself. I did have a bit of trouble getting the latches to latch/lock correctly. IIRC, I adjusted my latch bolts by closing the cover, then crawling into the bed, loosened the latch bolts until the cover was down all the way. I may have put some weight on the cover to assist with that. Then I tightened the bolts. It was trial and error. I also had the issue of the latches opening up with the cover was closed and locked. That was because the latches were too low for the latch to grasp them all the way. I also had to adjust the timing of the latch opening. Wasn't too difficult. Haven't had a problem since.

OK! Yes, same way I did it, crawling into the bed and adjusting with the panel closed, which worked fine without the personal caddy but once I had the caddy in, there is no way to access the latches with the panel closed.

I updated the original post, it seems I had a latch that was moving around and causing my problem. FAC is sending me a new one free of charge under warranty! I'll report back when I install the new latch

[ShotgunZ71]

I do have to say from what I've heard, FAC customer service is top notch. Glad they are helping and standing behind their product. I've had mine almost 2 yrs and have gotten many compliments on it, as well as my own satisfactory experiences.

[vimzilla]

I got mine about a year and a half ago and had a heck of a time installing it myself. With all the adjustments it took around 3 hours to get it perfect.

I can say that after 18 months I still love the cover and personal caddy. It keeps the bed nice and dry for the most part. I get compliments all the time.

[71sbeetle]

Got the new latch from FAC and installed it, again, top notch customer service on their part.

Still can't get it adjusted correctly though

[chiapet]

I'm looking @ purchasing a FAC vs BAK now. Just picked up new truck and am leaning towards the FAC.

[71sbeetle]

I'm looking @ purchasing a FAC vs BAK now. Just picked up new truck and am leaning towards the FAC.

I have no experience with the BAK cover but I have to say I love my FAC cover! The only thing I regret is buying the personal caddy, I had it installed and never used it, I had to remove it to carry something large and I haven't re-installed it and haven't missed it once. I also installed a Bed Rug and love that too. If someone wants a pretty much new personal caddy let me know ;)

 

Oh and chiapet I see you're in FL too, if you're in my area you're more than welcome to check out the FAC

[BigBadSierra]

I put mine on all by myself.

 

I had to get my dad to come over and help with the personal caddy though.

 

It was just to big an bulky to drop in by yourself and I figured I would bust out the back window for sure if I tried. HA HA.

[chiapet]

I have no experience with the BAK cover but I have to say I love my FAC cover! The only thing I regret is buying the personal caddy, I had it installed and never used it, I had to remove it to carry something large and I haven't re-installed it and haven't missed it once. I also installed a Bed Rug and love that too. If someone wants a pretty much new personal caddy let me know ;) :pOh and chiapet I see you're in FL too, if you're in my area you're more than welcome to check out the FAC

I'm in Orlando. About 2hrs away beetle. What's your price on caddy?

[chiapet]

I installed my FAC in about 3hrs by myself with the help of my 4yo as you can see in the pic. He supervised. Had the same problem with the front panel lying flush with the side rails. I have it so that when I close it the force closes both sides. I noticed that after a wk or so that the cover kind of "settled in" and now lays flush with the rails.

[Imcrazy]

I helped a buddy do his a month or so ago. It took us about 3 or 4 hours I think.

[71sbeetle]

I'm in Orlando. About 2hrs away beetle. What's your price on caddy?

Not sure why I didn't see this earlier ..... not sure what to ask for it, I did notice that without the caddy in I do get a little bit of water entering the front part of the bed, whereas with the caddy it was bone dry so not sure what to do yet lol. I guess make me an offer, I might put that money towards some LTZ headlights