Undercover Classic doesn't properly latch

tundrwd · November 27, 2017

Had an Undercover Classic installed about mid-July. Haven't driven much, but went out Thanksgiving week - and we had 50mph cross-winds.

Anyway, the cover came undone and unlatched (still locked) 3 times within a mile before I turned into the wind to avoid having it ripped off my truck. On inspection, found that the latches are only engaging the brackets about 1/8", maybe 3/16". Called Undercover and was told 3/16-1/4 is "normal". Anything more won't allow expansion, and it might expand into the lock mechanism. Well, I've got a good 3/4" between the end of the latch, before it even thinks of touching the locking mechanism - on both sides. By my estimation, that gives me 1 1/2" of expansion sideways before it will interfere. Customer support on phone said "no, only 3/4" " expansion. Don't know how they figure, but with 3/4" expansion, that only sucks up the one side, NOT the other.

Anyway, I'm stuck with this junk now, and VERY disappointed. Had one on my 1/2 ton Chevy before for 8 years, with NO problems like this at all. And I'm sure it engaged the latch overlapped and engaged the locking bracket by about 1/2" at least.

I can fabricate a flat piece of steel to go under the existing locking bracket, and get it to extend further out to have more engagement, but I'm very disappointed that this is something I have to do. I'll measure the bed for squareness and opening width, but this cover doesn't fit well AT ALL. Even the weatherstripping barely fits over the rail cap when it's closed. Just seems that the entire topper is simply too wide by about 3/4" - 1". I have confirmed (by serial number) that it is the correct part for my 2017 Silverado 2500HD.

Any further thoughts or ideas? Anyone else run into this - and if so - how did you solve it?

John Dell · December 1, 2017

You will need to check because I did not look up your part but, in 2015 GM changed their box size by 1" longer and maybe a bit wider. The 2014 and back is a 6'6" box and 2015 and up is 6'7" assuming you have a standard box. When I was looking for a cover and liner for my 2017, I found the factories were selling the same part number for 2014 back. They all said it will fit and they were not going to retool for 1". I found a cover made for 2017 and went with that.

tundrwd · December 8, 2017

On 11/30/2017 at 6:42 PM, John Dell said:

You will need to check because I did not look up your part but, in 2015 GM changed their box size by 1" longer and maybe a bit wider. The 2014 and back is a 6'6" box and 2015 and up is 6'7" assuming you have a standard box. When I was looking for a cover and liner for my 2017, I found the factories were selling the same part number for 2014 back. They all said it will fit and they were not going to retool for 1". I found a cover made for 2017 and went with that.

I'll have to check - that might be it. I know it doesn't seem to fit quite as well lengthwise as my old one did on my '09, but this new one hangs over the sides already by about 1/4" (my '09 was a fairly "tight" fit). So the bed could be a little wider now too.

I'll probably just fix it by getting some 1/16" thick steel, and just getting it mounted up under the existing brackets. "Widen" the brackets a bit... That's where my real problem is - they simply aren't extending out enough for the latches to properly catch them. Probably slot them, so if the lid expands, I can move the extensions in and out...

tundrwd · December 9, 2017

Ok I fixed the problem with some 1/8" mild steel plate. I guess the bed is a tad wider than the locks/latches allow for. So I extended the brackets that the latches will catch, and still have 1/4" expansion on either side before the lock barrel hits the steel. It DEFINITELY latches now...