Installing a Fold-a-Cover

[LuvMyDenali]

I have just recieved a fold-a-cover which i was going to install tomorrow. I noticed in the instruction manual that comes with it - that it suggests that it should not be installed when the temperature is below 50 degrees. Given that i dont think that the temperature will hit that anytime this side of the 4th July and i dont have a garage - how critical is this? Has anyone else installed under this temperature - and if so what happened?

Any feedback is much appreciated - thanks in advance!

[hvac1000]

OK to install. You may have to adjust when the weather warms up.

[USA1Fan]

Since the Fold-a-Cover is a hard cover, I'm surprised that the temperature has much of any effect on it. Oh well. It's probably just as well that I won't be ordering mine until early May.

[LuvMyDenali]

OK to install. You may have to adjust when the weather warms up.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Excellent - now where are those gloves.......

[71GMC_3/4T]

I installed mine in January when it was real cold out. No problems.

 

Pitch the allen wrenches they give you and use real ones. Ball-end are nice, but don't use them for final torque.

 

Don't peel the sticky-back off the bedrail undersides. You won't be able to move it if you do. Two clamps on a short bed are fine as the bed is slightly arched. I never pulled the backing off mine.

 

Cut that extra piece of plastic off the tailgate trim piece they give you. I used a bandsaw and a fence, but they say to do it with a knife. The piece is there to cover over a rubber bed mat on the tailgate if you have one. Be sure you get the tailgate trim piece installed right the first time, you only get one chance. Test fit with the adhesive backers in place until you have it right.

 

Preassemble the hinge parts in a warm shop but don't tighten anything you will be removing to install it.

 

Put the bed rails on but don't fully tighten the bolts until later so you can slide it around.

 

Put the cover on and fold it out. Hook it over the tailgate trim piece and allow ~1/8" of play front to back so the cover will close with the gate up.

 

Move the side rails around until the rubber is very close but not touching the cover. Slide the side rails front to back until they line up with the back end. Keep checking for squareness which is hard to do the way the bed is rounded.

 

Once you get it all squared up, tighten all the bolts.

 

Then put on the latch parts. They are a pain to tighten, but they eventually get there. One of mine didn't line up with the hole at the back of the bed so I had to move the bracket on the cover to make it fit.

 

I ran a 1/8" bead of black silicone around the edge of the side rails to make it look better and keep water from seeping into the stake pocket holes.

 

I really like the Fold-a-Cover and I was warned on here that the instructions simply sucked so I wasn't surprised.

 

After you get it on, cut a couple 2x4's and put them in the pockets in the bed so you can keep stuff in the front from sliding backwards.

 

I think you're gonna like it! Have fun installing it!!

[LuvMyDenali]

I installed mine in January when it was real cold out.  No problems.

 

Pitch the allen wrenches they give you and use real ones.  Ball-end are nice, but don't use them for final torque.

 

Don't peel the sticky-back off the bedrail undersides.  You won't be able to move it if you do.  Two clamps on a short bed are fine as the bed is slightly arched.  I never pulled the backing off mine.

 

Cut that extra piece of plastic off the tailgate trim piece they give you.  I used a bandsaw and a fence, but they say to do it with a knife.  The piece is there to cover over a rubber bed mat on the tailgate if you have one.  Be sure you get the tailgate trim piece installed right the first time, you only get one chance.  Test fit with the adhesive backers in place until you have it right.

 

Preassemble the hinge parts in a warm shop but don't tighten anything you will be removing to install it.

 

Put the bed rails on but don't fully tighten the bolts until later so you can slide it around. 

 

Put the cover on and fold it out.  Hook it over the tailgate trim piece and allow ~1/8" of play front to back so the cover will close with the gate up.

 

Move the side rails around until the rubber is very close but not touching the cover.  Slide the side rails front to back until they line up with the back end.  Keep checking for squareness which is hard to do the way the bed is rounded.

 

Once you get it all squared up, tighten all the bolts.

 

Then put on the latch parts.  They are a pain to tighten, but they eventually get there.  One of mine didn't line up with the hole at the back of the bed so I had to move the bracket on the cover to make it fit.

 

I ran a 1/8" bead of black silicone around the edge of the side rails to make it look better and keep water from seeping into the stake pocket holes.

 

I really like the Fold-a-Cover and I was warned on here that the instructions simply sucked so I wasn't surprised.

 

After you get it on, cut a couple 2x4's and put them in the pockets in the bed so you can keep stuff in the front from sliding backwards.

 

I think you're gonna like it!  Have fun installing it!!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

"I ran a 1/8" bead of black silicone around the edge of the side rails to make it look better and keep water from seeping into the stake pocket holes."

 

You know what - either great minds think alike or fools seldom differ - i planned to do the exact same thing before i read your post.... how did it work out??

 

- if you dont mind - i would like to take your advice and pop it on a web site somewhere - as an online resource for future installers. There is a real problem with good installation instructions and photo's to go with them - is there a

FAQ section on here that we could put it on???

 

The cover is on and looks AWESOME!!!! THANKS FOR THE ADVICE - ITS ALL GOOD!!!!

 

.....Now to drive to ski country in a storm that should give it a little test!!!!

 

Have a good weekend everyone - and if any of you just happen to be skiing wildcat NH ...... GET OUT OF THE WAY IM COMING THROUGH!!!!

[71GMC_3/4T]

The silicone looks nice on there. I could have been a little better at keeping an even bead, but it came out great anyway. I have RhinoLiner over the rails, so it made it tough to keep the caulking gun moving steady.

 

I don't mind if you copy this info elsewhere. You can plagiarize anything you find on the internet. You just can't believe all of it!

 

Try to go BETWEEN the trees, not through them as I have...