Find the Perfect Ford F-150 Tonneau Cover at Gexhaust.com
The first time I slammed a tonneau cover shut on a Ford F-one hundred fifty, the proprietor grinned and referred to, “That’s the sound of stuff staying dry.” He wasn’t flawed. A smart mattress conceal turns your pickup right into a extra appropriate, greater steady, and higher-looking machine. If you’re buying a Ford F-one hundred fifty tonneau duvet, Gexhaust.com is a cast location to start out. The collection is broad, the fitment instruments are simple, and which you can in shape a duvet to how you really use your truck rather than settling for whatever is sitting on a monstrous-field shelf.
I’ve put in covers in driveway gravel and in fresh store bays, on vehicles that tow each weekend and on rigs that typically run to the home save. The true decision is dependent on mattress size, weather, how most of the time you load tall cargo, and even if you care greater approximately safety or velocity. Let’s stroll by way of the techniques, industry-offs, and some training learned the complicated manner.
What a tonneau disguise rather does for an F-150
When americans say they prefer a Ford pickup tonneau canopy, they recurrently suggest a blend of four issues: climate defense, defense, potency, and fashion. I’ve watched a comfortable canopy save a mattress full of drywall compound in the time of a squall line over I-95, and I’ve seen an aluminum panel shrug off a pile of firewood some weekend warrior tossed in without asking. There’s additionally a measurable bump in toll road mpg whenever you close the bed. On past due-edition F-150s, a cowl can add more or less 5 to 10 p.c on secure road drives. Your quantity will differ with speed, tire measurement, and whether you’re hauling a ladder rack, however the drag discount is authentic.
Security is extra nuanced. A locking tonneau hide paired with a locking tailgate gives you an enclosed, out-of-sight cargo aspect. That discourages opportunistic robbery. A decided thief with methods is another tale, yet a good-built F-a hundred and fifty challenging tonneau cover makes your bed about as safe as an SUV cargo zone. With a gentle roll-up tonneau, you industry somewhat of defense for lighter weight and minimize payment. Know your parking location and decide therefore.
Finally, a well-selected F-one hundred fifty bed cover without difficulty cleans up the truck’s traces. Whether your truck is a workhorse XL or a Platinum with polished wheels, the right hide seems like it belongs there.
Fitment basics: mattress lengths, fashion years, and selections that matter
Before you upload some thing in your cart at Gexhaust.com, measure your bed. Ford probably supplies the F-a hundred and fifty in three lengths: a short 5.5-foot mattress, a 6.five-foot essential mattress, and an 8-foot long bed. A tape degree from the within of the bulkhead to the interior of the tailgate does the trick. Model 12 months concerns on the grounds that rail geometry, stake pocket destinations, and tailgate profiles replace at some stage in generations. If you've got a Pro Power Onboard inverter or a factory bedliner, observe that too. Most brand new covers account for spray-in liners, but drop-in liners once in a while desire trimming at the the front rail. If your truck has a mattress utility equipment with tie-downs or a BoxLink equipment, assess the product notes. Gexhaust’s fitment filters assist slender this down quickly.
If you tow a fifth-wheel or convey a big toolbox, inspect low-profile folding tonneau cover suggestions that quit at the bulkhead or systems that integrate with software chests. Some covers enable complete bed entry devoid of removal hardware, while others consume an inch or two of vertical space. It sounds small till you’re attempting to slide a fridge underneath a hard and fast of crossbars.
The fundamental kinds that you can purchase, and the way they feel in every single day use
When you browse Tonneau Covers for sale, the picks have a tendency to fall into a handful of different types. Each taste has a personality. Here’s how they shake out after years of installs and customer callbacks.
Soft roll-up tonneau conceal: This is the lightest, most effective trail to protecting your bed. A Ford F-one hundred fifty comfortable cover in roll-up sort mounts alongside the ideal rails, then seals with Velcro or a tensioned monitor. Opening takes seconds, and the entire unit most often weighs 25 to 35 pounds. It’s the simplest vogue to remove earlier a widespread weekend mission. In heavy rain, a reputable mushy canopy remains tight and sheds water; in a snowstorm, you’ll favor to comb snow off earlier it provides weight and stretches the fabrics. Vinyl tonneau disguise resources have accelerated over time, resisting UV fade a ways larger than the vintage chalky tarps. If you park in warm solar every day, seek for marine-grade vinyl with a heavier denier score and inner crossbars to withstand flutter.
Tri-fold and folding tonneau disguise: The Ford F-a hundred and fifty laborious disguise industry is dominated through folding models, typically tri-fold. Panels hinge forward and stack in the back of the cab if you need bed access. They’re speedier to open than roll-u.s.and extra risk-free. Aluminum tonneau cover panels with a polymer epidermis strike a vast stability: reliable adequate to face on in a pinch, mild enough to put in solo in the event you’re cautious. I once hooked up a hard and fast on a chum’s 6.5-foot mattress in beneath an hour, which include espresso breaks and a phone name approximately a misplaced clamp that turned out to be sitting on the spare tire. Watch for covers that let partial-fold riding with integrated prop rods when you convey tall shipment often times.
Retractable tonneau cover: Think of this as a rolling storage door in a canister close the cab. A Ram retractable cowl on a diversified truck inspired me with one-passed operation and a refreshing, low profile. On an F-a hundred and fifty, retractables work beautifully for those who favor regularly occurring, fast get admission to with out lifting panels. The industry-off is a lack of a foot or so of the front mattress ground wherein the canister sits. If you haul full-period drywall sheets or a few dirt bikes, measure twice. High-quit retractables supply lockable stops along the rails, which facilitates should you prefer to close the quilt opposed to a tall object like a toolbox.
One-piece tonneau duvet: Fiberglass tonneau quilt designs nonetheless have a devoted following. These raise as a single lid, many times with gas struts, and paint-match to the truck. The look is slick and seamless. They’re the so much defend towards informal tampering and mostly seal tightly in opposition t weather. The drawbacks are weight, cost, and the need for vertical clearance to open. They additionally prohibit you should you most of the time elevate tall cargo. I advocate these for people who prioritize type and security over flexibility, tremendously on showy builds or vans that usually reside on pavement.
Hybrid and area of expertise: You’ll discover aluminum and composite folding covers that shall be pushed in part open at motorway speeds, roll-americawith built-in crossbars for faded rather a lot, and even powered retractables tied to key fobs. They can charge more, but for some owners, the day to day comfort earns each greenback.
Weatherproofing and water administration without the hype
I get requested usally even if a water-resistant tonneau hide exists. The short reply: no disguise makes a pickup mattress a submarine, yet a decent one maintains apparatus dry in ninety nine % of true weather. The actual trick is water leadership. Look carefully at cover rails. The most effective platforms combine gutters and channels to course water along the edges and out by way of drain tubes close the tailgate or bulkhead. On a retrac, you’ll broadly speaking course drain traces by manufacturing unit grommets. On a folding unit, a compressible seal at the bulkhead and tailgate stops capillary leaks.
If your F-a hundred and fifty has a bedliner with a lip that curls over the rail, confirm clamp compatibility. Leak lawsuits most likely hint to come back to clamps that may’t chew cleanly through a liner lip, which assists in keeping the rail from seating. One more detail: tailgate caps with ridges can create a tiny hole that drips for the period of a downpour. A effortless foam shim on the bottom of the quilt’s rear seal in most cases solves it.
Security, payload, and truth checks
Hard covers with inside latches safeguard opposed to immediate grabs whilst you park at a trailhead or jobsite. A locking tonneau hide that ties into the tailgate lock way you would save software luggage, bags, or a camera case with trust. I’ve ridden shotgun while a contractor hopped into a hardware retailer, leaving millions in equipment underneath an aluminum tri-fold. He by no means worried about it, yet he did substitute the gas struts on his one-piece cowl each and every four years when they drained out.
A be aware on payload: a conceal weighs anywhere from 25 kilos for a smooth roll-as much as around 80 pounds for a tri-fold and a hundred to a hundred thirty kilos for a fiberglass one-piece. Add a rack or crossbars and you need to method a hundred and eighty pounds sooner than cargo. The F-150 has lots of payload in maximum trims, but in the event you tow a heavy trailer with 1,000 pounds of tongue weight, each and every delivered pound at the back of the axle things. Keep weight in intellect for those who’re already nearly limits with loved ones, gear, and hitch weight.
Daily usability: how many times you open the mattress matters
If you load tall gadgets as soon as per week or greater, a folding tonneau disguise is your buddy. If you infrequently haul the rest taller than a cooler, a one-piece or retractable style appears to be like tidy and stays out of the approach. Roll-ups split the big difference: good get admission to and minimum obstruction, with the material package sitting at the cab. On lengthy road journeys, I’ve appreciated the way a tri-fold may also be opened two panels back to seize a duffel with no exposing the whole mattress.
One fact I share with new vendors: any conceal alterations the way you % the mattress. You start off considering in layers, sliding totes in first, lighter gear on precise, and heavy items in the direction of the cab. Plan on a mattress mat for grip in case you run a onerous cowl, considering that easy beds allow cargo slide under braking. A $a hundred rubber mat saves numerous crawling.
Shopping at Gexhaust.com: making instruments and tech paintings for you
The most simple direction is to enter your truck’s yr, bed period, and trim into the web site’s vehicle selector. From there, filter out by sort: Hard tonneau conceal, Soft tonneau conceal, Roll-up tonneau canopy, Folding tonneau cover, Retractable tonneau conceal, Tri-fold tonneau duvet, and One-piece tonneau duvet. Scan product photographs intently for rail profiles and latch models. I want inside of-cab latches on tri-folds that will be reached from both facet. On retractables, money how plenty mattress house the canister occupies and regardless of whether the rails take a seat above or inside the bed caps.
Read the install notes. Look for mentions of drill-unfastened clamps, compatibility with bed lights, and even if stake pockets remain usable. If you’re strolling a bed rack or assume you could possibly upload one, examine for T-slot rails on the canopy. That allows you to mount crossbars for bikes or kayaks above a weatherproof shipment house.
Brand-agnostic courses from other trucks
Even once you’re right here for a Ford F-a hundred and fifty tonneau conceal, it supports to determine styles across structures. On a Chevy Silverado tonneau disguise, I’ve saw similar clamp placements and tailgate seals to Ford. The GMC Sierra bed disguise marketplace mirrors Silverado truck bed duvet recommendations, though some Sierra trims get assorted bed caps that switch clamp chew elements. On mid-size trucks like a Chevy Colorado tonneau hide or GMC Canyon mattress hide, scale back mattress rail height on occasion influences how a whole lot the quilt sits above the cab line, that you be aware in crosswinds. A Colorado folding cowl ordinarilly weighs less, but the hardware great determines flutter.
Toyota Tacoma tonneau duvet purchasers care deeply about mattress aspect rail tactics. Tacomas in general comprise adjustable cleats. The top-quality Tacoma mattress cowl features integrate with those rails as opposed to forcing you to dispose of them. Likewise, a Toyota Tundra tonneau duvet have to account for big bed dimensions and every so often a deck rail manner. A Tundra truck mattress canopy with cast water channels makes a big difference in heavy Pacific Northwest rain. On equally, a Tacoma tough tonneau hide or Tundra delicate disguise every single has its region, based on terrain and theft possibility. For older Toyota pickup mattress hide necessities, ensure sq. versus rounded bed caps, or you’ll struggle fitment.
Ram house owners read their very own gospel. A Ram 1500 tonneau quilt oftentimes wishes to work with the readily available mattress application rails and tailgate support. The Dodge Ram bed cover industry is crowded with the two tight budget and premium alternatives. A Ram 2500 tonneau cowl can advantage from heavier hardware, considering %%!%%4846c704-1/3-4139-9cc8-6291f9354a94%%!%%/4-ton journey motions are sharper while unloaded. For a Ram truck mattress duvet on a work rig, a Ram 1500 tough quilt with mighty panel joints resists flex. A Dodge Ram gentle cover remains an awesome name for a quad cab that aas a rule hauls camping gear. If you’re tempted by means of a powered Ram retractable hide, be truthful approximately iciness ice. Some powered instruments conflict if tracks aren’t cleared after freezing rain.
The rationale to mention all this: a organization that builds an awesome Sierra tender tonneau duvet or a Silverado difficult conceal broadly speaking brings the equal strengths to the F-a hundred Retractable tonneau cover and fifty application. At Gexhaust.com, you’ll see those go-platform reputations meditated in comments and specifications.
Materials and sturdiness: aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass, and the hardware that matters
Vinyl covers have come an extended means. A caliber vinyl tonneau cowl now resists UV, stays bendy in chilly climate, and cleans up with mild soap. Still, vinyl a long time speedier in wasteland sunlight, and if you happen to drag lumber throughout it, you’ll gouge it. Aluminum panel covers are the workbench of the class. They shrug off hail, cope with loaded roof racks whilst paired with T-slots, and retain structure over years of temperature cycles. Fiberglass is the king of shiny, paint-matched sort, and the stiffness is unrivaled, however the weight and hinge load imply you may still price range for periodic gas strut replacement.
What laborers put out of your mind is hardware. Stainless clamps, lined hinge pins, and EPDM seals set apart the covers that are nonetheless tight five years later. Look at nook cap layout, too. Rounded caps trip purifier in crosswinds and are less prone to whistling. If you pay attention wind noise after installation, cost evenness of the facet rails and degree the clamp spacing. Nine times out of ten, noise method a rail is moderately twisted.
Real-global set up notes from the shop and the driveway
Most today's covers mount drill-loose simply by clamps. A common F-150 tri-fold is going on in 30 to 60 mins. A retractable unit with canister and drain tubes would possibly take two hours. A one-piece fiberglass cowl wants two humans and persistence. The trick with any installation is alignment until now tightening. Dry-have compatibility the rails, shut the quilt, and make sure that gaps are even at the tailgate. If the latch hangs up, it in the main ability the rails are pinched inboard via an eighth of an inch.
If your truck has a bedliner, loosen the liner’s front edge to tuck the bulkhead seal at the back of it for improved water regulate. On older vehicles with just a little bowed bedsides from years of hauling, add a thin foam shim beneath low spots so the seal remains steady. And stay a comfortable rag accessible. Grit among a clamp and painted bed cap scratches turbo than you’d feel.
Living with a quilt by using seasons
Winter exposes shortcuts. Ice kinds along seals, and a heavy, wet snow load tests panel potential. Brush snow off lightly with a foam software, now not a stiff scraper. In freezing rain, tap along the rails sooner than forcing latches. For spring mud, a retractable’s drain tubes store sludge out of the bed while you park on an incline. In summer, a black vinyl duvet can hit sizzling temperatures in direct sunlight. Crack the duvet open for a minute ahead of grabbing metallic latches. A fast wipe with UV protectant every month or two retains surfaces supple.
After storm-season deluges within the southeast, I’ve inspected beds that stayed approximately dry unless for a tablespoon of water close the tailgate. A new pass-seal solved that. The vendors who had the fewest themes were those who washed their seals sometimes and checked clamp torque twice a year. Two minutes with a 10 mm socket saves hours of chasing squeaks.
When a conceal will become part of a much bigger system
Truck oldsters infrequently prevent at one accessory. If you propose to add a mattress rack, rooftop tent, or motorbike carriers, prioritize covers with integrated T-slots or like minded aspect rails. I’ve outfitted rigs wherein a folding duvet sits less than a low rack, letting the owner lock gear beneath and bring kayaks above. On a Super Duty truck mattress hide, consisting of F-250 and F-350 rigs, the load ability and rail stiffness count number greater in view that proprietors mainly run heavy components. The common sense extends to the F-one hundred fifty. Treat the quilt as the foundation of a modular setup.
If you tow and want mattress entry around a 5th-wheel hitch, a tri-fold that flips fully forward and props up in opposition to the cab is better than a retractable with a fixed canister. If you’re by means of mattress-hooked up toolboxes, degree heights to make certain the duvet clears latches and lids. Some covers are toolbox-targeted, with shorter the front-to-to come back dimensions that end on the field.
Price, cost, and while it pays to spend more
Soft roll-ups remain the price range champs. They cover the burden, upgrade mpg, and appearance easy for about a hundred bucks. Folding rough covers sit within the center of the cost unfold and deliver the preferable versatility per dollar. Retractable and one-piece fiberglass covers occupy the upper degrees, and their cost shows up in comfort and aesthetics.
What I tell company is straightforward: buy as soon as, cry as soon as while you realize your use case. If your truck hauls spouse and children baggage, weekend gear, and the occasional abode save run, a mid-latitude tri-fold will suppose like a shrewdpermanent purchase for years. If you worth the only-exceeded go with the flow of a retractable or the paint-matched appearance of a fiberglass one-piece, you’ll smile anytime you close up it. If your price range is tight, a good-made cushy disguise beats no canopy, distinctly for preserving cargo and chopping drag on lengthy drives.
A fast comparison photo formerly you decide
- Soft roll-up: mild, not pricey, swift to dispose of, incredible climate resistance, moderate protection.
- Tri-fold demanding: strong, comfy, swift entry, partial-open driving, heavier than smooth covers.
- Retractable: slick operation, lockable at durations, low profile, canister eats the front bed area.
- One-piece fiberglass: preferrred paint-matched seem to be and protection, heavy, confined tall-shipment flexibility.
- Hybrid aluminum/composite: balances weight and energy, frequently consists of T-slot rails for racks.
Beyond the F-one hundred fifty: the equal good procedure applies
Even in the event that your driveway holds more than one truck, the related resolution process travels. A Ranger mattress cover behaves like a shrunken F-150 setup, with an identical offerings in Ford Ranger tonneau cowl types. Owners of better rigs understand how a Super Duty truck mattress conceal interacts with stake pockets and heavy-duty tie-down issues, however the basics don’t switch. For GM vehicles, regardless of whether you save a GMC Sierra bed canopy or a Silverado truck bed canopy, be aware of bed rail geometry and accessory compatibility. If you split time with a mid-size like a Colorado folding quilt or a Canyon setup, be mindful that lighter hardware can flex greater on corrugated filth roads.
It’s not unusual to see mixed-driveway families. I’ve mounted a Ram 1500 rough hide for the relatives hauler and a Dodge Ram smooth cowl at the fishing truck that merely runs to the lake. I’ve brought a Toyota Tacoma tonneau disguise where the proprietor wished lockable garage for path tools, and a Toyota Tundra tonneau disguise for a contractor who needed to store stock dry among activity websites. Across the board, the accurate cover made the truck less demanding to stay with.
Ordering and putting in with confidence
Gexhaust.com keeps it primary. Use the auto selector, decide upon your sort, and examine by way of the product main points and reports that suit your technology. If you’re waffling among two items, seek setting up PDFs connected at the page. A speedy skim displays regardless of whether clamps are inside of or correct mount, whether drain tubes are blanketed, and the way the latches regulate. Those small alterations turned into gigantic conveniences on day 2 hundred, no longer simply day one.
On birth, look at the container corners for weigh down break in the past you signal. If every thing looks fresh, unbox on a blanket to guard paint and vinyl. Lay out hardware, tally the clamps, and dry-suit rails sooner than tightening anything. If you hit a snag, such a lot manufacturers have stable cellphone help, and Gexhaust can guide with side compatibility questions.
The payoff you discover on mile one
The first street run after setting up a canopy feels specific. Wind noise dips, the truck tracks with a bit extra calm, and you end glancing within the replicate to look if a tarp strap let go. At the grocery store, you toss luggage within the mattress and lock the tailgate with no pondering. At the jobsite, you shut the canopy, and your resources are out of sight. Those each day little wins justify the time you spent choosing a Ford F-a hundred and fifty tonneau conceal that matches the means you're employed and tour.
Whether you lean towards a tri-fold that swallows a week’s well worth of camping gear, a retractable that glides shut with one hand, or a swish one-piece that fits your paint, the true cover turns a tight truck into a tailor-made one. Start with bed duration and the way you employ the truck, settle on the trend that matches your events, and enable Gexhaust.com’s catalog consultant you to a really perfect more healthy. When you listen that positive click as the latch engages and the rain starts offevolved to fall, you’ll understand you obtain it excellent.