Waterpoofing Undercover Flex?

Guys / gals,

I plan on installing an Undercover Flex on my '15 DCSB shortly. My main purpose for it is to haul things on family roadtrips - so suitcases of clothes, kiddos' toys, etc. Because of this, I want to be 100% sure that it's waterproof.

I know this is a tall task, as no tonneau is 'guaranteed waterproof'. However, are there some methods that I could use to reinforce its ability to resist precipitation?

The first things that come to mind are weatherstrips all-around. I hesitate to use plastic fillers or foams, as I may someday want to take it back off, so I want something removable, even if it takes some work on the back end.

I'd love to hear your input - thanks!

 

Bump...

No suggestions? Witty comments? This is odd...

 

If it is that critical plastic wrap or bags will help you get there.

 

Alright, I'll bite on this.

What other ways are there to get a waterproof bed?

I really don't want a full camper shell. I guess a soft top? Do those keep water out while they're on?

 

You asked...I use an Access rollup cover and love it. It is NOT 100% watertight, but damn close. The areas in question are the four corner joints. It will get a little water in, but not a gusher. It leaves a small trace of water in the bed area up front (below the bed raised areas so that is the damp area), but not enough to consider it a leak. I've hauled my tools and open products through the Sierra's in rain/snow without any damage. That's not to say you'd get some, but it didn't get them wet either. I think if I were to put some really good sealant (that doesn't degrade due to weather) on the corners (where the seams meet) I may be at 99.9%. The biggest thing to do is make sure the side rails are sealed good. The Access comes with a foam sealant tape and works well ONCE only. If you remove it, either get new stuff or use sealant. The thing I like the most about the top is it can be rolled up if I need to get something large without having to plan on doing that.

Washing the truck does about the same with a garden hose and if I spray it hard enough in the questionable areas I can produce the same effect. I haven't been in any rain storms that blast like a garden hose, so I can't comment on that aspect. I can also get water in through the tail gate area on the top by spraying. Again, that's an extreme test to say the least.

I'm not sure how the top you're looking at will connect, but if it goes on top of the rails, I'd make sure to have some seal/foam-tape, etc. on the bottom of the top to seal against the rails (that is if you want to take it off and not have the seal show on your truck).

 

I did ask! Thanks for the reply... I will take a look at a few roll-ups and see if they meet my needs.

 

I have a Flex. The rails are the weak point in the design, IMO. The rails can easily be put on incorrectly and the rail caps close to the cab are worthless. Not to mention there are no caps in the rear.

I siliconed inside the rails on all four sides to prevent water from escaping. So far I've only had a few drips here and there.

 

If you did it over again, would you go the same route?

 

Probably not. I had a Flex on my Ram and it did not leak, so I purchased one for the Tacoma. Looks good, but it's been nothing but a headache (for me).

Using the Flex also makes your bed rails unusable as the tonneau rails sit on top of them. No bueno if you want to mount tools, etc.