Tonneau Cover?

LE Velcro is 'industrial' strength, probably last as long as the other components.

Re: dirt/grit. I installed my LE w/o using the supplied weatherstripping (had to get out of town quickly). Still, no water from hours of heavy rains entered the bed. Dust kicked up on Wyoming back roads did get in, but the Velcro -- both hook and loop sides -- remained pristine.

Had some minor fluttering of the top at high speeds for the first few miles. Released the Velcro, pulled the cover farther to the sides and reattached. No fiddling with the alignment or for and aft positioning, 30 seconds of effort and no more fluttering.

 

To avoid any confusion, it's the LE that has the spring-loaded latches on both sides (hence the modestly higher price).

I really don't see any advantage to replacing the plastic spacers with square metal tubing, as long as they're firmly snugged up against the bed sides. The spacers' wall thickness and diameter provide a lot of surface area in contact with the bed at the stress points and right over the insertion nuts in the bedsides; each edge of the square tubing would concentrate the same forces over a smaller footprint, perhaps weakening the bedsides at the contact locations. Maybe thick-walled round Al tubing as replacement?

It would be interesting to learn if Access had any reports of spacer failure...

 

Thanks

 

My bad, I had a brain fart on the LE model and that's the one I have, go figure.

As for stress points, the plastic spacer is not very large, if you were to grab ahold of the aluminum deck (the cover velcro is mounted to) and try to lift yourself out of the bed of the truck, you would be excerting a large amount of force to a inches (at most) of space and hoping the bedside can handle the stress. Using a tubing spacer to spread out the force is a better solution and it lines up better with the factory mounted bar against the bedside as well. As for horizonal strength from side to side (as if you put a strap across the bed and tightened it) I can't imagine there is any substantial difference although if you were doing a pull test to find out the fail point, I'm certain there would be a difference dur to deformation of the metal and the few spacers just allow it all to give away sooner.

Honestly, I wonder if there is any failure data. I think I'll contact the company and see if they are willing to share.

Edit: I dropped the manufacturer a nice email and hopefully I'll get a responce within a few days. I'll post whatever I get, even if they don't agree with me.

Update: The manufacturer sent me this response which only addressed how strong the bolts were, not much about the pull angle which is more what I wanted info on. They did provide a fast response, I'm just slow about posting it:
Morning, The aluminum spacers would be up to you. But as far as a the M6 bolts that are used they would be only as strong as the straight pull strength say before pulling threads out of the bolt or box. I see what you are saying as far as tying at an angle which would want to maybe crush the plastic. The bolts are comparable to the factory one but just extended out with the spacers. Thanks

Eddie Allen | Customer Care Specialist
Agri-Cover, Inc.
PO Box 508 | 3000 Hwy 281 SE
Jamestown, ND 58402
Direct: 701-253-4503
Toll Free: 800-233-4655 Ext. 163
Fax: 701-251-1512
www.agricover.com
www.eallen@agricover.com

-Joe

 

OK, I think I see where you're going. Neat exercise...

Indeed, the Access spacer isn't large, but:

Stock 0.75-in sq tubing has a wall thickness of 0.12in. My rough calcs show a total surface area in contact with the bed side of about 0.30 sq in (0.3025 sq in).

The Access 0.70-in diam plastic spacer with wall thickness of 0.192in has a surface area in contact with the bed side of about 0.73 sq in (0.7287 sq in).

Assuming the bolts don't fail as you push/pull down on the rail to lift yourself up and compression from the spacers is maintained uniformly, the same compressive stress exerted on the bedside from the plastic spacer is spread over more than twice the bedside area as from the square tubing. Square tubing will move the contact area away from the bolts (by about 0.05in at the sides to about 0.36in at the corners of the sq tubing), but compressive stresses in those locations will be focused on a smaller total surface area, owing to the thinner wall of the tubing.

Not sure how alignment with the factory bar would play into this.

Agreed, different spacer types shouldn't have any effect in tension, and it would take one hell of a yank to cause bending of the aluminum deck/bedrail combo into the bed, or to pull the bolts out of the bedsides.

Looking forward to their response.

 

I am new to this site and maybe in wrong thread ,but anyone have bed divider for sale ? I have 06 access cab.

 

Check out the buy / sell / trade area

 

Do you get any noise from the cover fluttering with your Access Limited? I have a Extang Express (basically the same type of cover) and I have been working at it for a month now trying to get rid of the vibration noise. I am trying to return the Extang and was wondering what a better option would be.

 

Fluttering is negligible or non-existent. Any flutter-related noise that might occur at higher speeds is lost in the pleasant drone of the TRD exhaust, wind streaming past the mirrors, Garbage 2.0 at volume setting 45...

Others' MMV.

 

Bought and installed an Access LE last week because of this thread and the amazing review of tsilliker back on pg2! The guys at www.truckalterations.com gave a wicked deal and shipped it quickly. Installation was easy (aside from stripping a screw), I get to use my large rail tiedowns, and it looks sick!

808nalu, the rolled up cover might be 6" high, if that. It doesn't impede vision out the back window, and only rests on the top rails of your bed under the window. Check out their site at www.agricover.com.

 

xtang trifecta, I hate buttons.

 

I bought a TonnoPro TriFold from this ebay seller. Reasonable price (I offered $250 and it was accepted) and I love the tri-fold design. I am very happy with it.


http://cgi.ebay.ca/2010-10-Tacoma-6-SB-TRI-FOLD-TonnoPro-Bed-Cover-/110569097369?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ATacoma&hash=item19be6e8899

 

Just purchased and installed the Truxedo Lo Pro QT from truck alterations. Think its one of the nicest covers I ever owned.

 

I've had a Truxedo Lo Pro on mine for over 5 years now. Still works perfectly, looks good and is tight as a drum. Highly recommended!!!

 

Forgive me I see this has been discused before but I am having a tough time making a choice on tonneau covers. I am torn between the access limited and the extang revolution. I would love to be able to keep the stock rails and use the cleats. The weather in western ny can be rough and I have concerns with the extream cold and snow. Any info as well as pictures would be great! Thanks!

 

Access limited is very easy to install plus you can still use factory rails. Use truckalterations in vendor list they were the cheapest i could find plus free shipping

 

Thanks Lou!

 

Just got mine and installed quite easy! Boy and I glad I listened to you guys! This is one nice cover! Thanks!

 

Has anyone ever used a tonneau cover from Downey Products? They are locally based for me, and was wondering. I heard pretty good things, but not sure if that's just the "homer" contingent.

http://downeyproductsnortheast.com/

 

HI ,

TOM F (and all) - I want to buy and install an "Access Limited" cover on my 2012 Taco 6' basic cab. I've had this cover in the past and did very much like them.

Two Questions - re: the large plastic tie downs in the tracks (oem) protrude slightly above the original height bed sides. Also, I beleive you need to "move out the rails" with spaces (in the cover kit).

- Do the OEM rack tie down in the rails clear the access cover? (i.e. you can close the tonneau cover with tie downs in the rails and it will not "poke" up the cover???)

- With the OEM rails spaced out for the cover - is it still good and strong and not wobbley???

Thanks!!