Fold-A-Cover Elite

I'm thinking of getting this one any toughts to guide me on my purchase?

http://www.steffensautomotive.com/products/covers/g4-elite/

Thank you in advance for any feedback, feel free to show me what you guys have too!!

 

I have the G4 on my 2011 DC Tacoma. I like it, works great.

 

I have one on my 2010 and I've been really happy with it. Works great. You will need a second person to help you install it. If you do it yourself it takes about 1 to 2 hours to do right.

 

Just ordered one from truckalterations.com two days ago. Hope the weather warms up above 70 soon so I can install it. Check out truckalterations Tacoma World page. They have it for a great price. It's by far the best price I could find.

http://www.truckalterations.com/html/tacomaworld.html

 

Thanks guys I was also looking at the undercover one also, the one that look like your black trim on the bumper, it seems good also.

Thanks for the link Prof, I'm in canada but I leve 15 km, thats 9 miles for you guys lol, from the border I get get it shipped there.

 

I just installed mine and found a few problems:
1.) There was a 1.75 inch/4.5cm gap between the tailgate and the last folding section. Stevens' fix was a 2 inch piece of flexible rubber weather stripping. They said it "will keep the honest honest." To be continued on item #3.
2.) The way they keep the tailgate secure is flimsy. It is a 5.5x2cm piece of metal, extending from the bottom-center of the last cover, that is supposed to engage a handle/hook that you would have to install into the inside of the tailgate. I removed this metal strip from the cover and didn't install the handle/hook. Instead, I have a dynolock automatic tailgate lock and it works great for securing the tailgate.
3.) I was very uncomfortable with the 1.75 inch gap between the tailgate and the last cover. I went to the DIY hardware store and bought a piece of angle aluminum that was 5cm x 153cm and cut, filed, and pop riveted it in place so it would be more difficult to break in to the back cover (similar in position and length to the piece of metal I removed from the last folding cover).
4.) You will need a 4cm piece of Rubber weather stripping to span the forward top truck bed. There is a big gap between the top-forward cover and the truck bed.

 

Pick a nice warm and sunny day. I'd have a buddy who is patient & handy with tools to help. It is important to get the rails lined up right, take your time. Get the top rails very clean so the tape sticks well. I'd get a tube or can of "anti-seize" so you don't booger up <strip> the internal threads on the aluminum parts. Just take a small paint brush or acid brush and swab the threads before you insert the fastener into the aluminum parts. Use short and small tools to avoid over-torquing fasteners. The seals are not perfect, I'd get a tube of black RTV so you can put some in the corners. A locking tailgate latch is a good idea.

Good Luck!

 

The fold-a-cover has 3 brackets that install in the rail on each side. I bought 2 sets of Toyota mini tie downs and installed them between the brackets on each side. The bracket by the tail gate does not block the rear of the rail, so it is still accessible. There's only about an inch between the top of the rail and the bottom of the cover, so I don't know if the large stock tie downs will work or not.

KI

 

I used the box my hitch came in to support the cover while I was lining the rails up. It worked great. It kept the rails from turning down on the inside until I got them marked. The only trouble I had was with the tape. It was 72*-74* when I installed it. The next day there were several gaps between the bed rails and the tape. After a day in the mid 80's it seems to have settled in and everything is sealed up. I bought new tape and adhesion promoter to re-do it but am going to wait and see what happens.

 

The large tie downs fit as well.

 

After reading many reviews and looking at all the pictures of their installs I oredered one.
Recieved it last Thursday and Installed it today.
I had a one piece like an Undercover and wanted a folding one that locks.
Well unlike most of the reviewers I am doing my own install.
And just like Tacoman82 I am appalled at the gaps front and rear of this cover when installed.
I am still in the process of finishing the install as it was 19 degrees this morning and got up to a high of 38 today.
I would think that with the cost of this cover Steffens Automotive could come up with a curved hard plastic to take up the gap between the front and the rear of this cover.
I am installing a 1" square aluminum tube with black caps at the end to close the square tubing off at the front of the bed. I tried the 1" square tube at the tailgate and I think I need to go down to a 3/4" square tube to take up the gap. Then I will use some rubber weather stripping on top of both of those tubes as well as the rubber flap that came with the unit.

I do like the accessibility of this cover. I just believe that Steffens Automotive could come up with a spacer to fit front and rear and add that into their product.
They could even charge another 30 - 50 dollars for them and it would be a much better designed cover.

I will post back when I finally get this cover installed and I am satisfied with the way it all fits and seals.


vince

 

Did you get the elite or the G4?, my G4 will be here tomorrow and now im worried about the fit.

 

I got the G4 Elite.

Great cover just needed the ends filled in to be a more complete kit.

vince

 

Vince, How did you mount the square filler tubes?

 

Stea,

I am drilling the tubing in 4 spots 1/8" on the side that goes against the front bed rail and a 1/2" on the top side to get the nut driver in. Then I am using self tapping hex headed screws into the top rail. But I predrilled the rail 1/8" to let the self tapping screws center on the holes I predrilled to keep them from wandering. Then I am using a 3/8" foam double tape seal on top to alow the door to sit on that seal as well as installing the provided flap seal on the door. I am hoping that this will be satisfactory in the rain. The foam tape seal will cover the holes on the top and if I ever have to remove are easily found through the tape.

I got the square tubing from a hardware store here in town and then got the square end plugs for the tubing to give a more finished look.

Vince

 

Could you post a pic or pm me a pic when the tubes are mounted and when your done? Just wondering how well it will hold with 4 screws. Is there a solid core for the screws to go into or will they just be holding on the outer cover of the panel?

 

Will post a picture and let you know how it comes out.
The Tube is sandwiched in between the door and the bed rail also, so there is no pressure to say on the tube to cause it to move as it is right behind the cab.

The tube I am mounting to the tailgate will have 7 screws and will be 3/4".

Vince

 

@05SilverTaco
just installed G4 on my 2012 reg cab. i also didn't expect or like the gap (mine was 1 1/18"). i like your thoughts on your fix. i was thinking of spraying plasti coat to the aluminum bar to kind of match my black tailgate cap. then put plastic caps to fill nut driver access hole. it may also help keep water out from getting inside the tailgate. then place foam padding on the underside of the cover. this may help the wearing out of the foam.

i would like to see a pic of what you do. thx.

 

Finished the install of my g4 elite today. Overall the panels, locks, side rails and brackets are engineered well. However, when they thought out the tail gate end and the front they must have had Dingus the janitor do it.

They supply a wide weatherstrip for the ends that is just cheap. The side that is to mount on the cover is only 1/4" wide. How the hell is is that small amount of adhesive going to hold. If they are going to cheap out the adhesive side of the moulding should be at least 1/2". I went to the local HD and got some 1/2" x 1/16" aluminum strapping and used it to sandwich the weatherstripping to the panel frame. Its pretty solid but for the cost of the cover the end caps front and back should have a lip that extends down about an inch.

On the up side it does look good.

 

I installed my G4 about 2.5yrs ago and is still holding up fine. I used superglue on the rubber strips since the 2 way tape did not work very well.