Tailgate gap?

Those of you that have had a shell on for over a year or more, are you developing a minor gap towards the top half on either side of the tailgate? I got ATH bed stiffeners already after I noticed the small gap. My dad's tacoma doesn't have the same gap but he also doesn't have a shell. My shell has been on for about 8 or 9 months now. I know the taco bed is week and this is a know issue with shells and bed racks but should I expect this gap to keep growing have others experienced a small initial gap after the shell but its stops after that.
here is my bed gap:

 

i have bed stiffeners on my bed

 

I do now but I got them after I found this gap.im curious to know if people with caps and stiffener s have experienced the gap or the gap getting larger after the stiffeners.

 

Mine have spread like that but over 8 years. Cap went on. Couple days after it left the showroom.

Stiffeners are on my to-do list for sure.

 

So do you think it made your gap and then just stopped or did it take 8 years for the gap to get the size it is now?

 

Mine came with the shell and I added the braces. No gap yet and I carry loads on it. You’ll probably be ok now but if you want to close it up try unbolting the shell and brace on that side and put a come-along between the bed bolt on the right and latch hoop on the left and give it a few cranks.

 

I couldn't say. I never thought to look until I read about bed spread on this damn website.

Ignorance is bliss

 

true that haha. I probably would have gone 20 years with this truck and never noticed it if it weren't for this dame site

 

It’s been a problem since trucks began. It doesn’t happen to every truck but it could happen to any truck with a tail gate, all it takes is enough force in the wrong direction. I don’t know if ours are more prone or not than an all steel bed since those could get bent as well but at least we have something that helps now.

 

I had the same issue. The stiffeners helped a lot. The gap hasn’t gotten bigger since I put them in.

 

Careful with the come-along. Too much pressure and you can dimple the bedsides. Ask me how I know.