Uninstalling a OEM Tonneau Cover and Installing a Leer 180. Any tips?

Hey everyone,

Owner of a 2019 Tacoma TRD OR with a tonneau cover attached. Purchased a Leer 180 Topper from a Leer Dealer and having it installed in a couple of days by them. I have a couple of questions prior to installation to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible:

1. Seems like taking off the tonneau is going to be a piece of cake. Have new bed rail covers I’ll be installing once the cover is off. I have seen a couple of mentions on here about rubber plugs that are installed with the OEM tonneau cover. Are these something I should keep installed with the new bed rail caps to improve waterproofing with the topper?
2. What have tacoma owners done in the past prior to installing a new topper to ensure optimal waterproofing? My expectation is not a completely dry situation in there, but certainly a mostly dry one. Any tips?
3. Once installed, is there anything else that people have done? I’ve seen some waterproofing solutions that some have done with the tailgate to prevent dust and such and I’m planning on that. Anything else?
4. Are there any things you wish you had known prior to going through the process of installing one of these that you wish you had known prior with regards to uninstalling a tonneau and installing a brand new toper?

Thanks in advance for any help!

FYI — I live in Portland, OR and will be selling the OEM Tonneau with the cut bed rails.