Tailgate to Quarter Panel Transition

New here, sorry if this has already been addressed.

Anyone else deal with this? I have a 2013 AC Tacoma with a Undercover Flex tonneau cover. With my cover closed, there is a gap between the tailgate and the cover. As far as i can tell, the gap is due to an uneven transition between the top of the tailgate and the quarter panel cap. The gap is so large that you can the release cord and if you try hard enough you can release it without opening the tailgate. I want to upgrade my tonneau cover so i've been looking at setups on other trucks to compare. What i've noticed is that this gap appears to be unique to 2nd gen Tacomas, at least from what i've seen so far. I drive a 3rd gen for work and this transition is seamless. My question is this: does anyone know if Toyota (or anyone else) makes a quarter panel cap that makes the transition seamless so i can eliminate this gap? I want to fix this issue before i invest in a new cover.

 

Oh yeah, it's a pretty documented problem here on TW. It happens because the flexible plastic bed and flimsy sheet metal bedsides bow outward when weight is put on the bedsides. I have a heavy canopy and it is happening pretty bad for me. Surprised that it's happening to you with just a tonneau cover.

A solution that many manufacturers make is a 'bed stiffnener'. I have ones that I bought here from ATH fab. But seriously 10+ other companies make all sorts of styles of them.

 

I think i may have not been specific enough. Are you referring to the vertical gap along the side of the tailgate? I'm talking about the horizontal gap along the top of the tailgate.

 

That’s just the design of the tailgate. It’s not equal to the height of the bedsides. Seems the manufacturer of the tonneau cover didn’t take that into account.

 

Are there manufacturers that do?

 

Same problem! Just got a trifold and have that problem with the tailgate... big gap!