Anyone with 6ft beds--need some Tonneau advice

Well, after I clicked on this link provided in an earlier reply...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/lomax-hard-tri-fold-tonneau.607175/page-2

...I really became sold on the Lomax, especially after viewing a video that was in that thread. Will still look into some of the other brands--including the OEM but leaning towards the Lomax. We'll see.

 

Bakflip..Had one on my Frontier, now one on my 6' bed Taco.

100% bed access with out removing it. Works well for me.

 

Pretty much 0 tweaking, just make sure the cover is square to the box before tightening and your done. I think it took 3 minutes including carrying it into the bed to put it back on last time I took it off.

 

Been running a Lomax trifold for 4+ years easy on easy off very durable have had hail damage and a tree fall on it no issues but a few small dents. Lays flat with the top of the bed gets minimal water leaks(don’t let anyone kid you they all leak except for brands like the diamondback). Installs with existing bed rails plus get a discount with one of the dealers on this websight. Biggest selling point is it folds up onto itself so you can leave it on folded up and use around 85% of your bed or pop it off in about 1 minute and get 100% usage out of your bed.

 

I have a Bakflip mx4 on my 2017 long bed. I had to replace the first opening rail that the plastic cracked. Only other complaint is that it scratches easily.

 

I went with the Diamondback HD on my access cab. I have already used it to haul heavy stuff on the back such as 500 pounds of stuff on a pallet and motorcycles, and it works awesome! It can carry up to 1600lbs such as two quads side by side. Plus I go camping with a bed tent and just remove the first panel and that way the rest of the cover can support the fridge and lights plus gives me a place to sit, and also keeps it warmer at night since it's a smaller space underneath. It was one of the first things I bought so the image doesn't show the sliders, new bumpers, etc.

 

I've been very happy with the Bakflip MX4. I removed it when I sold my 18 SR5 Access Cab and reinstalled on my new truck, 23 TRD OR Access Cab.

 

Extang Solid Fold 2.0. Rarely use it except for road trips where I want tools out of sight and hidden. Bit heavy and awkward to put in place but after a few rounds it's pretty simple. It does leak in a good rain so I keep stuff in totes if there's going to be a heavy rain.

 

I have a truxedo lo pro. Had this one for 2 years with no problems. It rolls up out of the way when not needed. When it rains some water will get into the bed. Had the same one on my last truck for 7 years.

 

Undercover flex

 

FYI, You cant purchase an oem new, only used takeoffs. Toyota only sold them on new orders as option. Plus they are junk. Got rid of mine and went with Bakflip MX4.

 

Another vote for the MX4. Got the truck new in November 2020. Put the cover on in December 2020. It is interesting that the one panel doesn’t have latches on it like the other 3 panels.

 

All the tonneau covers have compromises here and there. Just need to find one that approaches your needs the closest. I've been running the Extang Encore for two years. Initial experience here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/goto/post?id=22364862#post-22364862
https://www.tacomaworld.com/goto/post?id=22366091#post-22366091



Pros:
Lightest hard tonneau on the market based on my research. My 6' cover is 10-20 lb lighter than some of the 5' covers discussed in this thread.
Doesn't reduce internal height. Accommodates 20L plastic Sceptre cans upright.
Opens in the front or back.
Can be removed in seconds without tools (rails stay in place). Taking the tonneau on and off repeatedly doesn't cause any position shift.
Slam latches front and rear are easy to use in the dark.

Cons:
Mounting rails can shift backwards with vibration off-road. I resolved it completely with a couple of L-brackets modified from a hardware store purchase.
Mounting rails are thin and got damaged during shipping. I emailed Extang with photos and they sent me replacement rails the following day.
The latch beam disbonded a bit from the rear panel after a month, but hasn't gotten worse and still works fine.
Minor leaks in the worst of rain. However, there's no preload squeezing the seals to the bedrails, so there's a lot of leakage against the pressurized water jets of a car wash.
Cannot fold up against the back of the cab. If you need the full bed, you have to remove the tonneau (though it takes just seconds).
The rear panel latch uses an exposed pull cord, which is susceptible to coat hanger attacks. I fabbed up two blocking plates to make this more difficult for thieves.

 

Nice looking truck--thanks for this info.

 

I did a vinyl roll up from Amazon - Tiger brand. 2 Years later still good! Mostly waterproof, but not 100%. Does a good job keeping my stuff secured in the back, hard to beat for the price ($200-300).

 

I have a diamond back cover on a DCLB. I love it. I can haul lumber, I just poke it over the raised tailgate, then pull the tonneau cover down with a ratchet strap hooked on the underside of the cover. The cover is pretty easy to install with just a few wrenches and Allen keys. It’s dry, very secure. The fact that it opens from two ends is great, you don’t have to crawl to retrieve things.

 

Yes, the Diamondback covers seem like they could last as long as you have the truck. Interesting to hear they are easy to install.

 

The factory version is heavy, mine is very water resistant, but not waterproof. It requires some factory hardware and rails (or trimming), but mine was delivered with it, so I don’t know the cost. It is fairly secure with a locking tailgate. I think it will last a long time, and look good with an occasional application of 303.

 

I have/had the vinyl rolling truxedo tonneau cover and never had any issues with it. It didn’t let any more water into the bed than I get with my canopy so it’s been pretty waterproof even in the rain and snow. Would be willing to part with it if anybody local to the PNW is interested, it’s in great shape as it was only on for a couple thousand miles before I swapped it for a canopy.

 

Nice set up. What mounts are you using on the rails?