DiamondBack Covers | Modifications

Hi, @orion808. Curious to see your current setup with the Diamondback cover, particularly what rtt you’re using, if any. Got any recent pics? I don’t see too many setups like ours where they only use the crossbars on the center and rear panels of the DB cover. I also wonder if any have tried it with the Uptop Overland bedrack system instead of the Front Runner rack.

 

Here are a few pictures. I've added some things to the roof, but they don't affect the RTT. I have the Roam Vagabond Lite (https://www.roamadventureco.com/products/vagabond-lite?variant=32170793894023). I needed something smaller since I wanted to still use the front DB hatch. I'll be posting up some more pics anyways in a week or two after two separate camping trips.

How it sits now, but not open...
I have a 6.5' awning on the driver's side and a shower tent/awning over the passenger rear door. I'm waiting (patiently) on Cyber Monday for a sale on the awning room.


In the summer, I got a lift and slightly larger tires and raised the cross rails a little as well with new brackets. I'm also only sporting two cross rails.

Back in early Jan...
I still had the 3rd rack on the front hatch. Notice how low the tent sits vs above.


Late Jan on a different trip, but same location and trying out a different rear awning instead of a hammock rainfly...

 

Nice setup! Glad to see someone else enjoying being able to still use front cover panel on the DB cover. I’ll wait till you’re ready to show the current setup all deployed at camp.

 

Some quick photos from this weekend. I went down to Tampa (Skyway Beach) and camped on the way there (Potts Preserve) and the way back (Hillsborough River State Park). I didn't end up attaching a rainfly/awning to the rear. It also rained on night two so I aired out after I got home.

 

Thanks for sharing the base camp setup pictures. It’s looking dialed in. Having the rtt offset toward the rear let’s you open the window awning nearest to the cab. The roof rack awning set up on the same side the rtt opens up to sort of creates a 180* awning together.

 

Yeah, the RTT is on the smaller side, so it can only handle lighter rain and still stay dry underneath. I was using the loft under it to dry my towel. Worked well even with the rain/humidity. I figure one side of the truck is the camp and the other is for privacy (shower/changing/toilet).

 

Got it installed today with the yakima outpost hd system for my kayak.
The boat just clears the cab with the big catch saddles.

 

How do you keep stuff organized underneath your DiamondBack cover?

Got some Nomad Fox boxes and Step 22 pouches/bags at GTFO on Sunday. I liked that the bins were available in tan (“Sand”) and the pouches/bags were available in a black/red/tan colorway. All that got me super motivated to do some Spring cleaning with the Taco (it’s SoCal weather, so it feels like Springtime). So… I de-cluttered & organized the bed space and cab space this past Sunday & Monday.


Bins on the sides with recovery gear up the middle helps to:
1. keep everything in place,
2. slide stuff in and out easily enough without one thing impeding another much or at all,
3. distribute the weight evenly enough,
4. allow for more frequently used gear to be accessible via tailgate or the front panel of the DB cover
5. let me have more satisfaction, peace and joy with this rig.


No more random fast food restaurant napkins stuffed in the center console! Yay!

…but still need to put them ketchup packets away. Darn.


CS Barong Machete… because blade
culture is in my Filipino blood.


This little guy has its work cut out for him.

Wifey tends to leave trash in this little cubby. Got ‘er covered now.

Doggy is set.

Thanks to Kurt at GTFO for being so chill and helpful to the point of letting me do some of the de-cluttering & organizing underneath their canopy while it sprinkled a little bit.

Oh, and bins can be stacked while still fitting underneath the DB cover. Party on! Party!!

 

Did you rotate your locking bars to give yourself more room under, or did I install mine wrong? I feel like they hang down more than yours do.

 

Hi, @orion808. I may have rotated the locking rods a bit, but not by much. They should still be close to whatever the manual shows. I actually think I’ve seen some others who’s setups are even placing the locking rods higher up and possibly tucked into one of the cavities underneath the DB cover. I think they either bent them to reform the shape/angles of the rods so that they provide more clearance and can still be used to lock the rear cover or DiamondBack started to provide different shaped locking rods to provide more clearance underneath their covers.

 

Picked up a used DB cover today from another forum member!
Came with a tool bin that may be a little large for what i want but pretty cool!
Need to read through this thread to get some ideas for what i want to do

Thinking about:
Cleat delete
Cleat replacement (L-tracks?)
Bike mounts
Drawer system
Smaller bin or different storage
Kind of like that small headache rack but need to see one
*TYIA if any suggestions

Here are some pictures!

 

I have some @Nimble9 Square One Creations bike mounts. Those are awesome.

 

Things got a little more festive. Put on some Christmas lights from Home Depot on the DiamondBack cover. That’s one of the things the cleats are useful for.

 

Yup, that’s exactly what I do too

 

DiamondBack Ready for Christmas.

 

Just a friendly reminder for all the northern diamondback owners to apply a nice layer of silicone to your gaskets… It’s already that time of year!

 

I may have missed it but any solutions for this gap?
Getting water leaking in from this gap, thought about cutting up an old "sham wow" towel i have or getting some kind of weather stripping and jamming it in there

 

There's a rubber gasket from the OEM cover that you can install to seal the gap.

 

I used butyl tape for those corners.

 

I ordered this to try since the OEM gasket you have to pull caps and cut them (or buy pre-cut)
The tape is worth a shot first