Let's See Some Softoppers

Just put mine on and have noticed the same stuff, no matter how much I move the clamps etc it still does it.

 

Love it though

 

So you mean the black plastic part of the truck bed is being torque'd inward causing a gap? Just trying to picture that. I don't see that happening with mine. Maybe if you have pics of the sides and how yours are clamped? Only thing I can think is if the clamp is not fully seat up and in the utility channel. I noticed that it can try and grab before it full seats in their and causes more inward torquing. But thats a guess in that I am understanding your problem correctly as well.

 

sounds about right. I think it's torqueing inward, there's a gap on the outside of the bed. I'll get a picture and post it after work.

Edit. here's a pic I took before.

 

Has to be the clamping right? Definitely seems many different variables people have run into with the clamping. Between placement, angle and how much its torque'd down, i can see where you can have some discrepancies between our diff't installations. But, Im gonna check on mine again, who knows, I just might not have noticed it. --- But def check and look up in the channel, that clamp fitting is supposed to get all the way up into and sit flush to the top of the top inside in the channel. If it stop short, it will still tighten down but it will grab the edge and start pulling in toward the middle of the bed. At least I noticed that when installing mine.

 

How much torque should we be looking at for the clamps? I likely was overzealous with mine because I have the same problem. The topper base is pulled inwards which has lifted the black bedsides up.

 

Yes thats exactly what I'm talking about. I only had my soft topper about a week and I took it off to see if the black plastic would flatten back out and it doesnt..

Not a huge deal, just curious if anyone had a solution.

 

I never really cared when I had my softopper on. The trim pieces will go back normal once you remove the softopper though. Though, you may try removing the trim pieces, cleaning them with isopropyl and applying some 3M two-sided tape the underside of the trim near the outside edge. It may be strong enough to hold it place.

 

Afer re-looking mine is maybe coming up in the middle, by like a hair,,,but nothing I would notice with really really looking for it. And as for tightening,,,i tightened mine only enough to get the lock washer to flatten and then stopped right there.

 

Any one have dimensions of the soft topper rolled up? How much bed space does it take up? Wondering if dirtbike wheels will crush it when I tie it down

 

Two month wait and it's finally here!

 

Wow! I haven't noticed mine doing that. You didn't over-torque the fasteners did you? I ran the same topper on my second gen for years without that happening and I have it on my '19 now. I wonder if they changed the frame in recent years.

Also, have you checked the aluminum blocks to make sure they're sitting flush in your rail? If they're slightly bound it can cause aluminum base to roll inward.

 

There were no torque specs I could find so I don't know what proper/over/under torqued is

 

Well, I'd loosen that pig back up until my bed rail caps sit back flush and start from there. You may just need to loosen that kung fu grip.

 

I'm actually planning on doing that today, see how it does.

 

I'm gonna redo the installation, too. Wanna slide it aft and/or move the black clips at the rear a little bit forward. My rear panel flaps are kinda tilted up which is putting a lot of pressure on the magnets I'm using to keep the lip secured to the tailgate.

 

Well, I did a reinstall. it's all good until I get it set up and have the topper set up. it's like the downward pressure where the canopy attaches to the mount is torqueing it over

 

Does anyone know how much the short bed version weighs? The Softopper website only provides a range.

 

The FedEx label for my LB version said 34 lbs. That probably includes about 4 lbs of cardboard so I'd estimate it at 30 lbs. I don't know where they get their 14-30 lb estimate. I'd guess the SB version is 25 lbs or so.

 

Just got a short bed version for a 1st gen taco and the shipment weighed 34lbs