Review Fold a cover G4 elite

The same bolt/latch sytem is located on both first and last panel. The first panel near the cab also has a hinged side that is bolted to the rails.

 

I got my Fold-A-Cover G4 from Truck Alterations last week. Luke was great to deal with! It's a Christmas present for me so I'll be installing it next week.

For all Canadians... I highly recommend buying from Luke. I paid him $900 up front and then I didn't need to pay anything when the G4 arrived. The $900 included tax, shipping, and all boarder fees.

I'll let you know how the install goes.

Cheers.

 

Taco NB, take your time lining it up on the truck. Also, when you have it in place and the instructions say to put masking tape around the sides to mark the spot, make sure the tape is tight against the sides. Otherwise there will be too much gap.

 

What screwed my initial install was the fact that the cover when placed on the wind rails actually puts weight on them. This causes the windrails to tilt. So even though I butted up the rails right against the cover the end result was less than perfect. So if you have an extra hand to apply downward pressure on the rails while you mark them with tape, it would help. If you don't, keep this in mind and when your done marking, remove the cover and leave the rails up. Then take an accurate width measurement of your front and rear cover panels( the ones with the key lock and handle). Remember the panels do taper. Now with the rails still up, measure the inside width (rubber seal to rubber seal) closest to the cab and tailgate and see if your good. Don't forget to account for the 1/32-1/16 gap.

 

Thanks Gunga and backdraftpete!

I've read other threads where people have had trouble installing the rails. I will definitely measure the distance between them to make sure they are correct.

If the rails are the correct distance apart, is there some room for the cover to move a little left and right in case the rails are not exactly in the centre?

Cheers.

 

Yes but not much. Maybe 1/4"-3/8" either way. This is why you center the whole cover where you want it initialy. Just to be safe you could try only removing an half of tape on both ends of the rail and adhering it. Place the cover back on and do another dry fit test then remove. This is some serious 3M tape. you only get one shot. I know cause I had to remove mine.

 

I meant remove and expose 1/2- 1" of the tape on both ends. just a thought.

 

I installed the G4 Elite yesterday afternoon and it looks AMAZING!! I was really impressed with the fit and the hardware that is used. It's a very high quality American built product! The instructions were very easy to follow!

My wife helped me with the side rail installation. I now understand what you were saying about the side rails wanting to twist while the cover sits on it. Every time we would move it slightly, the rail would twist. I had my wife press down on the rail to hold it square while I marked it with tape and it worked out perfectly!!

I was also really impressed with the front and back weather seals. They fit very firmly.

The next thing I need to do is remove and reinstall each bolt one at at time with some Loctite to make sure they don't come loose over time.

Thanks for the help/suggestions!!

Cheers.

 

Nice! I would wait a bit on the loctite. Just make sure every thing is snug. On a sunny day make sure you lay in the bed and note if there is any visible sunlight. Thats where most of the water will come from if any. I realized later that the panel by the cab was latching correctly but from underneath there was still some sunlight so I had to drop the latching bolt down a pit so the panel would sit tighter against the seal. Also you might want to add some black caulk to the inside of the rails to account for the uneven surface. Did you go with a tailgat lock?

 

I haven't added a tailgate lock yet. I was going to put the lock that comes with it on my tailgate next week when I borrow my buddies rivet gun.

I will be caulking it in the spring.

Cheers.

 

I went with the pop n' lock so I didn't have to drill into the tailgate.
What are going to caulk?

 

There's little gaps between the tonneau rails and the bed rails that are caused by the pattern in the plastic on the bed rails. Water gets through the gaps and a little bit of silicone on the inside of the tonneau rails will prevent it from entering the box of the truck.

Pop n' lock sound like a good idea.

Cheers.

 

Could anyone summarize what additional measures are necessary to insure weather proof? Additional seals around the tailgate area, some caulking, and maybe a bed mat to help channel rain water under cargo contents? Are there other folding covers on the market that provide better weather proofing?

Additionally, does anyone have a good idea of load capacity on top of the cover? I know this seems unnecessary. But I noticed that the Bakflip is only intended to carry a distributed load of 200-300 lbs, which implies to me that the only thing one would need to do to break into your storage area is stand on it. Is the G4 elite more structurally sound? Extang's Solid Fold cover is apparently strong enough to support a 4 wheeler (though they recommend against it), and while the merit of this is not clear it does seem likely that it would be more secure.

Ultimately though I'm just looking to obtain a solid folding cover that is as weathertight and secure as possible.

 

I'd like anyone that owns this that lives in snowy climates to chime in. How does it hold up/function to ice and snow build up, especially at the hinges.

 

I got my Fold-A-Cover G4 from Truck Alterations also, yeaterday.
I took my time and had it installed in 5 hours (had lunch too).
As others have noted it can be a pain by one's self...
I'll post my feelings again after a few weeks.
By the way the service from Truck Alterations was fantastic!

Yuma Taco,

 

Does anyone know how this cover holds up in a car wash (especially the wind rails)? Also, the 09 models have the rear camera on the tailgate handle. I think that's where the pop n' lock is supposed to go. Has anyone installed the pop n' lock that has the camera?

 

I can't say for the fold
a cover, I would like to know that myself. I do have a 2009 with a popnlock for the back up camera. It replaces the whole handle and works great. O highly recomend it.

 

thanks, any recommendations on where to get it cheap?

 

Check out Luke's special pricing page at Truck Alterations.

http://www.truckalterations.com/html/tacomaworld.html

I just received my fold a cover lid from there, thanks Luke for the great service and prices! I plan to install it tomorrow, it arrived in less than a week, free shipping.
I also ordered the pop a lock from Luke for $47.00. He has the best prices I have found for the items he sells and is a TW member.

 

I'm interested in ordering the G4-Elite, but when i downloaded the installation guide to check it out Step 7 shows installing Footmans Loop, drilling holes, and using a rivet gun on the tailgate. No one has talked about that in any of the reviews.