Lid Lecture

By: Dan Sanchez

Tips on selecting the right tonneau for your truck.

Bed covers, or tonneaus as they are more commonly known, are great for protecting the items in your truck’s bed. They keep things from flying out on the freeway and can also provide some security. But not all tonneaus are made the same. As you may have noticed, there are various different kinds of tonneaus available, all of which have different advantages.

Soft Tonneaus

Soft Tonneaus is one of the least expensive bed covers you can purchase, and provides good protection against dirt, wind, water and sun. They can be mounted onto your truck in several different ways. Some attach themselves via a rail that is bolted onto the top of the bed. The Tonneau is then held in with snaps, Velcro or any other means, onto the rail. Bows are used between the sides of the bed to provide added support so the soft Tonneau doesn’t sag in the middle. These bows can easily be removed, as well as the soft tonneau. Some soft tonneaus are built into a frame that sits over the bed rails. It provides the look of a soft cover but the functionality of a hard tonneau.

Hard Tonneaus

These bed covers are usually manufactured from fiberglass and painted to match the color of the truck. Hard tonneaus can sit over the Bed Rails or can be designed to mount flush between the rails. The differences are that many show truck builders prefer the smooth look of a flush-mount tonneau, while the more practical truck owner likes the convenience and protection offered by Tonneau that sits on the bed rails.

Hard tonneaus also mount differently. They may all use gas filled shocks to help open the Tonneau as the fiberglass tends to be heavy. However, the hinges used are now being updated to provide easy installation and removal when necessary. The typical hinge mount systems required drilling flat hinges at the front of the bed. Shock mounts were also drilled into the sides of the Bed Rails and careful measurements had to be made to ensure that it was done right the first time.

New designs allows hinges and shock mounts to be clamped onto the bed rails, providing much easier installation and eliminating drilling holes into your bed. Other designs allow the Tonneau to be opened from the sides or in sections to allow freedom of use.

Retractable Tonneaus

Some Tonneau covers are built into a frame, allowing them to slide open and retract. Many of these are made from heavy-duty vinyl and have a locking mechanism to prevent theft. Some retractable tonneaus can be operated electronically with a push of a dash mounted button or remote control.

Each type of Tonneau has different advantages and your selection should be based on what you are looking for and the overall function of your truck. Keep in mind that some Tonneau manufacturers include the price of paint matching while others will require that you take your Tonneau to your own painter. Locking mechanisms also vary from different manufacturers and you should check to see which ones have high-quality locks and which ones require drilling.

This is an example of a soft tonneau that is hinged like a hard tonneau.

Some soft tonneaus use a snap system on a frame that bolts to the bed rails.

Some hard tonneaus are even available for early model trucks.

The latest technology in tonneaus are hidden hinges that clamp to the underside of the bed.