Find the Perfect Ford F-150 Tonneau Cover at Gexhaust.com
The first time I slammed a tonneau disguise shut on a Ford F-a hundred and fifty, the proprietor grinned and referred to, “That’s the sound of stuff staying dry.” He wasn’t improper. A good mattress quilt turns your pickup into a extra positive, more maintain, and more advantageous-looking out device. If you’re searching for a Ford F-a hundred and fifty tonneau cowl, Gexhaust.com is a strong area to start. The selection is vast, the fitment resources are effortless, and you'll suit a duvet to how you as a matter of fact use your truck in place of settling for whatsoever is sitting on a significant-box shelf.
I’ve installed covers in driveway gravel and in fresh save bays, on trucks that tow every weekend and on rigs that mostly run to the house save. The accurate resolution relies on bed duration, weather, how as a rule you load tall cargo, and even if you care extra about safety or speed. Let’s stroll simply by the chances, trade-offs, and some lessons discovered the arduous means.
What a tonneau cover if truth be told does for an F-150
When men and women say they choose a Ford pickup tonneau duvet, they regularly imply a blend of four issues: weather safe practices, safety, effectivity, and fashion. I’ve watched a tender conceal shop a mattress complete of drywall compound in the time of a squall line over I-95, and I’ve considered an aluminum panel shrug off a pile of firewood a few weekend warrior tossed in with out asking. There’s also a measurable bump in highway mpg whenever you near the bed. On past due-brand F-150s, a cowl can add approximately 5 to 10 % on consistent road drives. Your range will differ with speed, tire size, and whether you’re hauling a ladder rack, but the drag aid is true.
Security is greater nuanced. A locking tonneau disguise paired with a locking tailgate supplies you an enclosed, out-of-sight cargo neighborhood. That discourages opportunistic robbery. A decided thief with methods is another story, however a properly-outfitted F-150 onerous tonneau cowl makes your mattress approximately as riskless as an SUV cargo field. With a soft roll-up tonneau, you change a bit of protection for lighter weight and lessen money. Know your parking concern and want accordingly.
Finally, a neatly-selected F-150 bed canopy actually cleans up the truck’s strains. Whether your truck is a workhorse XL or a Platinum with polished wheels, the accurate quilt looks as if it belongs there.
Fitment basics: mattress lengths, form years, and thoughts that matter
Before you upload some thing for your cart at Gexhaust.com, degree your mattress. Ford generally gives the F-150 in 3 lengths: a short five.5-foot mattress, a 6.five-foot commonly used bed, and an 8-foot long bed. A tape measure from the internal of the bulkhead to the within of the tailgate does the trick. Model year subjects on the grounds that rail geometry, stake pocket places, and tailgate profiles trade at some point of generations. If you have a Pro Power Onboard inverter or a manufacturing facility bedliner, word that too. Most state-of-the-art covers account for spray-in liners, but drop-in liners at times need trimming at the entrance rail. If your truck has a bed application package with tie-downs or a BoxLink method, take a look at the product notes. Gexhaust’s fitment filters assist slim this down fast.
If you tow a fifth-wheel or deliver a vast toolbox, look at low-profile folding tonneau quilt treatments that give up on the bulkhead or programs that combine with software chests. Some covers permit complete bed access devoid of removing hardware, although others tonneau cover near me eat an inch or two of vertical area. It sounds small till you’re looking to slide a fridge less than a collection of crossbars.
The main kinds that can be purchased, and the way they consider in day by day use
When you browse Tonneau Covers on the market, the selections tend to fall right into a handful of classes. Each taste has a persona. Here’s how they shake out after years of installs and purchaser callbacks.
Soft roll-up tonneau duvet: This is the lightest, handiest direction to masking your mattress. A Ford F-150 mushy duvet in roll-up type mounts along the pinnacle rails, then seals with Velcro or a tensioned song. Opening takes seconds, and the entire unit most commonly weighs 25 to 35 pounds. It’s the easiest sort to get rid of ahead of a colossal weekend challenge. In heavy rain, a superb delicate cowl stays tight and sheds water; in a blizzard, you’ll favor to brush snow off sooner than it provides weight and stretches the material. Vinyl tonneau duvet fabrics have increased over time, resisting UV fade a ways more beneficial than the truxedo tonneau ancient chalky tarps. If you park in sizzling sunlight each day, search for marine-grade vinyl with a heavier denier ranking and inner crossbars to resist flutter.
Tri-fold and folding tonneau hide: The Ford F-150 onerous canopy market is dominated by means of folding models, in general tri-fold. Panels hinge forward and stack behind the Toyota pickup bed cover cab if you happen to need mattress entry. They’re speedier to open than roll-americaand more stable. Aluminum tonneau quilt panels with a polymer epidermis strike a wonderful balance: good enough to face on in a pinch, faded enough to install solo if you’re careful. I once hooked up a hard and fast on a chum’s 6.five-foot bed in lower than an hour, inclusive of espresso breaks and a mobilephone call about a misplaced clamp that turned out to be sitting at the spare tire. Watch for covers that permit partial-fold using with built-in prop rods should you raise tall cargo from time to time.
Retractable tonneau cowl: Think of this as a rolling storage door in a canister close the cab. A Ram retractable conceal on a assorted truck inspired me with one-passed operation and a sparkling, low profile. On an F-150, retractables paintings fantastically once you choose popular, instant access devoid of lifting panels. The change-off is a lack of a foot or so of front bed flooring in which the canister sits. If you haul complete-period drywall sheets or a number of filth motorcycles, degree twice. High-quit retractables be offering lockable stops along the rails, which supports while you would like to shut the quilt in opposition to a tall merchandise like a toolbox.
One-piece tonneau hide: Fiberglass tonneau cover designs nevertheless have a faithful following. These lift as a single lid, regularly with fuel struts, and paint-fit to the truck. The seem to be is slick and seamless. They’re the such a lot protected in opposition t casual tampering and incessantly seal tightly opposed to weather. The drawbacks are weight, rate, and the desire for vertical clearance to open. They additionally reduce you once you most commonly carry tall shipment. I advise those for people who prioritize kind and protection over flexibility, especially on showy builds or trucks that in most cases reside on pavement.
Hybrid and uniqueness: You’ll discover aluminum and composite folding covers that might be driven in part open at road speeds, roll-americawith incorporated crossbars for pale hundreds, or even powered retractables tied to key fobs. They payment extra, however for some house owners, the day after day comfort earns every dollar.
Weatherproofing and water control with no the hype
I get asked many times whether or not a waterproof tonneau cover exists. The quick answer: no duvet makes a pickup bed a submarine, but a respectable one continues gear dry in ninety nine percent of precise climate. The precise trick is water management. Look heavily at duvet rails. The the best option approaches combine gutters and channels to path water along the edges and out as a result of drain tubes close the tailgate or bulkhead. On a retrac, you’ll customarily path drain traces by way of factory grommets. On a folding unit, a compressible seal at the bulkhead and tailgate stops capillary leaks.
If your F-a hundred and fifty has a bedliner with a lip that curls over the rail, verify clamp compatibility. Leak proceedings ceaselessly hint again to clamps which will’t chew cleanly by way of a liner lip, which keeps the rail from seating. One extra detail: tailgate caps with ridges can create a tiny hole that drips for the duration of a downpour. A basic foam shim on the bottom of the quilt’s rear seal primarily solves it.
Security, payload, and reality checks
Hard covers with inner latches shield in opposition t swift grabs when you park at a trailhead or jobsite. A locking tonneau cover that ties into the tailgate lock method you could possibly keep instrument bags, baggage, or a digital camera case with self belief. I’ve ridden shotgun while a contractor hopped right into a hardware keep, leaving hundreds in resources underneath an aluminum tri-fold. He not at all involved approximately it, however he did exchange the gasoline struts on his one-piece quilt every 4 years when they drained out.
A word on payload: a cover weighs at any place from 25 pounds for a cushy roll-up to around eighty kilos for a tri-fold and a hundred to a hundred thirty kilos for a fiberglass one-piece. Add a rack or crossbars and you possibly can approach a hundred and eighty pounds earlier than shipment. The F-one hundred fifty has a whole lot of payload in so much trims, yet once you tow a heavy trailer with 1,000 kilos of tongue weight, each and every delivered pound behind the axle issues. Keep weight in brain whenever you’re already with reference to limits with relations, instruments, and hitch weight.
Daily usability: how almost always you open the mattress matters
If you load tall pieces once every week or greater, a folding tonneau disguise is your friend. If you not often haul the rest taller than a cooler, a one-piece or retractable kind seems tidy and stays out of the means. Roll-ups cut up the big difference: good get right of entry to and minimum obstruction, with the material package deal sitting on the cab. On lengthy street trips, I’ve preferred the method a tri-fold is also opened two panels again to snatch a duffel with no exposing the whole bed.
One truth I proportion with new house owners: any hide differences the way you p.c. the bed. You start off thinking in layers, sliding totes in first, lighter gear on appropriate, and heavy gifts towards the cab. Plan on a mattress mat for grip in the event you run a rough hide, considering soft beds permit cargo slide beneath braking. A $100 rubber mat saves plenty of crawling.
Shopping at Gexhaust.com: making gear and tech work for you
The only direction is to enter your truck’s year, bed period, and trim into the site’s vehicle selector. From there, filter by means of class: Hard tonneau hide, Soft tonneau disguise, Roll-up tonneau duvet, Folding tonneau duvet, Retractable tonneau duvet, Tri-fold tonneau duvet, and One-piece tonneau hide. Scan product photos conscientiously for rail profiles and latch versions. I desire interior-cab latches on tri-folds that could be reached from both side. On retractables, payment how a good deal mattress house the canister occupies and even if the rails take a seat above or in the bed caps.
Read the installation notes. Look for mentions of drill-unfastened clamps, compatibility with bed lights, and regardless of whether stake pockets remain usable. If you’re operating a bed rack or consider you possibly can upload one, fee for T-slot rails on the quilt. That permits you to mount crossbars for motorcycles or kayaks above a weatherproof shipment house.
Brand-agnostic tuition from other trucks
Even if you’re here for a Ford F-150 tonneau cover, it enables to peer patterns throughout structures. On a Chevy Silverado tonneau canopy, I’ve seen identical clamp placements and tailgate seals to Ford. The GMC Sierra mattress duvet industry mirrors Silverado truck bed conceal options, though some Sierra trims get different bed caps that swap clamp chew factors. On mid-size trucks like a Chevy Colorado tonneau duvet or GMC Canyon bed canopy, curb bed rail top occasionally influences how a good deal the cover sits above the cab line, that you notice in crosswinds. A Colorado folding cowl almost always weighs less, however the hardware first-rate determines flutter.
Toyota Tacoma tonneau duvet clients care deeply approximately bed part rail systems. Tacomas ordinarilly incorporate adjustable cleats. The most interesting Tacoma mattress duvet possibilities integrate with those rails in place of forcing you to remove them. Likewise, a Toyota Tundra tonneau quilt must account for substantial mattress dimensions and usually a deck rail method. A Tundra truck bed hide with cast water channels makes a big difference in heavy Pacific Northwest rain. On equally, a Tacoma rough tonneau cowl or Tundra gentle cover every has its area, relying on terrain and robbery threat. For older Toyota pickup mattress disguise necessities, affirm square as opposed to rounded mattress caps, otherwise you’ll struggle fitment.
Ram homeowners examine their very own gospel. A Ram 1500 tonneau cowl characteristically desires to paintings with the feasible mattress application rails and tailgate support. The Dodge Ram bed duvet market is crowded with each tight funds and top class preferences. A Ram 2500 tonneau canopy can benefit from heavier hardware, due to the Toyota Tacoma tonneau cover fact that %%!%%4846c704-0.33-4139-9cc8-6291f9354a94%%!%%/4-ton trip motions are sharper whilst unloaded. For a Ram truck mattress cowl on a work rig, a Ram 1500 hard hide with potent panel joints resists flex. A Dodge Ram mushy canopy continues to be a tight name for a quad cab that repeatedly hauls tenting gear. If you’re tempted by way of a powered Ram retractable conceal, be sincere about wintry weather ice. Some powered sets warfare if tracks aren’t cleared after freezing rain.
The rationale to mention all this: a enterprise that builds a terrific Sierra mushy tonneau hide or a Silverado arduous cover quite often brings the similar strengths to the F-a hundred and fifty application. At Gexhaust.com, you’ll see those move-platform reputations pondered in reviews and specifications.
Materials and longevity: aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass, and the hardware that matters
Vinyl covers have come a long means. A first-rate vinyl tonneau cowl now resists UV, stays bendy in chilly climate, and cleans up with mild cleaning soap. Still, vinyl a long time turbo in wasteland sunlight, and in case you drag lumber throughout it, you’ll gouge it. Aluminum panel covers are the workbench of the class. They shrug off hail, care for loaded roof racks while paired with T-slots, and save structure over years of temperature cycles. Fiberglass is the king of modern, paint-matched taste, and the stiffness is unequalled, however the weight and hinge load imply you must finances for periodic gas strut replacement.
What laborers fail to spot is hardware. Stainless clamps, coated hinge pins, and EPDM seals set aside the covers which are nonetheless tight 5 retrax covers years later. Look at corner cap design, too. Rounded caps journey cleaner in crosswinds and are much less susceptible to whistling. If you hear wind noise after deploy, test evenness of the area rails and measure the clamp spacing. Nine instances out of ten, noise ability a rail is somewhat twisted.
Real-international deploy notes from the store and the driveway
Most current covers mount drill-free by means of clamps. A trouble-free F-150 tri-fold is going on in 30 to 60 minutes. A retractable unit with canister and drain tubes may take two hours. A one-piece fiberglass duvet wants two humans and patience. The trick with any installation is alignment formerly tightening. Dry-suit the rails, shut the canopy, and ensure that gaps are even on the tailgate. If the latch hangs up, it pretty much method the rails are pinched inboard through an 8th of an inch.
If your truck has a bedliner, loosen the lining’s entrance edge to tuck the bulkhead seal in the back of it for stronger water management. On older vehicles with barely bowed bedsides from years of hauling, add a thin foam shim lower than low spots so the seal remains regular. And stay a smooth rag on hand. Grit among a clamp and painted mattress cap scratches turbo than you’d believe.
Living with a conceal as a result of seasons
Winter exposes shortcuts. Ice bureaucracy alongside seals, and a heavy, wet snow load tests panel capability. Brush snow off gently with a foam instrument, no longer a stiff scraper. In freezing rain, tap alongside the rails formerly forcing latches. For spring mud, a retractable’s drain tubes avoid sludge out of the mattress for those who park on an incline. In summer season, a black vinyl quilt can hit scorching temperatures in direct sunlight. Crack the quilt open for a minute earlier grabbing steel latches. A brief wipe with UV protectant each and every month or two retains surfaces supple.
After hurricane-season deluges within the southeast, I’ve inspected beds that stayed practically dry except for a tablespoon of water close the tailgate. A new pass-seal solved that. The owners who had the fewest themes had been the ones who washed their seals every so often and checked clamp torque two times a 12 months. Two mins with a 10 mm socket saves hours of chasing squeaks.
When a disguise will become portion of an even bigger system
Truck humans hardly give up at one accent. If you plan to feature a mattress rack, rooftop tent, or bike vendors, prioritize covers with built-in T-slots or suitable part rails. I’ve built rigs where a folding cowl sits underneath a low rack, letting the owner lock tools underneath and hold kayaks above. On a Super Duty truck mattress disguise, which includes F-250 and F-350 rigs, the burden ability and rail stiffness topic extra simply because householders in many instances run heavy accessories. The common sense extends to the F-one hundred fifty. Treat the canopy as the inspiration of a modular setup.
If you tow and want bed access around a fifth-wheel hitch, a tri-fold that flips fully forward and props up against the cab is more suitable than a retractable with a hard and fast canister. If you’re by way of mattress-mounted toolboxes, measure heights to ascertain the canopy clears latches and lids. Some covers are toolbox-exact, with shorter front-to-lower back dimensions that finish on the field.
Price, price, and whilst it can pay to spend more
Soft roll-ups stay the price range champs. They disguise the burden, fortify mpg, and appearance blank for a number of hundred dollars. Folding not easy covers sit down in the center of the worth unfold and bring the premiere versatility in keeping with dollar. Retractable and one-piece fiberglass covers occupy the top degrees, and their importance displays up in convenience and aesthetics.
What I tell buddies is easy: buy once, cry once if you recognise your use case. If your truck hauls relatives bags, weekend apparatus, and the occasional dwelling house store run, a mid-differ tri-fold will sense like a wise purchase for years. If you fee the only-exceeded drift of a retractable or the paint-matched appear of a fiberglass one-piece, you’ll smile whenever you close up it. If your finances is tight, a nicely-made cushy canopy beats no quilt, distinctly for holding cargo and chopping drag on long drives.
A short comparison picture earlier than you decide
- Soft roll-up: faded, budget friendly, quick to eradicate, respectable weather resistance, average protection.
- Tri-fold exhausting: good, nontoxic, instant entry, partial-open using, heavier than cushy covers.
- Retractable: slick operation, lockable at durations, low profile, canister eats front mattress space.
- One-piece fiberglass: optimal paint-matched glance and defense, heavy, constrained tall-cargo flexibility.
- Hybrid aluminum/composite: balances weight and capability, ordinarily involves T-slot rails for racks.
Beyond the F-one hundred fifty: the same smart strategy applies
Even in case your driveway holds multiple truck, the comparable decision procedure travels. A Ranger bed canopy behaves like a shrunken F-one hundred fifty setup, with comparable offerings in Ford Ranger tonneau disguise patterns. Owners of large rigs delight in how a Super Duty truck mattress disguise interacts with stake pockets and heavy-obligation tie-down facets, but the basics don’t switch. For GM vehicles, whether you retailer a GMC Sierra mattress cover or a Silverado truck bed cover, concentrate on mattress rail geometry and accessory compatibility. If you break up time with a mid-dimension like a Colorado folding canopy or a Canyon setup, recall that lighter hardware can flex greater on corrugated grime roads.
It’s not unusual to peer blended-driveway households. I’ve installed a Ram 1500 demanding canopy for the circle of relatives hauler and a Dodge Ram mushy cover on the fishing truck that solely runs to the lake. I’ve extra a Toyota Tacoma tonneau canopy the place the owner wished lockable storage for trail tools, and a Toyota Tundra tonneau canopy for a contractor who had to retailer stock dry among process sites. Across the board, the desirable cover made the truck more convenient to live with.
Ordering and installation with confidence
Gexhaust.com retains it undeniable. Use the auto selector, decide on your model, and study due to the product details and evaluations that in shape your generation. If you’re waffling among two fashions, seek for install PDFs related on the web page. A quickly skim exhibits regardless of whether clamps are interior or higher mount, whether or not drain tubes are blanketed, and how the latches modify. Those small transformations became enormous conveniences on day 200, now not just day one.
On birth, examine the box corners for overwhelm destroy formerly you sign. If every part appears to be like easy, unbox on a blanket to shield paint and vinyl. Lay out hardware, tally the clamps, and dry-are compatible rails sooner than tightening whatever. If you hit a snag, so much producers have sturdy mobilephone assist, and Gexhaust can lend a hand with phase compatibility questions.
The payoff you detect on mile one
The first road run after setting up a duvet feels one of a kind. Wind noise dips, the truck tracks with a bit extra calm, and also you cease glancing in the reflect to see if a tarp strap allow cross. At the grocery retailer, you toss baggage in the mattress and lock the tailgate with no pondering. At the jobsite, you close the canopy, and your methods are out of sight. Those every single day little wins justify the time you spent opting for a Ford F-a hundred and fifty tonneau cowl that suits the method you figure and commute.
Whether you lean closer to a tri-fold that swallows per week’s value of camping out gear, a retractable that glides shut with one hand, or a graceful one-piece that fits your paint, the correct quilt turns an exceptional truck into a adapted one. Start with mattress period and the way you operate the truck, go with the kind that suits your pursuits, and permit Gexhaust.com’s catalog book you to a really perfect are compatible. When you listen that assured click as the latch engages and the rain starts to fall, you’ll know you bought it right.