An informational guide to the benefits of Truck Tonneau Covers
Putting a tonneau cover on your vehicle is one of the best
upgrades you can add to your pickup. This informational guide
explains the benefits that tonneau covers provide.
If you've got a truck, adding a tonneau cover to your bed is an
absolute must. Not only are tonneaus useful in any situation,
they provide loads of essential benefits, including:
* Organized storage for whatever you're hauling in your truck
bed, plus the bonus of keeping a lid on loose items
* Coverage from potentially damaging weather conditions, like
rain, snow and extreme sun
* Complete coverage of your payload that keeps your cargo out of
sight from potential theft
* An immediate improvement in gas mileage with tight,
aerodynamic materials covering your otherwise drag-prone open
bed
* Sleek looks that range from smooth leather grain patterns to
ultra-custom color matched style
Tonneau Cover Storage Basics
You haul everything from hardware to the occasional load of
groceries in the back of your truck. A tonneau cover helps keep
a lid on all of it, shielding your cargo from the blowing winds
of freeway driving and all kinds of pounding wet weather. It's
an easy way to make sure nothing disappears from your bed while
you're driving or parked.
A guide to protecting your gear from the weather with a
tonneau cover
Even simple cover over your gear can help prevent weather
damage. Tonneau covers take
protection a few steps further though, with some ingenious
design features. For instance, most tonneau covers employ
strategically-placed weather seals that channel water away from
your cargo. And, many models use raised and arched support bows
to encourage moisture runoff. While no bed cover is completely
water-tight, most will do an outstanding job of keeping your
gear high and dry in nasty weather.
Tonneau Security: A Quick Reference
When your cargo is out of sight, it's out of a would-be thief's
mind. Tonneau covers make the contents of your truck bed a
mystery, giving you confidence that your belongings will be
right where you left them.
Beyond simple coverage, tonneau covers offer higher levels of
security, depending on the model. Most hinged (lift-up) tonneau
covers can be fully-secured using a locking tailgate. Hard top
and retractable tonneaus generally have secure key locking
systems that latch closed at the tailgate.
With a variety of security measures, a good tonneau cover makes your
truck bed far more versatile than ever before -- ideal for use
as a hauler or hiding spot.
Gas Mileage and Tonneau Covers: The Basics
Trucks are getting taller, engines are bigger, payloads are
getting deeper and the traffic is thicker than ever. You can
probably hear big oil companies laughing with their fistfuls of
cash every time the pump takes a big bite from your spending
money. A tonneau cover helps you even the score in one of the
only ways you can - by prolonging your next trip to the service
station.
Open truck beds can be a huge drag on your gas mileage. As air
flows over the aerodynamic front end of your vehicle, it can
swirl into your bed and catch on your tailgate -- stealing
several miles off your latest tank.
Covering your truck bed with a tight tonneau cover -- even a
soft model -- stops the tailgate drag. Air hits the taut surface
of a hard or soft tonneau
cover and continues past your vehicle with nothing to catch.
And, it saves you mileage without crazy tailgate removal or
potentially damaging open-gate driving.
How much savings? A 5% improvement in fuel economy is the
industry-wide accepted number, though up to 10% is possible.
Your vehicle could see bigger or smaller effects. Still, the
idea is simple: a tonneau cover will save gas and eventually pay
for itself.
Great tonneau cover looks: a quick guide
A smooth tonneau cover adds custom truck style to bland
uncovered truck beds. Each tonneau cover we offer sports a
custom fit to the dimensions of your specific year, make and
model. The result is a special fit and exact appearance that was
made for your truck.
Tonneau covers can add any level of extra smart appearance to
your truck. Soft tonneau covers stretch tight, not just for
improved mileage but also for style. With a variety of lid
materials, retractable tonneau covers are the kings of the
low-profile smooth factor. Hard top tonneau covers are the
ultimate in custom looks: molded-over edges, seamless fitting
and optional paint matching.
A Guide to the History of Tonneau Covers
Tonneau covers (also known as truck bed covers, bed lids or
truck lids) have evolved from a number of versions designed for
a variety of uses. Because many crude bed cover designs existed
over the years, no one person or company can lay claim as the
originator of the tonneau cover.
Soft covers gained prominence while playing an important roll on
major speedways. Top-class sport truck racers used these
flexible bed covers as a lightweight way to improve their
aerodynamics and reduce drag. These racetrack tonneau covers sat
flush with the top of the bed and employed the same heavy-duty
materials used in today's soft covers.
Hard top tonneau covers grew in popularity as an alternative to
full-size camper shells. These highly-customized truck bed lids,
most commonly made from fiberglass, have evolved into tonneaus
using a variety of materials and opening mechanisms.