Looking for a tonneau cover

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Dave Wu

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OK, ok...I have read it all about covers! I am currently looking HARD for a cover. With all the mixed reviews about the factory and the advance cover (my preference is a hinged cover, but may settle for a one piece) I would just like someone to tell me that neither one of them leak. I do not want any water ino the bed once I get a cover. If this is achieved by the factory one, so be it. BUT if I can get the advance cover and it doesn't leak, then I am sold on that one. EVERYONE, please help me! I know the advance is lighter, etc. I tried to search all forums for covers and found it hard to do. So everyone chime in and help me decide, please.





dave :)
 
Well that is one for advance...g.grimes did you get the "gas springs" for the cover or is it easy to open and close?





dave
 
I've had an Advance cover on my 01 Trac since right after I bought it in early 02. Through car washes, thunderstorms and even a tropical storm, it has never leaked a drop. The only water I've ever seen in the bed at all was when i splashed through a deep puddle and it splashed up through the drain holes in the bed. (There are plugs available for those through someone on the site, if you think it's important.)



I've been extremely happy with the cover's look, locking mechanism and ease of removal. I have only two criticisms of it: 1) The aluminum it's made of dents fairly easy if you're careless with it. I accidentally left my keys on one side of the cover, opened the other side all of the way and now have two matching dents where the cover came together over my keys. 2) The spring latches make it very difficult to open either side of the cover with one hand. If you're holding something you want to put in the bed, you have to put it down, open the cover, pick it back up, put it in the bed and then close the cover again. Neither is a major issue, just two things I've noticed in my years of having it.



EDIT: One other minor point. You can't open and close the tailgate with the Advance cover shut, as it pinches the rubber flap that extends over the top of the tailgate. (Don't know if you can do so with the Ford cover or not.) Again, not a big deal, but just in case you will need to take things in and out of the bed via the tailgate often, I thought I'd throw it out there.







 
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Dave,

I also am looking for one or the other cover and attempting to get a Factory tonneau. the reason for me is the key can be made to match the truck so you dont have yet another key on your key ring. I know it sounds petty, but for me the less i have the better off i am. Plus like Piro mentioned the dent factor. the Factory one is more forgiving.
 
The factor cover on mine is essentially watertight. Maybe a drop or two if I point the hose directly at the seams when washing, but never any water during rain. Also, really like the ability to fold in the middle.
 
Dave,

I am the owner of the LeverLift Company (site sponsor) and the inventor/manufacturer of the LeverLift and EZLift tonneau cover lift kits. I make gas spring lift kits for both the Ford factory hinged hard tonneau cover, and also the Advance hinged cover for the Sport Trac. To my knowledge I am the only company that manufactures the gas spring lift kits for those tonneau covers.



The Ford tonneau cover is a very heavy duty unit that you can even stand on (although I don't recommend that you do that). They are expensive to buy new, however if you keep your eyes open heare and on ebay, can find a used one in good condition for between $300-$500. The main drawback for the Ford cover is it's weight. At about 70 lbs it's a bit unweildy for one person to put on or take off, but it can be done. It is also incovenient to always have to use on hand to hold the cover open, or flip it all the way over. Most women like my wife cannot do that very well. The EZLift kit makes your hard tonneau cover operate like the trunk lid on your car by lifting and holding the cover open so your hands are free to load and unload your cargo.



The Advance cover is also an excellent cover. It's not as heavy duty as the Ford cover, but just as versitile and only half the weight. The EZLift kit for the Advance cover is more of a convenience to hold the cover open while loading and unloading cargo.



If you find a cover and want/need an EZLift kit, just let me know.



...Rich Lunder

The LeverLift Company
 
g.grimes,

I just said that the Advance cover is light enough that it does not need the gas springs, however it is a very convenient option to have so you don't have to fold the cover all the way over, or hold it up with one hand.



With the EZLift kit, it's even possible to have both covers open at one time which is very convenient when packing up the Sport Trac for that camping trip or vacation.



...Rich
 
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RichardL:



Stupid question....gas springs for the advance (which I am leaning towards). Is there such a thing (ANYONE) as a hinged cover or a one piece cover that can open by remote? I would really like a hinged cover that can open by remote! Now I may put a large investment in something like this! ANYONE?





Thanks,



dave :)
 
Dave,

I make a remote lock/unlock system for the Ford hinged tonneau cover. It's wired into the the door locks so that when you unlock all the doors, the tonneau cover unlocks. And when you lock the doors the tonneau cover locks as well. You can unlock your cover with the remote or via the drivers door switch by just clicking the unlock button twice within 5 seconds,



The kit replaces the key locks with a T-handle and once unlocked, you can open the cover by a 1/4 turn of the T-Handle. When you lock the doors, the T-Handles locks and cannot be turned.



With the EZLift kit, the gas springs will lift the cover by themselves, however I don't feel it's safe to have a cover unlatch and open remotely. It would require some sort of lock-out to prevent activating while driving.



...Rich
 
jlevin,

Yes, of course you need to be able to remove the cover or just flip one of the covers all the way over to carry something tall without having to completely remove the cover.



The EZLift gas springs are mounted using a snap-on ball and socket mount that makes it quick and easy to pop the gas springs on or off when you need to remove the cover or fold the cover all the way over.



...Rich



 
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Rich:



Thanks...I am just lazy...that's why I am asking all the questions. I guess what I really should have bought was a van...LOL....that way the doors and hatchback open with a push of a remote...OK, so the only thing I can get "extra" is for the Ford cover and all it does is unlock and relock the cover, but does not open...I hope I got that right. To me that is still a excellent feature, if you only have one hand free...then you can simply turn the latch and open...correct?



dave :)
 

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