I have my stock hard cover but don't ever use it mainly because the damn cables and locks are all screwed on it. would a local apholstery shop would fix or the dealer? lol I used to do all this and toss tools and loose my patients now I do as little as possible.
I used this same project write up to fix my cover. Very good instructions. The one thing I would add is before you put the new cables on work the latches with some lithium grease or penetrating oil. It made it easier to do this by taking the latch off the cover. Make sure you mark the position of the latch so that it goes back easily. I also used blue locktite to attach the lock back to the cover.
There is also a member who submitted and alternative to the standard lock and cable system. He installed a cable/wire between each latches on the rear cover that allows you open the tailgate and pull on the wire to open both rear latches. I'm pretty sure you could do something similar for the front cover half.
Most of the failures of the OEM cable system is in the plastic hook mechanism that extends from the bottom of the lock. The little hook that pulls the cables to release the latches is only about as thick as a fingernail the very tip is ony about 1/16th of an inch, so it breaks very easily....that allows the lock to turn but the cables never move to releas the latches.
