RollBak Tonneau Cover

Frequently Asked Questions

If my truck isn't equipped with a tailgate lock, will I be able to secure this tonno?
You are going to need to purchase a tailgate lock in order to secure your tonneau. They install really easily without any drilling and you can buy these here at RealTruck.

When closing the cover, does the tailgate need to be open?
No, simply close the cover up to 12 inches away with the strap, then use the handle provided for full closure.

How far does the sides drop inside the truck bed from the rails?
They only drop in 1-1/2".

Is the powdercoat finish textured or smooth?
The surface finish of the cover is very smooth.

Is the cover paintable?
NO. This cover is powdercoated and cannot be coated over.

What is the flap that lines the back of the cover?
This ridge is a handle, making it easy to close.

What is the thickness of the cover itself?
The cover itself is only 1/2 inch (except for the spring loaded lock handle which drops 3 inches on the driver's side).

How much bed space do I lose from the canister?
Since the canister is elevated off the floor you truck bed, you wont lose any floor room. Not only is our canister the smallest of any retractable cover, the canister is raised up off the floor of the truck bed, leaving approximately 1 foot of cargo space under the canister! Our average canister size is 8.5 inches diameter, with some as small as 6.5 inches!

Describe side profile/low profile of this cover?
This cover sits level with the side rails which make it completely flat. The canister sits at the front edge and sticks up 1/2" and is approximately 8 inches wide along the side rail.

What is the total weight?
The cover for a full size truck with a short bed weigh 115 lbs approximately. 

Can I get the cover repaired if damaged?
Yes, we will walk you through step by step how to replace slats.

What keeps the water out?
The slats simply seal under each other with the Opposing Slat design.  It quickly funnels the water to either side of the tonno and acts as a drainage system.

How many drain hoses are there with this cover?
There are 2 drain hoses (one on each side of the canister at the lowest point to ensure the expedient and efficient expulsion of any water collected in the canister.

I understand that water is channeled to the front of the truck, where water is captured inside the canister and then expelled. What happens when the truck is parked "up hill"? Does water run towards the back of the truck and get into the bed?
No! Water runs along the inner track which acts as a "rain gutter" as well. This track is open ended at the back. This means that if the truck is parked up hill, water is collected in the inner track and drains right at inside edge of the tailgate, and runs out of the back of the truck, leaving your cargo area dry.

Do they perform well in cold and snowy weather?
This truck bed cover can handle extreme weather conditions including intense heat and freezing cold ice and snow.

How does the cover unlock?
Simply pull and turn the spring loaded lock handle one-quarter of a turn and the handle is now in the "fully disengaged" position. Using the pull strap, you gradually let the cover roll all the way into the canister.

What do most people do with the pull strap when done closing?
Most people attach the pull strap to one of the tie down hooks which is located inside the bed.  This is what you will need to do when you travel so that the strap doesn't flap around while driving down the road.

Does it rattle when cruising down the road?
No...It is very quite and has a felt coated underside for supreme noise resitance.

Will my wife be able to pull this cover shut?
Yes, it is very easy to close.

Should this unwinding of the cover by a revolution or two be done during the time of initial installation, or can it be done easily after the cover has been installed?
It makes no difference at all as the steps to adjust and optimize the constant force springs are exactly the same at any time. Typically it takes about 5 minutes to adjust these constant force springs irrespective of whether this is the first time you are installing the cover, or many days, months or years afterwards.

Do I need to clean debris off the cover before I close it?
No.  This cover is equipped with a brush seal which automatically cleans off your tonneau for you.

Will it work with over the rail toolboxes?
Yes. But you will need to install your toolbox as far forward as possible and make sure it has a weather tite seal.  You will then need to measure the distance between the tool box and inside of the closed tailgate.

Do I need to modify my spray on liner?
There will be no modifications needed.

Can this cover be installed if I have diamond plate bed caps?
YES, this tonneau features insulated weather stripping and will seamlessly seal against the bed rails.

I have a plastic bedliner in my truck. Do I have to make any modifications to the bedliner to install the cover?
That depends on what type of plastic bedliner you have (see below):

If your plastic bedliner goes under the side rails (but goes up and over the front rail and tailgate): NO PROBLEM! You will not need to make any adjustments to the plastic bedliner to install this cover.

If you have a tailgate protector: Tailgate protectors do not present any problem for this cover. Whether you have a factory installed or an aftermarket tailgate protector or if your tailgate liner comes over the top edge of your tailgate, none of these will present a problem when installing the cover.

If your plastic bedliner goes over the side rails: YOU MUST MODIFY YOUR BEDLINER to install this cover! You will need to trim the portion of the bedliner that comes over the side rails so that the side wall of the plastic bedliner goes up to and UNDER the rail, but not over the side rail. The reason for this is that over-the-rail bedliners prevent you from being able to clamp the hardware to the side rails as they cover them up. These side rails need to be trimmed off so that the RollBak Tonneau's side mounting rails can be clamped to the inside lip of the side rail. If you are making this adjustment, this is a great opportunity for you to convert your over-the-rail plastic bedliner into an under-the-rail bedliner (where the liner only overlaps the front rail and the tailgate edge)!

These over-the-side rail bedliners must be cut back so not to interfere with the truck's original side rails. To cut the liner's rail covers off is a fairly simple and straightforward process that allows the secure installation of the mounting rails to your truck rails. To request that the customer trim these plastic side rail covers off of your one-piece liner is not a unique request. To ensure a weather resistant barrier with the installation of any tonneau cover, and to be able to clamp the mounting brackets onto the side rails, you must remove the part of the bedliner that covers the side rails. PLEASE DO NOT CUT OFF THE PORTION OF THE BEDLINER THAT COVERS THE FRONT RAIL OR TAILGATE.

PROCESS OF TRIMMING an Over the Rail Bedliner is as follows: To cut the liner, this is a fairly simple process that requires you to slide the one-piece liner out of the bed, then clamp a straight edge along the line where you wish to cut the cover (right at or just below the rail, not above it). From there, a jigsaw with a fine blade works great and you simply follow the straight edge with the saw. Any burs or rough edges can be smoothed out with a file or sandpaper. Others are successful using the same straight edge tactic from outside of the liner using a razor knife. They remove the liner from the truck, and from outside of the liner, they use a razor knife to cut the rail off. The most preferred method is to use a jigsaw.

***NOTE: Some Aftermarket Plastic Bedliners have designs that may interfere with the installation of the canister. If this happens, some trimming of the front edge of the bedliner near the cab rail may need to be done for the canister to be installed properly. To have to do this is actually a pretty rare occurrence and in most situations, your typical plastic bedliner at the front rail will not require any modification.

Do my factory installed plastic bed rails need to be removed?
No, you can install the cover directly on top of the factory rails.

Will I need to drill any holes into my truck?
No. But there are some models like the Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra cover that needs 2 small self tapping screws when installing.

If I need to mount a slide in camper, will I need to remove the mounting rails?
Yes.  The rails need to be removed so that the camper doesn't get damaged.

For the Nissan TITAN with the Utili-Track System, what adjustments must be made to install this cover?
You simply unbolt the Utili-Track, and flip the track over (with the functional side of the Utili-Track rail still facing into the bed). Flipping and re-installing the Utili-Track lowers the track by 1 inch from under the side rails which is just enough to clamp down the RollBak rails properly.

NOTE: This is a wonderful feature! Many customers ask if our hardware can bolt directly into the Utili-Track system. The answer is "NO" but it gets better. If our hardware were to bolt directly into the Utili-Trac System, you would have very little (if any) usable Utili-Track area to mount other accessories. This simple "work around" allows you to simply flip the "Utili-Track" over, which lowers it by only one inch. This means that you WILL NOT LOSE any of your ability to use the Utili-Track for tie downs as the mounting rails will be clamped directly above it.

Is there any maintenance that needs to be done on the inner track?
The track is maintenance free, but it wouldn't hurt to clean it every once in a while when possible.

Can I install the cover with my diamond cut rail covers in place?
You sure can!  Each mounting rail is pre-assembled with form fitting weather stripping already attached to the underside of the rail. So when you install the mounting rails over the diamond cut rail covers, the form fitting weather stripping seals that area without any problem.

Will it work with flip over bed extenders?
In most cases no, but with the newer Ford F-150 models, they still work perfectly.

How do I clean this cover?
You can clean it with the exact same stuff you use on any vehicle.

Installation

G2 RollBak Installation Instructions These installation instructions are generic and may vary from your truck's installation process.

Videos

BAK RollBak Tonneau Cover | RealTruck.com
(04:47)

Roll Bak Cover Installation | RealTruck.Com
(06:42)