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Does your Ram have a tonneau cover?

162K views 594 replies 452 participants last post by  IN2H2O 
#1 ·
do you have a tonneau cover

do you prefer an open bed, a tonneau cover, a hard cover, or a bed cap :smileup:
 
#29 ·
I decided to see what i could do to make my Ram work for me, so i did everything that i wanted & needed to the truck & then i went to an upholstery shop & told them to make a soft tonneaux out of the material that they make convertible tops out of.

this is what it looked like before the cover, if i had known they were going to make metal bed rails before i started this project, the plastic rails would be gone. The sign rack is why i couldn't have a hard cover, the front box is actually my 30 gallon auxiliary gas tank, the rear box contains all my tools, fire extinguisher, & floor jack

the soft cover not only hides the boxes, but, in between them, i have traffic cones, STOP paddles, etc. the cover also gives me a bit better gas mileage
 
#32 ·
i want to get a cover but cant afford it right now:(
 
#38 ·
i dont have one but i want one
 
#43 · (Edited)
Just A guess, But if its the fiberglass cover in your pic on your signature. I would think the weight of that is out waying any gain in MPG.
 
#44 ·
Just ordered a Bakflip G2 (p/n 26207) for my Ram. I like the fact that you can fold it up and have almost the entire bed open...minus about 5 or 6 inches. And it is a flush mount!! And once the tailgate is locked, the cover is locked.:smileup: Next mod...power locking tailgate!
 
#45 ·
Correct me if I am wrong but when I looked at their site the other day, when open all of the cover is up against the back window?>
 
#48 ·
Okay, I'll shed some light, just don't make fun Of me for knowing this. Lol

A truck with the tailgate up is already a pretty efficient design. As air comes over and around the cab it dives into the bed and as it hits the tailgate it diffuses backwards and then up the back glass like a big circle. Kind of like a high pressure/low pressure system meeting in weather terms. This is why you see trash in the bed make it's way towards the cab and go up and down. It's catching the funnel effect of the air. This doesn't create a whole lot of drag and therefore no significant mileage loss. You may get a hair better mpg from a cover due to even lower drag but not much. Despite popular opinion having the tailgate down or removed actually hurts your mpg due to this principle.

Hope this helps...
 
#49 ·
I kinda like the airflow the 2011's have... If what Ram is saying is correct, the wind goes over the cab, hits the top of the tailgate and just continues on. There is on wind going into the bed of the truck.

Personally I plan on getting a cover just so I can keep my gear in the bed secured and dry. Looking at getting a locking cover. Just don't know what brand to get.
 
#50 ·
I plan to get a cover in the future. Most likely the Bak-flip G2 since I don't need the heavier duty HD and I don't like the other brands don't fold up against the cab like the Bak-flip does. I definitely want a hard folding cover for security because the only reason I'd get one is for carrying things in the back I don't want stolen very easily and to keep them dry.

As for the mpg advantages, in the older model trucks that were square and not very aerodynamic, the covers really helped unless they weighed a ton like the fiber-glass lids. With the design of newer trucks, I don't think the cover will help at all, if not hurt just a tad.
 
#87 ·
I was hoping someone else would post this so I avoid the 'nerd' comment LOL But yeah I watched the same episode. Tonneau's do not increase gas mileage but, they do keep your stuff safer and in the winter there's no snow blowing around in the box wich helps rear visibility, and not as much weight in the box weighing down the suspension.
I plan on getting one...just not sure if I wanna go with a 1 peice fiberglass one or a roll up version. In my mind if I am gonna use the box, I am going to b e using the whole thing so the size of the cover wont matter.
 
#58 ·
My aluminum bak-flip G2 will be here in a week or two. Nice thing about them is I can remove the cover portion completely by myself without taking off the rails and it can be used partially open or folded all the way to the cab. Plus I can stand on it as long as one panel is folded back over another.
 
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