Today we are going to review the Undercover Tonneau Cover from E.D. Industries. The Undercover was released approximately 5 years ago and has been one of the most popular tonneau covers since it was released. It has undergone quite a few updates and changes since its release and has stood the test of time in the tonneau cover market.
The Undercover was introduced as a substitute for a fiberglass tonneau cover. The big drawback of fiberglass tonneau covers is the difficulty involved with removing and reinstalling them. Hard tonneau covers typically weigh between 100-125 pounds and are typically difficult to reinstall as you have to remove the entire cover and frame. This can be cumbersome if you plan to move large items often and have to remove it continually. Also, when you remove it storage becomes an issue as most fiberglass tonneau covers are painted and you want to keep them looking new by preventing scratches and such. The Undercover was built to compete with these covers and compete it does.
The Undercover is made of a high strength ABS plastic with a reinforced inner frame. This dramatically cuts down on weight while not sacrificing strength. An average Undercover for a full size truck weighs 60 pounds, about half of what a fiberglass tonneau cover weighs. The material is a textured finish and black in color, and is meant to look similar to the factory bumpers, mirror covers, door handles, etc. on your truck. This finish makes the cover much more rugged compared to painted fiberglass covers as you can sit items on top of it without worrying about the finish being damaged.
Installation of the Undercover is also very easy. Each kit comes with 4 brackets, one for each corner of the bed. All of the brackets are completely bolt-on with no drilling required on any models. Most models will clamp to the bed rail, the 05+ Tacoma trucks will have a piece you slide into the track on the bed and then attach the bracket to that piece. The installation instructions that come with the Undercover are very thorough and easy to follow.
Once the Undercover is installed, the cover is extremely easy to use. Just unlock the cover and lift it up to gain access to the bed. Then when you are done, close it down and latch it shut. The Undercover is lockable and the cover does overlap the tailgate when shut, making the back of the truck like a big trunk to protect your cargo. An LED dome light inside the cover provides light at night to be able to see in the bed of the truck. If your concern is keeping your cargo dry, the Undercover does a good job keeping water out. It wraps over the side rails of the truck bed and has a large seal which seals the cover to the bed rails. No tonneau cover is 100% water tight, but the Undercover is better at keeping out water versus other tonneau covers on the market.
If you decide to remove the cover to gain full access to the bed this is very easy also. Just open the cover, unlatch the shocks from the rear brackets, close the cover, remove the key rings securing the cover in the front to the bracket, slide the cover forward to release it from the front bracket and lift it off the bed. Reinstallation is the reverse of removal, very straight forward and easy to do. The cover has hooks on it to attach the shocks to when you remove them. A set of hooks are also included with the Undercover which you can mount on your garage wall so when you remove the cover you can hang it up and keep it out of the way to prevent it from getting damaged.
The Undercover is backed by a 3 year warranty and E.D. Industries is very easy to deal with as far as warranty issues. All Undercovers are custom made for specific models of trucks and are available for short bed and long bed models. If you are curious about the possibility of painting the Undercover, it is possible, but you would have to paint over the textured finish or smooth the cover which would be a lot of work. The pricing on the Undercover is very competitive compared to fiberglass tonneau covers; it is usually between $150 and $200 cheaper.
Overall, the Undercover is a great tonneau cover and one of the best on the market. There really isn’t a weakness with this cover other than the fact that it isn’t available in a smooth finish to allow you to paint it and look like a fiberglass cover. It is easy to use, easy to install, very durable, very easy to remove and reinstall, and covered by a 3 year warranty. I would recommend this cover to anyone looking for a hard cover, you won’t regret it.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Types of Tonneau Covers
When you purchase a new truck, one of the first things many people will do is purchase a tonneau cover. There are different reasons for buying but the most popular is to keep cargo dry and secure. By covering the bed of the truck you create a large trunk space you can keep your cargo in to keep it dry from the elements and secure from thiefs.
There are many types of covers on the market, but most fall into one of 5 categories. The main styles are snap style, folding, roll up, retractable, and hard lift up.
Snap Style
Snap style tonneau covers are the oldest style available and have been around for many years. Today's style use a 4 piece frame you assemble on the truck and clamp down. Then you install the support bows that will support the vinyl and keep it from sagging, then you snap the cover on around the perimeter of the bed. There are other styles that use a plastic channel, but they are identical to snap style covers in construction they just don't have snaps. An example of a snap style tonneau cover on the market today is the Extang Classic Platinum.
Folding
Folding tonneau covers are fairly new, first making there appearance in the last ten years. These covers are made of 3-4 panels, depending on bed length and fold over top of one another to gain full access to the bed. You will find folding covers in a number of materials, ranging from soft vinyl styles up to hard aluminum versions. A few examples of folding covers on the market today include the BakFlip and the Extang Trifecta and Solid Fold.
Roll Up
Roll Up covers are very popular and include many popular tonneau covers such as the Access Cover, Truxedo Lo Pro and Extang RT. A roll up cover normally rolls up from the rear of the truck to the front and the newer style latch on the rail in the back. Most roll up covers are made of a different style of vinyl which is more weather resistant and will not shrink in the winter.
Retractable
Retractable tonneau covers are one of the nicer, but more expensive cover styles on the market today. Retractable covers have a canister in the front of the bed that the tonneau cover rolls up into when you open it. You are able to lock the cover in different positions to keep it secure when loading cargo and only needing access to part of the bed. You will have your choice of manual versions or also electric versions that will operate from a remote. Examples of retractable tonneau covers include the Roll N Lock and Pace Edwards Jack Rabbit.
Hard Lift Up
Hard lift up tonneau covers are also popular and have been around for a number of years. These covers come in a couple different types of materials and finishes, the main ones being painted fiberglass or black textured ABS plastic. These tonneau covers are one solid piece and open from the back of the truck, simply by unlocking and lifting up, acting as a large truck lid. Examples of hard lift up tonneau covers are the Undercover and fiberglass models from Leer, ARE, Swiss, Raider or Ranch.
There are many types of covers on the market, but most fall into one of 5 categories. The main styles are snap style, folding, roll up, retractable, and hard lift up.
Snap Style
Snap style tonneau covers are the oldest style available and have been around for many years. Today's style use a 4 piece frame you assemble on the truck and clamp down. Then you install the support bows that will support the vinyl and keep it from sagging, then you snap the cover on around the perimeter of the bed. There are other styles that use a plastic channel, but they are identical to snap style covers in construction they just don't have snaps. An example of a snap style tonneau cover on the market today is the Extang Classic Platinum.
Folding
Folding tonneau covers are fairly new, first making there appearance in the last ten years. These covers are made of 3-4 panels, depending on bed length and fold over top of one another to gain full access to the bed. You will find folding covers in a number of materials, ranging from soft vinyl styles up to hard aluminum versions. A few examples of folding covers on the market today include the BakFlip and the Extang Trifecta and Solid Fold.
Roll Up
Roll Up covers are very popular and include many popular tonneau covers such as the Access Cover, Truxedo Lo Pro and Extang RT. A roll up cover normally rolls up from the rear of the truck to the front and the newer style latch on the rail in the back. Most roll up covers are made of a different style of vinyl which is more weather resistant and will not shrink in the winter.
Retractable
Retractable tonneau covers are one of the nicer, but more expensive cover styles on the market today. Retractable covers have a canister in the front of the bed that the tonneau cover rolls up into when you open it. You are able to lock the cover in different positions to keep it secure when loading cargo and only needing access to part of the bed. You will have your choice of manual versions or also electric versions that will operate from a remote. Examples of retractable tonneau covers include the Roll N Lock and Pace Edwards Jack Rabbit.
Hard Lift Up
Hard lift up tonneau covers are also popular and have been around for a number of years. These covers come in a couple different types of materials and finishes, the main ones being painted fiberglass or black textured ABS plastic. These tonneau covers are one solid piece and open from the back of the truck, simply by unlocking and lifting up, acting as a large truck lid. Examples of hard lift up tonneau covers are the Undercover and fiberglass models from Leer, ARE, Swiss, Raider or Ranch.
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