Another Bed Cover Option...

[reidcc]

Just as another data point, I'm on my 6th year with a GatorTrax with the polycarbonate top here in New Hampshire. It looks and works like new and can be had for just over $1100

Bill-

Wondering about snow load over the 6 yrs you've had it... I do not have a garage, and being in north Central Mass- get a good share of snow. Do these need to be completely clear of snow AND ice? If it rains and freezes overnight- will the canister have issues functioning?

Thx
Chris

 

[bill-e]

Bill-

Wondering about snow load over the 6 yrs you've had it... I do not have a garage, and being in north Central Mass- get a good share of snow. Do these need to be completely clear of snow AND ice? If it rains and freezes overnight- will the canister have issues functioning?

Thx
Chris

My truck is not garaged either. When I use a foam snow broom to clean off my truck I clean off the cover too. I live in the Monadnock region and we get our fair share of snow as well.

Obviously if the top is completely covered and frozen it's not going to open but if you can clean off the truck you should be able to clean off the cover.

There was one time where I didn't do a good job of clearing it off and it got warm and then below zero for a week and the top was stuck but I put a space heater in the bed for about a half hour and got it opened. That was the only time it got stuck.

So clear it off with a foam snow broom and usually the sun will heat the black top and totally melt it clean.

EDIT: usually when I use the snow broom there is a thin layer of snow stuck to and still on the cover. I make sure I broom the entrance point to the canister and then once the flat cover is as clear as it's going to get, I drag the broom, front to back, down each side with the edge of the broom up against the rail so that I'm not leaving a mound of snow at the rail/cover interface (if that makes any sense)

In the winter I basically just use the bed to cart my garbage cans to the transfer station so I need to get into the bed and retract the cover for that....every weekend and like I stated above I only had issues that one time.

 

[securityguy]

You have first hand knowledge and experience with it? Please help me understand if you own it or the Retrax in your signature as I’ve been looking at both. We have one Retrax on one of the family Rams and it has been flawless from day one but they can be a little pricey.

My neighbor owns it and we've played with it together. He bought it on my recommendation based on the research I did and he couldn't be happier. VERY nice and well made piece.

 

[securityguy]

Do you need to use a key every time you want to open/close the GatorTrax/Retrax?

Not on the Retrax

 

[reidcc]

My truck is not garaged either. When I use a foam snow broom to clean off my truck I clean off the cover too. I live in the Monadnock region and we get our fair share of snow as well.

In the winter I basically just use the bed to cart my garbage cans to the transfer station so I need to get into the bed and retract the cover for that....every weekend and like I stated above I only had issues that one time.

Thank you for the write-up! I live at highest point in Fitchburg, right near the Ashby and Ashburnham town lines...winter is always a blast on the hill!

My Access Lorado did well with snow loads as well...that had 3 or 4 metal bars under the fabric to help with load. I'm really not sure what to get, although I had Rhinolining done when I bought truck, so I may just wait until spring to figure it out. Ideally I want to be able to use a bike rack in the bed on a track with fork mounts, but that won't work well with any cover. I can get Truck Hero rails that mount between bed rails and tonno rails. This adds a T Slot track on the outer end of side rails. The Gatortrax looks good as does the Peragon.

Thx
Chris

 

[bill-e]

Chris, I'm in Rindge.

Is the reason you cant use the bike rack in the bed because of bed length?

 

[reidcc]

Chris, I'm in Rindge.

Is the reason you cant use the bike rack in the bed because of bed length?

If I used a retractable, I'd need to figure out if I could mount "fork mounts" directly to the outer skin of canister without causing any issues to canister.
If I used a roll-up, I'd need to mount something low to the bed floor, and back to prevent handlebars from hitting the rolled up tonno on front rail.
Fork mounts are cheap...$30 to $50 each bike.

If I used the Truck Hero rail that adds a T Slot on outside edge of tonno... those are $135, then the need to add 4 mounts, 2 bars and 2 bike trays for a total cost of maybe $750. Of course I could just lay he bikes down like I did with my Colorado- but they get scratched up, and then hard to use bed for other things too.

I just gotta pick which path to take and not deviate...