I bought and eventually returned a Retrax PRO XR. I hope you find the following info helpful.
Be aware that I ended up returning it after a week and replacing it with a Bakflip Mx4.
The cover was solidly built. Nothing cheap about it (both in materials in price). It was somewhat fiddly to set up. You are required to make sure the rails are mounted exactly parallel. However; the clamps are a bit complicated in how they were attached (lots of adjustments) and if you actually follow the instructions on the precise order of adjustment, you will never get it right. All told, the install should have taken about 2 hours by myself. Instead it took 3 because of all the adjustments. The MX4 on the other hand had simple to use clamps and the install required no measuring or adjustments. Just lay it on the rails, clamp it down, and you are done. It took me about 45 minutes by myself.
I called the company multiple times because of the issues I was having. I was always speaking to a knowledgeable human with good communication skills within 5 seconds. Their customer service seems top notch.
Be aware of clamp issues.
The large clamps will never work with the any accessory that sits above the factory bed rails (such as the Mopar Bed Divider). See my post here: https://5thgenrams.com/community/th...ssories-and-the-factory-rails.3776/post-54042
One issue with the install is that the clamps are designed to go in very specific spots. However; this unit was made for the Ram yet the location of one of the clamps had it right by a lump on the bed cap that made mounting it there safely impossible. In other words, they insist you get a solid well fitting spot for the clamps and given the weight of this thing and what it can haul on top, I agree. However; one of the required mounting spots had a lump in the truck (both sides) that made a safe connection impossible. So I ended up moving the clamp out of the required spot by a few inches. I felt a safe clamp connection was the better choice.
There were three reasons I returned it in the following order:
1) It never had the smoothness of operation depicted in videos. My friend has a Roll N Lock and that was smooth. This was not. When I first got it, I needed all of my 200 lbs to even operate it. However; they do warn it needs 48 hours and after about 3 days, I could kind of do it one handed. But it was still rough enough that if I did not actually pull it the last little bit on both sides by hand, it would not sit evenly against the tailgate. That is because the handle for operation is only on 1 side. I suppose that after a year of usage, it may get smoother.
2) The lock mechanism is undesirable. It uses 2 sharp points to dig into a metal track to keep it locked. This is what allows it's feature of being locked at any position along the rail. However; there are some pretty bad design flaws with this. The rails are not PERFECTLY uniform the entire length. I got them as close as I could but just weatherstripping is enough to make small variations. This means that to allow it to lock at any point, you have to adjust the pressure of the metal points to the highest spot. However; that might mean less than desirable locking at the fully closed position. If you don't actually make those points dig in, then it isn't really locked and can be pried open fairly easily. It requires a LOT of pressure it get it to lock well. In the end, I gave up on the "locking at any point" idea and just adjusted it for the fully closed position. So the entire mechanism was a pain in the *** for a feature I can't even use.
3) Safety issue. 10 - 15 years ago there was a big thing about people getting carjacked and thrown in trunks and with kids accidentally getting locked in. So the feds mandated internal release catches in trunks. When this thing is closed, it is a metal prison. There is no way you are getting out without a 9/16th wrench to unbolt it. I realized that as I was under the cover trying to figure out why it wasn't rolling smoothly enough. Even if it is not locked, you cannot escape it from inside.
I also really didn't like having to use a key and it wasn't exactly low profile due to the external t-slot rails. Having to muck with that handle just to open it was annoying. You have to flip a rubber cap, unclasp it (which takes some force if it is securely adjusted), and then start pulling. But I knew those things going in and that did not contribute to me returning it. Given that it costs > $2000 there are just too many issues. Fortunately, I bought it at Amazon because they were the only ones without a restocking fee and they took it back. I ended up getting the MX4 for <$950. It was easy to install, easy to use, you can't be locked in, and it holds 400 pounds. So I figure if I really need to store something on top, I will get some Bully tie downs for the stake pockets. It won't hold a kayak like the Retrax XR though.
My recommendation is that the Retrax XR is for a specialized use. If you REALLY need those t-slot rails for serious hauling above the cover.
Be aware that I ended up returning it after a week and replacing it with a Bakflip Mx4.
The cover was solidly built. Nothing cheap about it (both in materials in price). It was somewhat fiddly to set up. You are required to make sure the rails are mounted exactly parallel. However; the clamps are a bit complicated in how they were attached (lots of adjustments) and if you actually follow the instructions on the precise order of adjustment, you will never get it right. All told, the install should have taken about 2 hours by myself. Instead it took 3 because of all the adjustments. The MX4 on the other hand had simple to use clamps and the install required no measuring or adjustments. Just lay it on the rails, clamp it down, and you are done. It took me about 45 minutes by myself.
I called the company multiple times because of the issues I was having. I was always speaking to a knowledgeable human with good communication skills within 5 seconds. Their customer service seems top notch.
Be aware of clamp issues.
The large clamps will never work with the any accessory that sits above the factory bed rails (such as the Mopar Bed Divider). See my post here: https://5thgenrams.com/community/th...ssories-and-the-factory-rails.3776/post-54042
One issue with the install is that the clamps are designed to go in very specific spots. However; this unit was made for the Ram yet the location of one of the clamps had it right by a lump on the bed cap that made mounting it there safely impossible. In other words, they insist you get a solid well fitting spot for the clamps and given the weight of this thing and what it can haul on top, I agree. However; one of the required mounting spots had a lump in the truck (both sides) that made a safe connection impossible. So I ended up moving the clamp out of the required spot by a few inches. I felt a safe clamp connection was the better choice.
There were three reasons I returned it in the following order:
1) It never had the smoothness of operation depicted in videos. My friend has a Roll N Lock and that was smooth. This was not. When I first got it, I needed all of my 200 lbs to even operate it. However; they do warn it needs 48 hours and after about 3 days, I could kind of do it one handed. But it was still rough enough that if I did not actually pull it the last little bit on both sides by hand, it would not sit evenly against the tailgate. That is because the handle for operation is only on 1 side. I suppose that after a year of usage, it may get smoother.
2) The lock mechanism is undesirable. It uses 2 sharp points to dig into a metal track to keep it locked. This is what allows it's feature of being locked at any position along the rail. However; there are some pretty bad design flaws with this. The rails are not PERFECTLY uniform the entire length. I got them as close as I could but just weatherstripping is enough to make small variations. This means that to allow it to lock at any point, you have to adjust the pressure of the metal points to the highest spot. However; that might mean less than desirable locking at the fully closed position. If you don't actually make those points dig in, then it isn't really locked and can be pried open fairly easily. It requires a LOT of pressure it get it to lock well. In the end, I gave up on the "locking at any point" idea and just adjusted it for the fully closed position. So the entire mechanism was a pain in the *** for a feature I can't even use.
3) Safety issue. 10 - 15 years ago there was a big thing about people getting carjacked and thrown in trunks and with kids accidentally getting locked in. So the feds mandated internal release catches in trunks. When this thing is closed, it is a metal prison. There is no way you are getting out without a 9/16th wrench to unbolt it. I realized that as I was under the cover trying to figure out why it wasn't rolling smoothly enough. Even if it is not locked, you cannot escape it from inside.
I also really didn't like having to use a key and it wasn't exactly low profile due to the external t-slot rails. Having to muck with that handle just to open it was annoying. You have to flip a rubber cap, unclasp it (which takes some force if it is securely adjusted), and then start pulling. But I knew those things going in and that did not contribute to me returning it. Given that it costs > $2000 there are just too many issues. Fortunately, I bought it at Amazon because they were the only ones without a restocking fee and they took it back. I ended up getting the MX4 for <$950. It was easy to install, easy to use, you can't be locked in, and it holds 400 pounds. So I figure if I really need to store something on top, I will get some Bully tie downs for the stake pockets. It won't hold a kayak like the Retrax XR though.
My recommendation is that the Retrax XR is for a specialized use. If you REALLY need those t-slot rails for serious hauling above the cover.
