Tonneau Cover Questions

[EMS_Pilot_66]

Yea me either. I'm sure it's due to the weight of the tailgate being supported by the bed side when it's swung open, but that seems a bit strange. If I was designing it, I think I'd have gone with a vertical beam near the rear of the bed (under the rail to the floor), not an L bracket by the cab. That is offering minimal support to the rear at best, which is why you can get away with using a cabinet bracket in its place.
Anyway I digress. I had no idea there was a bracket there either, which definitely creates a problem when shopping for aftermarket parts.

Yes it’s to add support in the front corners for the possibility of bending/twisting of the sides where someone could put extra weight or complete body weight on the doors when opened that way. Putting them in the back of the bed wouldn’t support the front corners/sides. The doors themselves don’t cause the issue.


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[Shots]

I was thinking more like, that by stabilizing the rear with a beam the front corners wouldn't need anything because the force would never be transferred there. No doubt the main reason they don't do that is cost, but a close second is probably that they'd have to assemble the truck with that tailgate in mind. It's much easier to make them all the same, and just add the brackets when they add the MFT. This "universal" design is why you can add features from other trims to those that don't have it by tying in to existing connectors and/or mounting points. I've done that with cab lights more than once. I didn't wire mine that way this time because I think they have hijacked the fuse box with the computer now, but even 1500's up till the DS had the pigtail in the passenger side A-pillar for cab lights. You could install you lights, and plug into the harness and you had a factory install. I'm not sure if that's possible with the DT because you'd probably have to have them "activated" which is crap. Instead I just tapped into the parking lights.

Again, I'm on a tangent. Good point about someone putting all their body weight on the door though. You do have to design things with the thought of people doing unexpected stuff to them. I don't know why anyone would do such a thing (hang on the tailgate door), but I can certainly see someone doing it.