Pickup Truck Accessories
Truck Tonneau Covers- Why you need one…
Installing a quality tonneau cover on your pick up truck is a great idea that can only enhance your truck’s look and value. You can shell out a little bit of money and get a cover that looks no better than a tarp or you can pay a lot of money and get a tonneau cover that really makes a statement. In the middle area — where most consumers shop — you can find more than a few sensibly priced designs that are sturdy, long lasting, and eye-catching. Some covers look cut-rate — and they are, while others look costly — but they really are not. For the most part you will pay less for a soft-top tonneau cover than for a hard-top cover, therefore it becomes a matter of personal taste as to which cover you select.
Simple to maintain The way you wash your truck is the way you will clean your tonneau cover: just be careful not to use a car tire or dashboard cleaning agent on it. Simply follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on how best to maintain your cover. Most any auto supply retailer should stock products expressly developed for maintaining a tonneau cover.
Secure for your stuff If you regularly carry valuable merchandise in your truck bed, consider purchasing a locking, hard shell tonneau cover. Covers such as those made by Truxedo or Extang are designed with your security requirements in mind and will keep probing eyes from seeing what is in the back of your truck.
Enhance your truck’s overall value If you keep your truck looking and running its best, a premium tonneau cover will only boost your truck’s value. When it comes time to sell you truck, you should be able to command a better selling price.
Save on gas Today’s high gas prices mean you must think of innovative ways to save on fuel consumption. One way you can achieve decent savings — as much as 10-15% — is to have a tonneau cover installed. With a tonneau cover in place, wind drag is significantly reduced: the less drag on your truck, the better your fuel economy will be.
Most tonneau covers come with a one year limited warranty which should be sufficient for you. A reputable online auto parts wholesaler can give you detailed information about the various product offerings, care and maintenance instructions, prices, shipping and handling information, and more.
Truck Bed Covers
Truck bed covers are attachments to a pickup truck’s bed that protect against weather and provide security from theft. This allows you to store items in the bed away from the weather, from damage, and from the prying eyes of thieves. Unlike truck attachments like camper shells, bed covers do not provide additional vertical cargo space. Bed covers are best when you desire your truck to maintain a low profile or when you wish for your truck to have an easy on, easy off cover for its beds.
1. Save Gas!
As air flows over the front end of your vehicle, it careens into the hollow bowl of your bed and produces opposite force to your truck. This could easily eat several miles from your gas mileage every time you use your truck. These types of covers also provide extra gas mileage by reducing air drag that is exacerbated by the truck bed – an aerodynamic nightmare. You could even save about 10% on your gas with a good truck cover!
2. About Bed Covers
- Strong, rigid canopy covers
- Protect your transport items
- Some are detachable
- Easy to install
- Do not restrict the use of your tailgate
3. History Of Truck Covers
Truck covers are also known as truck bed covers. They have evolved from a number of versions that have been designed for a different uses. Because of this, no one person can claim to have invented the truck cover. Soft covers gained became popular on major speedways. Sport truck racers used soft truck covers to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag. Hard top truck covers rose in prominence as an alternative to camper shells. These highly-customized truck bed lids evolved to suit the various needs of truck drivers.
4. Truck Cover Storage Basics
When you need to transport items ranging from groceries, to heavy furniture, the truck cover does the trick. The cover shields your items from view, from the weather and from damage. Even simple covers can sufficiently protect your stuff. In some instances, truck covers employ strategically-placed weather seals that channel the moisture away from the covers. With such equipment, truck owners have a greater peace of mind when transporting items sensitive to such. With most models, installation requires no drilling into the truck bed.
Black is the standard color offered by most manufacturers, but many do offer a variety of other colors. When purchasing a truck bed cover, you need to decide between a hard cover (solid fiberglass) and a soft cover (vinyl). The differences between the two are highlighted below:
5. Hard Covers
Firmly attached, they do not blow off even at highway speeds. They are available with hinge systems to allow an easier lifting of cover to put or get cargo. It also is secure and lockable. These hard covers weigh about 100 lbs. Hard covers are also more expensive than vinyl covers. They are more durable and are also weatherproof.
6. Soft Covers
These, on the other hand, are easy to remove and install. They often just snap on to the truck rails and are ready to go. Although they may not be as tough as hard covers, they are still strong enough to provide protection for 1 to 2 people. If you are hauling large cargo, these covers come off easily to accommodate the extra space.
