Bed cover and liner recommendations

[Wings06j]

I have the Extang Xceed. It's a hard tri-fold but the way it's made the top is one piece so fewer places for water to sneak in. It fully covers the bed when closed. When opened all the way it only blocks about 4" of the bed (and your back window). Warrantee service is great too. I sent them a few photos of where it was starting to peel and they sent me a whole new unit.

For the bed liner I went with Line-X. It's great for protection for just about anything. Very rough on the knees if you need to climb in the bed though. So really just depends on your use. That said, before I had it I was as careful as I could be and still got a few really bad scratches in the bare metal. Had it sprayed and now I can literally throw tools into my bed without a care.

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[got3fords]

Our best seller of any style is the Extang Trifecta 2.0 (tri-fold soft tonneau). Available in the regular marine vinyl or their "Signature Series" which is more like a convertible car's top type material in looks. I have the Trifecta 2.0 Signature Series on my 2021 Ranger.

I also have the Signature and love it. It looks great, nicer than the vinyl ones. It is so easy to take off if needed, light weight. I have the factory spray-in liner.
Question for Val, do you also have two extra straps that hang down from the front cross bar? I could never figure out what they were for. (not the ones that secure it when folded)

 

[CTYankee]

I got this one for my 2020. I like the hard rollup since it gives me full access to the bed and the price can't be beat. It's a quality cover that has really impressed me over the four months I've had it.

 

[got3fords]

The tri-fold styles seem to give you an extra couple of inches clearance, as they don't sit right at the bed rail level.

 

[paval3]

I also have the Signature and love it. It looks great, nicer than the vinyl ones. It is so easy to take off if needed, light weight. I have the factory spray-in liner.
Question for Val, do you also have two extra straps that hang down from the front cross bar? I could never figure out what they were for. (not the ones that secure it when folded)

I think they are the safety straps for if the build in clamps fail when going down the road so the tonneau doesn't fly off. Been a few years since one of the shop guys helped me install mine so I don't remember where/how they are fastened. If I remember tomorrow, I'll take a flash light and peek in to see.

 

[got3fords]

I think they are the safety straps for if the build in clamps fail when going down the road so the tonneau doesn't fly off. Been a few years since one of the shop guys helped me install mine so I don't remember where/how they are fastened. If I remember tomorrow, I'll take a flash light and peak in to see.

I remember studying the hell out of them and just could not figure them out. I even contacted the company and can't remember the response, but I do remember it was not much help. I am really tempted to cut them off.

 

[Cabose-1]

+1 on the trifold signature cover. I ha e had mine since 2021 about april or so. Adapted it to fit my 6g Ranger. Only had to replace the bedrail gaskets on it. Works great! Had to do aaaaaaalot of work on the 6g bed rail so it did not drip water into the bed.
I have some aftermarket bedliner, dealer trade on my truck so previous dealer had somethird rate cheap shop do it. I have my 5g bed mat in my 6g Ranger, keeps dents to a minimum when loading things into it. If not for the dealer though, i would not spray bedliner. Just part of being a truck.
But the cover, as others have said, works great, 3 to 5 minute removal and install, sits on top of bed rails so nothing to get in the way when loading or unloading.
Good luck with your search.

 

[paval3]

I remember studying the hell out of them and just could not figure them out. I even contacted the company and can't remember the response, but I do remember it was not much help. I am really tempted to cut them off.

Here you go! A diagram how to install the safety straps.

 

[got3fords]

Here you go! A diagram how to install the safety straps.

I honestly don't think I have ever seen this, thanks! And here I thought I had to cinch them tight somehow.

 

[mtsoxfan]

I have the Truxedo TruEx roll up. I only need weather protection, from rain/snow/sun and to keep dirt out as well. After 5+ years, I've had no issues with it. Maybe because of the Graphene 303...

Each style has it's +/- Hard covers offer security, can be used as a work surface etc. They can be visually restrictive when folded up. Soft roll ups offer the least security, if that's an issue. There are harder roll ups that can offer security. Roll ups are not visually restrictive.

On the bedliner, I chose spray in. Drop ins can move, damaging paint, hold moisture, can promote rust, rattle, very slippery, although that may have changed over the years. I feel a liner of some sort is necessary if you haul any heavy, or metal items, paints, oils that can spill or leak, as I do often. I've had diesel fuel and oil leak/spill, in small amounts, and find that they can stain/discolor my spray in liner.

And since I prefer a dry/clean bed area, I've had to buy a foam seal kit for tailgate, which works very well.

 

[Sparky2]

Line-X spray in bed coating was included as part of the new truck sale and this is my 2nd truck with it. I have noting but praise for their product and professional installation.

As far as the cover goes mine is the Bak Revolver X4 and also is an excellent product. Not 100% water proof or dust proof but it’s rare water gets in even when I wash it with a pressure washer.

When I was camping in the Kansas flint hills we went several miles on a gravel road to a very remote place called Teeter Rock and when we returned to the campsite my bed was filled with dust with the cover closed. Don’t know if the dust came in via the cover or the tailgate openings but it easily found its way in.

My Ranger is a 2019 I bought in late February 2020 and bought the BAK cover on a Black Friday sale November 2020 which included professional installation I think the sale price was 900.00. Security wise, it’s good but I believe

a crow or wonder bar would be able to defeat it.

 

[TechEditor]

I installed a Gator EFX tri-fold. Then had to seal the tailgate gaps to keep the dust out and finally reworked the Gator tri-fold straps to allow only one fold open. See episodes #6, 10 & 32 here: (1) My 6th Ford Ranger - YouTube

 

[TruckBox]

Bought the cheapest soft trifold I could find at $150ish. So far it works fine. Only a couple months in, so no meaningful report on wear and tear.

 

[HeatXfer]

I've also been looking at t-covers and just can't pull the pin! I like the security and low (read 'zero') profile of retractables, but don't like the loss of bed volume. And I want t-rails so I can mount a rack to carry my "pod" and the occasional long pieces of steel and lumber I use.

Decisions, decisions....

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

I've also been looking at t-covers and just can't pull the pin! I like the security and low (read 'zero') profile of retractables, but don't like the loss of bed volume. And I want t-rails so I can mount a rack to carry my "pod" and the occasional long pieces of steel and lumber I use.

Decisions, decisions....

We have factory liner which works great.

With so many cover styles, it's not an easy decision.

I wanted security, strong build, and T-slot rails, so went with the RetraxPro XR. Built rock solid. Our SCab has more length and haven't been bothered by the canister. Have only removed it once to haul a new TV home from Costco. Simple removal by removing clamps, then lifting out.

Ordered from Tonneau Factory Outlet. Shipped to us directly from Retrax.

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