Gator SFX Soft TriFold Tonneau Installation

[DaPap1951]

I know, what could be hard about installing the tonneau?
Nothing, It is not hard.

My inquiry has to do with the auxiliary brackets provided with the tonneau.
I asked Gator if I really needed to install these and they said, it is up to me but strongly suggest that I install them.

My previous trucks/tonneaus did not require these extra brackets. Why only two at the front of the bed and not four, one at each corner.

Let me be perfectly honest, I am being lazy. I do not want to pull my drop-in liner to make the trimmings necessary and bolt the bracket in place. Is the bed so weak at the front that it can not take the stress? Again, why not four brackets?

As I write this I keep saying just go do it but I am curious about what others who use this tonneau have done.

Go ahead, laugh at me, I can take it. ?

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[DaPap1951]

I know, what could be hard about installing the tonneau?
Nothing, It is not hard.

My inquiry has to do with the auxiliary brackets provided with the tonneau.
I asked Gator if I really needed to install these and they said, it is up to me but strongly suggest that I install them.

My previous trucks/tonneaus did not require these extra brackets. Why only two at the front of the bed and not four, one at each corner.

Let me be perfectly honest, I am being lazy. I do not want to pull my drop-in liner to make the trimmings necessary and bolt the bracket in place. Is the bed so weak at the front that it can not take the stress? Again, why not four brackets?

As I write this I keep saying just go do it but I am curious about what others who use this tonneau have done.

Go ahead, laugh at me, I can take it. ?
[/QUOTE]

Update

I got over my laziness this bright sunny morning and went at it.

First I tried laying the tonneau in [place without making any modifications. No go.

Now I had to remove my new drop-in bedliner. Not a big deal just very annoying. It is a Pendaliner that in addition to using two bolt at the tail gate also uses two push-in plugs that I have no idea what purpose they serve. These are a pain to get out being very careful not to destroy them.

Then I made a few measurements on the bedliner, following the supplied instructions, and cut my (did I say brand new) bedliner!

I had to cut a strip out off the left/right side near the cab, 10 inches long varying from 1/2 inch at the cab to 1-1/2 inch toward the tailgate.

Next I bolted two rather stout L shaped brackets to the inside of the bed. These are pretty serious brackets. I neglected to measure them but I will estimate 10 inches on the long section and 8 inches on the short section (bolted). They do bolt to existing tapped holes. The long section now sits just below the plastic bed rail cap providing a strong mount point.

I next reinstalled my bedliner and began laying on the tonneau.

There appear to be a two reasons for this installation design.
1. The ranger OEM bed top rails.
2. The tonneau manufacture's desire not to use a slightly different lock down on the cab end of the tonneau.

The bed rail caps overlap the bed enough that the standard lock down can not reach the metal be to get a good grip. Not using the special metal brackets would cause the lock down to only grasp the plastic bed rail cap. Not a good idea.

A slight modification to what I will call the hook on the lock down mechanism would avoid all this.
I guess the steel bracket solution was less expensive from a manufacturing perspective.

My wife said to me as I was grumbling about this installation design, send it back!

Well the reason I went with this tonneau was that I really like the design of the lock mechanisms at the tail gate. Spring loaded vs the very annoying yank down lever type used on my previous tonneau. And the price was right.

Thanks for letting me vent.

I know, what could be hard about installing the tonneau?
Nothing, It is not hard.

My inquiry has to do with the auxiliary brackets provided with the tonneau.
I asked Gator if I really needed to install these and they said, it is up to me but strongly suggest that I install them.

My previous trucks/tonneaus did not require these extra brackets. Why only two at the front of the bed and not four, one at each corner.

Let me be perfectly honest, I am being lazy. I do not want to pull my drop-in liner to make the trimmings necessary and bolt the bracket in place. Is the bed so weak at the front that it can not take the stress? Again, why not four brackets?

As I write this I keep saying just go do it but I am curious about what others who use this tonneau have done.

Go ahead, laugh at me, I can take it. ?

Update

I got over my laziness this bright sunny morning and went at it.

First I tried laying the tonneau in place without making any modifications. No go. Front hooks will not grasp the bed rails.

Now I had to remove my new drop-in bedliner. Not a big deal just very annoying. It is a Pendaliner that in addition to using two bolt at the tail gate also uses two push-in plugs that I have no idea what purpose they serve. These are a pain to get out being very careful not to destroy them.

Then I made a few measurements on the bedliner, following the supplied instructions, and cut my (did I say brand new) bedliner!

I had to cut a strip out off the left/right side near the cab, 10 inches long varying from 1/2 inch at the cab to 1-1/2 inch toward the tailgate.

Next I bolted two rather stout L shaped brackets to the inside of the bed. These are pretty serious brackets. I neglected to measure them but I will estimate 10 inches on the long section and 8 inches on the short section (bolted). They do bolt to existing tapped holes. The long section now sits just below the plastic bed rail cap providing a strong mount point.

I next reinstalled my bedliner and began laying on the tonneau.

There appear to be a two reasons for this installation design.
1. The ranger OEM bed top rails.
2. The tonneau manufacture's desire not to use a slightly different lock down on the cab end of the tonneau.

The bed rail caps overlap the bed enough that the standard lock down can not reach the metal be to get a good grip. Not using the special metal brackets would cause the lock down to only grasp the plastic bed rail cap. Not a good idea.

A slight modification to what I will call the hook on the cab end lock down mechanism would avoid all this.
I guess the steel bracket solution was less expensive from a manufacturing perspective.

My wife said to me as I was grumbling about this installation design, send it back!

Well the reason I went with this tonneau was that I really like the design of the lock mechanisms at the tail gate. Spring loaded vs the very annoying yank down lever type used on my previous tonneau. And the price was right.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[DaPap1951]

I know, what could be hard about installing the tonneau?
Nothing, It is not hard.

My inquiry has to do with the auxiliary brackets provided with the tonneau.
I asked Gator if I really needed to install these and they said, it is up to me but strongly suggest that I install them.

My previous trucks/tonneaus did not require these extra brackets. Why only two at the front of the bed and not four, one at each corner.

Let me be perfectly honest, I am being lazy. I do not want to pull my drop-in liner to make the trimmings necessary and bolt the bracket in place. Is the bed so weak at the front that it can not take the stress? Again, why not four brackets?

As I write this I keep saying just go do it but I am curious about what others who use this tonneau have done.

Go ahead, laugh at me, I can take it. ?

Update

I got over my laziness this bright sunny morning and went at it.

First I tried laying the tonneau in [place without making any modifications. No go.

Now I had to remove my new drop-in bedliner. Not a big deal just very annoying. It is a Pendaliner that in addition to using two bolt at the tail gate also uses two push-in plugs that I have no idea what purpose they serve. These are a pain to get out being very careful not to destroy them.

Then I made a few measurements on the bedliner, following the supplied instructions, and cut my (did I say brand new) bedliner!

I had to cut a strip out off the left/right side near the cab, 10 inches long varying from 1/2 inch at the cab to 1-1/2 inch toward the tailgate.

Next I bolted two rather stout L shaped brackets to the inside of the bed. These are pretty serious brackets. I neglected to measure them but I will estimate 10 inches on the long section and 8 inches on the short section (bolted). They do bolt to existing tapped holes. The long section now sits just below the plastic bed rail cap providing a strong mount point.

I next reinstalled my bedliner and began laying on the tonneau.

There appear to be a two reasons for this installation design.
1. The ranger OEM bed top rails.
2. The tonneau manufacture's desire not to use a slightly different lock down on the cab end of the tonneau.

The bed rail caps overlap the bed enough that the standard lock down can not reach the metal be to get a good grip. Not using the special metal brackets would cause the lock down to only grasp the plastic bed rail cap. Not a good idea.

A slight modification to what I will call the hook on the lock down mechanism would avoid all this.
I guess the steel bracket solution was less expensive from a manufacturing perspective.

My wife said to me as I was grumbling about this installation design, send it back!

Well the reason I went with this tonneau was that I really like the design of the lock mechanisms at the tail gate. Spring loaded vs the very annoying yank down lever type used on my previous tonneau. And the price was right.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Update

I got over my laziness this bright sunny morning and went at it.

First I tried laying the tonneau in place without making any modifications. No go. Front hooks will not grasp the bed rails.

Now I had to remove my new drop-in bedliner. Not a big deal just very annoying. It is a Pendaliner that in addition to using two bolt at the tail gate also uses two push-in plugs that I have no idea what purpose they serve. These are a pain to get out being very careful not to destroy them.

Then I made a few measurements on the bedliner, following the supplied instructions, and cut my (did I say brand new) bedliner!

I had to cut a strip out off the left/right side near the cab, 10 inches long varying from 1/2 inch at the cab to 1-1/2 inch toward the tailgate.

Next I bolted two rather stout L shaped brackets to the inside of the bed. These are pretty serious brackets. I neglected to measure them but I will estimate 10 inches on the long section and 8 inches on the short section (bolted). They do bolt to existing tapped holes. The long section now sits just below the plastic bed rail cap providing a strong mount point.

I next reinstalled my bedliner and began laying on the tonneau.

There appear to be a two reasons for this installation design.
1. The ranger OEM bed top rails.
2. The tonneau manufacture's desire not to use a slightly different lock down on the cab end of the tonneau.

The bed rail caps overlap the bed enough that the standard lock down can not reach the metal be to get a good grip. Not using the special metal brackets would cause the lock down to only grasp the plastic bed rail cap. Not a good idea.

A slight modification to what I will call the hook on the cab end lock down mechanism would avoid all this.
I guess the steel bracket solution was less expensive from a manufacturing perspective.

My wife said to me as I was grumbling about this installation design, send it back!

Well the reason I went with this tonneau was that I really like the design of the lock mechanisms at the tail gate. Spring loaded vs the very annoying yank down lever type used on my previous tonneau. And the price was right.

Thanks for letting me vent.
[/QUOTE]

A response from Gator

The Ranger is a unique application. When Ford designed the bed, the metal reinforcements in the bed caps were extremely weak and would not be able to safely hold a cover to the truck under the expected wind conditions. Manufacturers of virtually every bed cover for the new Ranger have had to use reinforcement brackets to safely install their covers. In other words, no matter what bed cover you order for the new Ranger, you're most likely to have a more involved install than you would on a typical truck. If you look under the plastic bed cap covers, you can see the very thin metal structure than you can bend with your fingers. It just wouldn't be safe to install a trifold cover on that truck the same way you install it on a standard pick up bed. The good news is that once the reinforcement brackets are installed, the Gator SFX comes off and goes back on just as easily as any other application.

Go to product page

 

[Rocinante]

Update

I got over my laziness this bright sunny morning and went at it.

First I tried laying the tonneau in [place without making any modifications. No go.

Now I had to remove my new drop-in bedliner. Not a big deal just very annoying. It is a Pendaliner that in addition to using two bolt at the tail gate also uses two push-in plugs that I have no idea what purpose they serve. These are a pain to get out being very careful not to destroy them.

Then I made a few measurements on the bedliner, following the supplied instructions, and cut my (did I say brand new) bedliner!

I had to cut a strip out off the left/right side near the cab, 10 inches long varying from 1/2 inch at the cab to 1-1/2 inch toward the tailgate.

Next I bolted two rather stout L shaped brackets to the inside of the bed. These are pretty serious brackets. I neglected to measure them but I will estimate 10 inches on the long section and 8 inches on the short section (bolted). They do bolt to existing tapped holes. The long section now sits just below the plastic bed rail cap providing a strong mount point.

I next reinstalled my bedliner and began laying on the tonneau.

There appear to be a two reasons for this installation design.
1. The ranger OEM bed top rails.
2. The tonneau manufacture's desire not to use a slightly different lock down on the cab end of the tonneau.

The bed rail caps overlap the bed enough that the standard lock down can not reach the metal be to get a good grip. Not using the special metal brackets would cause the lock down to only grasp the plastic bed rail cap. Not a good idea.

A slight modification to what I will call the hook on the lock down mechanism would avoid all this.
I guess the steel bracket solution was less expensive from a manufacturing perspective.

My wife said to me as I was grumbling about this installation design, send it back!

Well the reason I went with this tonneau was that I really like the design of the lock mechanisms at the tail gate. Spring loaded vs the very annoying yank down lever type used on my previous tonneau. And the price was right.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Update

I got over my laziness this bright sunny morning and went at it.

First I tried laying the tonneau in place without making any modifications. No go. Front hooks will not grasp the bed rails.

Now I had to remove my new drop-in bedliner. Not a big deal just very annoying. It is a Pendaliner that in addition to using two bolt at the tail gate also uses two push-in plugs that I have no idea what purpose they serve. These are a pain to get out being very careful not to destroy them.

Then I made a few measurements on the bedliner, following the supplied instructions, and cut my (did I say brand new) bedliner!

I had to cut a strip out off the left/right side near the cab, 10 inches long varying from 1/2 inch at the cab to 1-1/2 inch toward the tailgate.

Next I bolted two rather stout L shaped brackets to the inside of the bed. These are pretty serious brackets. I neglected to measure them but I will estimate 10 inches on the long section and 8 inches on the short section (bolted). They do bolt to existing tapped holes. The long section now sits just below the plastic bed rail cap providing a strong mount point.

I next reinstalled my bedliner and began laying on the tonneau.

There appear to be a two reasons for this installation design.
1. The ranger OEM bed top rails.
2. The tonneau manufacture's desire not to use a slightly different lock down on the cab end of the tonneau.

The bed rail caps overlap the bed enough that the standard lock down can not reach the metal be to get a good grip. Not using the special metal brackets would cause the lock down to only grasp the plastic bed rail cap. Not a good idea.

A slight modification to what I will call the hook on the cab end lock down mechanism would avoid all this.
I guess the steel bracket solution was less expensive from a manufacturing perspective.

My wife said to me as I was grumbling about this installation design, send it back!

Well the reason I went with this tonneau was that I really like the design of the lock mechanisms at the tail gate. Spring loaded vs the very annoying yank down lever type used on my previous tonneau. And the price was right.

Thanks for letting me vent.

A response from Gator

The Ranger is a unique application. When Ford designed the bed, the metal reinforcements in the bed caps were extremely weak and would not be able to safely hold a cover to the truck under the expected wind conditions. Manufacturers of virtually every bed cover for the new Ranger have had to use reinforcement brackets to safely install their covers. In other words, no matter what bed cover you order for the new Ranger, you're most likely to have a more involved install than you would on a typical truck. If you look under the plastic bed cap covers, you can see the very thin metal structure than you can bend with your fingers. It just wouldn't be safe to install a trifold cover on that truck the same way you install it on a standard pick up bed. The good news is that once the reinforcement brackets are installed, the Gator SFX comes off and goes back on just as easily as any other application.

Go to product page

[/QUOTE]

My Truxedo Pro X15 had brackets as well. I was confused at first too. The instructions weren't clear as to why they were even needed, and the bolt holes were lined with the factory spray in liner. Didn't make the install easy at all but figure there was a reason for them. Now I know (Thanks!) and I'm glad I went through the effort. Glad to hear I'm not the only one that had issues!

 

[2.7EcoBoost]

I bought a Gator SRX roll up a few months after I bought my truck. The clamps were the worst design I have ever seen. They literally would barely hold and absolutely would not stay. I felt part of the problem was the design of the bed, but that's no excuse for a company to design, market and sell a product that is inferior. I tried C-clamps (that wouldn't work, basically because of the bed design) and ultimately ended up drilling and installing 2 small bolt/nuts on both sides. I really felt the cover could come off otherwise. This was after my return window had closed. I just accepted that I'll have to buy a new tonneau (an definitely not a Gator), but decided to give Gator customer service a chance. After a lengthy chat with sales/marketing, I was informed that the entire frame and clamping system was redesigned and unfortunately the new clamps wont interchange and I'd have to buy a complete new cover. I asked if Gator would expect or hope for me to buy their product again, ever, knowing that they didn't back a flawed design. The lady was very nice and gave me a direct line for service to see if they'd pro rate or something based on the fact that they had to re engineer the whole darn thing and the frame comes with a limited lifetime warranty.....I'll be calling Monday.

 

[Kenn]

I called Gator to order the GATOR SFX TRI-FOLD TONNEAU COVER
PART #: GXT-61318 and the person I talked to told me that no brackets are included (or available) with the cover. I liked the idea of the reenforcing bracket. Do brackets come with the new Gator tonneau cover? Does anyone have the part number for the bracket?

 

[bigrb]

I have one on my Ranger, no brackets included, but 2 extra mounts with straps for the front of the cover...got it like 3 weeks ago, from, gator, so should be the newest version

 

[Kenn]

I have one on my Ranger, no brackets included, but 2 extra mounts with straps for the front of the cover...got it like 3 weeks ago, from, gator, so should be the newest version

My plastic rail covers hang below the metal on the bed so the 4 clamps will only be clamping on plastic. Did you tirm off any plastic so that the clamps make contact with the metal on the bed? Did the cover come with the bulkhead seals? If seals came with the cover how thick were they? My bed has a sprayed in bed liner and the gap is about 1 inch.

 

[bigrb]

My plastic rail covers hang below the metal on the bed so the 4 clamps will only be clamping on plastic. Did you tirm off any plastic so that the clamps make contact with the metal on the bed? Did the cover come with the bulkhead seals? If seals came with the cover how thick were they? My bed has a sprayed in bed liner and the gap is about 1 inch.

feels like mine clamps the plastic rails and the metal of the bed; came with bulkhead seal which is about an inch, seems to seal well...no water after rains while parked or on highway since I Got it...also picked up tailgate gap seal and I think that helps as well

 

[Porpoise Hork]

My plastic rail covers hang below the metal on the bed so the 4 clamps will only be clamping on plastic. Did you tirm off any plastic so that the clamps make contact with the metal on the bed? Did the cover come with the bulkhead seals? If seals came with the cover how thick were they? My bed has a sprayed in bed liner and the gap is about 1 inch.

I have had this cover installed for over a year and have not had any issues with it. I did have to trim a small bit of the plastic caps where the clamps (2 screw clamps on the front and 2 spring clamps at the tailgate) attach at the bed. The rear spring clamps could be stronger to prevent the back section of the cover from allowing a small amount of water past. Other than that it's been a fantastic cover for the price.

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