SHAME ON FORD - leaking topper issue

[a6m5]

I pressure wash mine (with a foam cannon) 95% of the time and also get a little bit that leaks through that way but not much. I've been through some pretty hard rain storms and thought the bed would be flooded and yet just the same small spots in the back corner and not every time.

The dust was worse in my '19 and I had a drop in liner so luckily it was easy to clean and hose out. My '23 has a spray in liner and everything sticks to the texture, including my knees. That's why I have a rubber bed mat in there otherwise it's like a cheese grater. lol

I had wondered before how drop-in bedliners may keep the dust out better, but I guess not. lol Amount of water getting in isn't that bad, but I am going to look at both weatherstripping in front & by the tailgate again.

Sponsored

 

[LaBalbe]

Alway glad to help.... others spend their money.

I thought that was Annie's line every time she goes on Amazon.

 

[Cabose-1]

I k ow what the op is complaining about. The railbed covers are made entirely different and they leak i to the bed because of the design. They have plastic caps on top that leak all the water into the bed. Like having a sunroof with no seals and all the water goes into the car. Then the back area like the 5gs has that big gap. Then to top it off, it has holes, and is not a complete unit and has two giant holes that let in dirt and water and everthing else. Then the bed, has holes all over the place!! All the dust gets in! The tailgates have such a bigger gap than the 5g. The bedrail alone is hard to stop leaking because of the plastic caps.

So for the op
Seal that front gap up with a 2 inch piece of expandable foam. The holes that let daylight in, get a big 5x5 inch piece of foam and shove it in the hole. The other holes in the bed just buy a set of different size rubber cap things, or a set of different sized car tab hold together things. Dobt remeber what they are called. Then the tailgate, put a half inch foam on the leading vertical edge of the tailgate. When it closes, the tailgate will squeeze it closed. Then the edges, take a half or 3/4 inch foam on the edge of the tailgate to squish with the curved taillight section. And there is a you tube video on the whole process to seal the bed caps. Plus all the silicone i have put under the bed rail. And it is still not sealed like my 2 5gs Its long and breaks some tabs. So, yeah, lots of work. The 5g was so much better at sealing.
Hope these pics give the op some ideas. And those stupid caps on top still i can not get them to seal ....so they still leak, and my tonneau cover still leaks towards the tailgate section, so i have to make it sit torwrds the rear just a bit, i know you have a camper.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I had wondered before how drop-in bedliners may keep the dust out better, but I guess not. lol Amount of water getting in isn't that bad, but I am going to look at both weatherstripping in front & by the tailgate again.

I‘ve had them in all my Rangers. They really don’t do anything to help with dust but they clean up real nice and don’t get that ashen look that a dusty spray-in liner gets.

You can also give them a quick refresh with your favourite trim protectant and they look new again. Dry dragging a microfibre towel across LineX.

 

[TJC]

On my '19 Ranger I had a soft tonneau cover and it didn't leak much (Just a few drops by the bulkhead) it would get super dusty/dirty inside while off road. On my '23 I have a hard cover tonneau and there's still the same small spots of water but virtually no dust. When we were in Sedona last month I did the same trails as I did with my '19 and it was spotless. With my '19 I'd have to go back to the condo and broom all the dust out as it was everywhere leaking around the tailgate.

Here's a good tailgate seal in case you want to try it and several here have used it with good results.

https://extrudedsolutions.com/produ...tailgate-seal-with-taper-seal-6-for-sidewalls

Instal instructions:

https://tailgateseal.com/FordRanger2019.html

I installed an UnderCover Elite LX Tonneau Cover and a tailgate seal kit on my 2020 Ranger SCab. Absolutely no leaks and no dust. I've filled that bed to the top with boxes of records, and drove in driving rain storms that dropped inches / hour of water... nearly stalled the engine twice from water getting into the intercooler from the air intake.

Everything was bone dry in the bed. Not even a tad damp anywhere. Still happy with it 5+ years later.

 

[Rtball]

Spray foam like is used in home construction can fill many of those openings. It can make a mess and be tricky to trim, so apply with extreme caution. The very best way would be with the bed backed away from the cab few inches, but that can be a big undertaking.
When I put together my 2022 XL which had been through two auctions (first salvage, second rebuilt) and was still incomplete, I was surprised to see how many openings there were at the front corners of the bed. The soft tonneau wasn't going to keep out much of the outside moisture. This truck is not a showpiece, but I still wanted it sealed, so that was my solution.

 

[OldHippy]

Amazon…

Glarks 43Pcs 10 Size Oval and Round Rubber Grommets Set

The sizes are listed so you can measure and see if this kit will work.

Exactly what I was thinking. Glad you put this up.
There are no problems, Only Soutions.

 

[ljames]

looks to me like you have leaking all the way across and the holes have little to do with it. If water was entering in the top holes it would drain from the side holes only if it filled with water. Which is doubtful.

Sponsored