Yikes, Extang Trifecta 2.0 tonneau cover does not work with the bed extender

[Swingpure]

I received the Extang Trifecta 2.0 Signature Series cover a week ago and absolutely love it. Today I finally got my bed extender. When I went to put the cover on, the latching handles on the cover near the tailgate cannot swing into the locking position, because they hit the bed extender top rail. No matter how I tried to angle it, it was not happening. (I was fearful that this might happen)

The tonneau cover is staying.

Potential solutions that I can think of are:

- cut the handle on the cover, but that is a none starter as then the handle will not lock back into the cover when not in use.
- remove the bed extender and only use it when the tailgate is down or the cover is off or folded back and locked. That sucks, because one of the big points of getting it was to keep things in place in the bed and have the pn covered at the same time to keep them dry.
- or modify the bed extender so the top rungs are removed, cut and reinforced or remove enough of the plastic rung on the top bar to allow the handle to swing in.

Any other suggestions?

Second picture is not my truck, but is the same bed extender i have.

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[RedlandRanger]

I have the Extang Solid fold and the same bed extender. The handles look the same as your photo. It takes a bit of doing, but you can make them work with the bed extender - you have to kind of experiment to find a place where the handles will clear the bed extender and still lock in. It is hard to explain but it can be done.

 

[Swingpure]

I have the Extang Solid fold and the same bed extender. The handles look the same as your photo. It takes a bit of doing, but you can make them work with the bed extender - you have to kind of experiment to find a place where the handles will clear the bed extender and still lock in. It is hard to explain but it can be done.

I will go back and try again. If I find a way, hopefully it is easily repeatable.

 

[RedlandRanger]

I will go back and try again. If I find a way, hopefully it is easily repeatable.

On mine, it is repeatable - I'm not sure about EASILY repeatable, but it is repeatable for sure. I'm not sure what differences there might be between the solid fold and the Trifecta. Basically you have to experiment with how far out the handles are - they need to be far enough out to be able to get between the bed extender and the bed but not too far so that they won't latch in. (if that makes sense).

Good luck!

 

[Swingpure]

On mine, it is repeatable - I'm not sure about EASILY repeatable, but it is repeatable for sure. I'm not sure what differences there might be between the solid fold and the Trifecta. Basically you have to experiment with how far out the handles are - they need to be far enough out to be able to get between the bed extender and the bed but not too far so that they won't latch in. (if that makes sense).

Good luck!

So I did get it to latch. Not the perfect angle and not as easy as it should be.

I am going to watch the video of how to put It together and I may remove the two top side bars, if the extender still remains solid.

 

[Swingpure]

The video I wanted to watch was of a slightly different extender. I looked at the extender and the bars look like they are on one piece on a row. If I decided to modify the bar, you could make a slot in the top bar where the handle intersects or cut the bar and put a supporting piece from the middle bar up to the cut ends.

Right now the extender is out. It either will only be used in special circumstances or I will modify it.

 

[Swingpure]

So I cut a section of the “top” bar out of the bed extender, to allow free access for the tonneau cover latch. It works perfectly! I latch it like normal, as though the bed extender was not there. The remaining bar is still very solid and has virtually zero impact on the functionality of the extender.

I used a hand grinder with a cutting blade to cut the bar, then filed any burrs off. I then painted it and it looked pretty clean.

Not having any Rubber/vinyl caps handy, I just used gorilla tape to seal off the end. The tape looks a little fugly, but will do the job until I get a cap.

 

[GregM]

So I cut a section of the “top” bar out of the bed extender, to allow free access for the tonneau cover latch. It works perfectly! I latch it like normal, as though the bed extender was not there. The remaining bar is still very solid and has virtually zero impact on the functionality of the extender.

I used a hand grinder with a cutting blade to cut the bar, then filed any burrs off. I then painted it and it looked pretty clean.

Not having any Rubber/vinyl caps handy, I just used gorilla tape to seal off the end. The tape looks a little fugly, but will do the job until I get a cap.

Good job 'Gary Thats using your noggin Glad the sturdiness is still there that's very important

 

[UncleBob]

I have the UnderCover Flex tonneau cover and did not have the same issue as you did. Apparently mine uses a completely different latch release method that doesn't interfere with the bed extender.

The only miner gripe I have is, because the cover is a tri fold, the first fold does not open a big enough space to swing the extended out onto the tailgate. I must open the second section up to be able to swing the extender out. A minor inconvenience but annoying none the less.

 

[Swingpure]

I have the UnderCover Flex tonneau cover and did not have the same issue as you did. Apparently mine uses a completely different latch release method that doesn't interfere with the bed extender.

The only miner gripe I have is, because the cover is a tri fold, the first fold does not open a big enough space to swing the extended out onto the tailgate. I must open the second section up to be able to swing the extender out. A minor inconvenience but annoying none the less.

Mine is the same as well, I have to fold it twice to lift the extender up and over.

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