Ford tonneau cover vs. After-market covers

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David Crockett

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Ft. Rucker, AL
My 2005 ST will be delivered ina few weeks, but because I ordered a pre-configured ST, it didn't come with the tonneau cover. I want to order the Ford cover (the folding one) as advertised on the Ford ST page, because it seems to have the best over-all approval from this site. I was just wondering if $1100 sounds like too much to pay for it (installed) or if i could get a better deal on one of the aftermarket covers. My main concerns are that the cover be weather-tight and with a sturdy locking mechanism so no one can break in and steal all my beer.:D



DD
 
I have a fiberglass lid which was $900 painted and installed. It is a Gaylord tonneau cover. I'm pretty happy with it.
 
Davy, you can find Ford OEM covers for sale all the time on eBay, and often on here too. Someone always seems to be selling them, and you can get them for MUCH less than the dealer wants for a new one.
 
Thanks Bahb. I'll check on e-bay. I've never really used their site, but I hear it is the place to go to look for good deals.



Lauren...I bought my ST through Exchange New Car Sales, a company which deals exclusively with the military and DoD. They help us get good deals on new cars by offering tax-free sales (in some cases) and additional rebates. Since I ordered from them, I had to choose from the stock that was available to them, because Ford is done with the 2005 ST production apparently. The ST I selected was pretty much exactly what I wanted, minus the cover, so I had to order it separately.
 
Re: eBay

PA passed a law requiring pets to be restrained or a cage thingy in back. Catalog price for a cage thingy for the wife's Taurus wagon was $59. A slightly better unit on eBay, brand new in box, $29. :)



Tonneaus, depends what you use your truck for. A hard one wouldn't work for me because I often need the bed open. I got a heavy vinyl roll-up tonneau.
 
I bought an Advance folding cover similar to the factory cover. Paid less than $550 and it took about a hlf hour to install. It uses the factory mounting positions - no drilling necessary. It hasn't leeked - I'm very pleased with it.
 
Mike made an excellent suggestion. Don't buy the OEM tonneau cover - get the Advance cover. I had one on my '01 ST and loved it. It never leaked a drop, and weighs half as much as the OEM cover. It's also thinner in profile, meaning better visibility when backing up the vehicle.



The Advance cover is aluminum and has a pebble finish that never needs waxing or 303 Protectant like the OEM cover needs.



Mine sat out in the Okla sun for 18 months and looked as good when I traded off the ST as it did when I installed it.
 
Now I'm torn.....I was prepared to order the OEM cover, but now Mike and Darin have planted the seeds of doubt in my mind. I definitely don't want a big, thick cover obstructing the rear-view. I'm 6'2", so it wouldn't be a problem for me, but my wife is a foot shorter than me, so I want her to have as much visibility over the bed as possible. I'll check out the OEM cover on e-bay as well as the advance cover you guys mentioned. Mike/Darin....how well did the Advance cover lock? Are the locks solid enough to deter most thieves?



DD
 
My wife is 5'4" and we have the OEM cover. She has no problem driving the ST including backing up for/from parking. I believe the thickness does not make much of a difference to that respect...



Mine is water tight, I had to put some silicon caulk in the folding crease because it wasn't, you'll find info on how to do it if it was the case.



I weight about 190lbs and have standed on the cover a couple times, I can put stuff in the back and just fold half of the cover, non-folding cover would force me to remove the whole cover. It's heavy, but I think it's well worth it, and I also suggest to get it from somewhere else but the dealer.
 
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Davy,



OEM cover here, and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

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I had to take it off and fold it in half to store in the bed earlier this week while I moved a 2 piece armoir down to San Jose. It fit between the two furniture sections. Got to San Jose, unloaded the armoir, put the tonneau back on, and headed to the beach for the afternoon, able to lock valuables under the tonneau!!!

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How about the Lazer Lite cover-- They are a site sponsor. The Lazer lite looks about the same thickness as the Advance but I think the finish looks nicer personally. The site says they run $795.00 plus shipping. http://www.sporttractonneaus.com/ I'm and 5'3" and can see perfectly fine over the OEM cover when backing up, but I have my power seat up as high as it will go as well. The main draw back for me with the OEM is the weight. I've recently installed the EZ kit, and now thats not a problem :D -Heather This is a comparison pic of the OEM(white Trac) vs. Lazer Lite.

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DeadlyDavy: A co-worker (Rocco) also had a '01 ST, but he had the OEM cover. I'd say the Advance cover locks just as securely as the OEM cover.



And I rode in his truck and can say visibility was more limited with the OEM cover than with the Advance cover. An extra 3/4" of thickness can make a difference between seeing a shopping cart and backing over one!



The only thing the OEM has going for it is you can stand on it. I wouldn't dare stand on a Advance Cover.... but really, how often are you going to stand on a tonneau cover?
 
i have the ford tonneau cover and the locking mechanism has been messed up since i got the truck....when u put the key in the lock hole on top, the key pulls then entire locking mechanism out with it....i took it to the dealer to get fixed, under warranty, and they told me to go basically go to hell because it was my fault cuz i pushed too hard on it and broke it....mind u this was about 25 days after buying the truck...it comes in handy, but mines a tough one to open. iwhen i buy my new trac im def not payin extra for it though...
 
Scott's lift setup is similar to a setup that JC Whitney used to sell to allow one person to remove or install the removable hard top on the old 2 seat (55-57) T-Birds and Corvettes.



...Rich
 
I have an A.R.E. LSII tonneau, color-matched, with carpet liner and 12V light, and installed for $866. It's heavy and it restricts rear vision some, but it's nothing you can't get used to. It is installed using the factory mounts, which means no drilling. Removal would be simple if it weren't for its heavy weight (I've yet to try it). It is sturdy, water tight, opens via gas shocks, and compatible with my bed extender. It has a neat and sturdy locking mechanism too. Most of all, it looks great inside and out. I love it!







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