Top 3 Retractable Tonneau Cover for Dodge/RAM 1500/2500/3500 | Buying Guide
Convert your Beast into armored truck with the strongest retractable Tonneau covers.
Sleep and Stylish, it gives your truck an attractive and impressive appearance by offering immense security and protection.
So if you’re also looking for best retractable Tonneau Cover for Your Dodge/RAM truck then you landed at right place.
For me, Retractable Tonneau cover is always the best choice as it comes with all specification that every truck owner is looking for…
Open and close in seconds these covers give your truck sturdy protection with their durable construction and built-in locks.
So its time to say good buy to old tri-fold covers where you need your extra effort to fold it. This is time to make your truck bed secure by pressing just one button and that’s it!
Before going forward Let’s check how many types of tonneau covers available in the market
Folding Tonneau Covers
Comes in both hard and soft options Folding Tonneau covers are one of the most popular tonneau covers. These comes in tri-fold or bi-fold style. Hard Cover mostly comes in aluminium or metal panels whereas Soft covers comes with vinyl or fabric panels.
Roll-Up Tonneau Covers
Roll-up tonneau covers also available with both soft and hard tops. Material used is different in soft and hard covers – Soft covers made up of tear-resistance fabric whereas hard covers comes with aluminium or metal rolling panels. These are one of the most affordable covers that provide ultimate protection along with instant installation.
Retractable Tonneau Covers
These covers are strongest covers that provide ultimate protection and converts your truck bed into vault. Comes in sleek, versatile and low profile design these covers also come with automatic locking, opening and closing system making it the most luxurious covers of all. These are somehow expensive than others but will worth for the money.
Hinged Tonneau Covers
Comes in both hard and soft tops these are another type of tonneau covers. The tonneau cover is hinged with tailgate and you can open it even with single hand. Along with providing protection to your bed it also offers perfect paint-matched option. So this will let you get tonneau cover similar to your truck’s color. Like retractable tonneau covers these covers has high load capacity and shows ultimate level of protection.
Comes with convenient smart latching options the Retractable bed covers allow you to keep your bed open at various positions for partial to full bed access.
So what more you’re looking for!!
Before moving towards the list let’s check some of the thing that we should remember while buying tonneau covers
Compatibility
The first and foremost thing to consider while buying tonneau cover is compatibility. You should always make sure that tonneau cover that you’re planning to buy is compatible with your truck. For that always check the size of your truck and tonneau cover.
Moreover, if you’re having some extra accessories in your truck that can be truck bed liner, bed extenders, truck tool boxes, utility track system or anything else, then make sure the tonneau cover that you’re choosing gives you perfect fit with all these upgrades. And, this is bit important also to get cover that matches with your existing upgrades otherwise you will feel that you could have wasted your money.
Need
The 2nd most important point to take care of while getting tonneau cover for your truck is your need or purpose of buying. Tonneau covers are meant for protection and security though you can also` get good looks along with improved efficiency `but primarily they are made to protect your cargo or anything that is in your truck bed from foreign elements.
So, it depends upon your requirement and purpose for which you’re buying for. There are multiple types of tonneau covers in the market that comes with various functions and qualities like Hard covers offers excellent protection with good looks while soft covers offer less protection as compared to hard covers and also comes in less price.
Whereas, there are also Retractable tonneau covers available in the market that will totally convert your truck into fully armored truck with its ultimate level of protection. These cover also offers easy operation with its remote controlled functions. It totally depends upon your requirement.
So, this is our recommendation if you’re buying just to add good looks and coolness to your truck then go for soft tri fold covers as those are least expensive and serves best to your purpose while if you’re looking for some extra protection for your cargo then go for the Hard covers. Retractable covers are one of the expensive covers with some comes even with remote control functions so only go for retractable covers if you’re ready to spend more…
Installation
Everyone like quick and easy installation. Mostly all of the tonneau covers comes with installation guide and instruction along with necessary hardware. But some can be installed in 10-15 mins while other take 1-2 hours also. It’s totally depend upon the cover as some comes with bolt on option while other clamped easily on bed rails. And some covers require even drilling holes also. So, it depends upon you whichever you thing would be better for you – you can take according.
Maintenance (How to Clean and maintain)
As tonneau cover comes under one of the expensive and important accessory for the truck that’s the reason it requires that level of maintenance also. The more you maintain it the more time it will stay with you.
Maintenance is not that difficult task. Just you have to do some regular checks that everything is working fine or not. Keep checking for any debris, dust, corrosion or anything else that does not look normal. Always make sure that clamps, bolts and other mounting hardware won’t be loose otherwise it will damage your cover also.
Double-check your bed rails and never leave any heavy gear or load on the tonneau cover for its long life. Moreover, you can also clean Use water and mild soap to keep your tonneau cover clean.
The soap is easy on the truck and won’t harm your cover. If you have a vinyl cover, use vinyl cleaner to keep it looking new and working properly. You can also use soft cotton cloths or sponges to dry it off.
Price
Last but not the least, this is one of the most important factor that you need to consider while buying tonneau cover for your truck. Its obvious everyone wants to buy that only cover which comes under the budget and offers the best quality.
Always choose tonneau cover according to your requirement, that will decide the price for the cover. The most cheaper ones are soft covers that offers low to medium level of protection along with good looks whereas hard covers are the expensive than soft ones and offers high level of protection along with good fuel economy and looks.
The most expensive ones are Retractable tonneau covers that not only offers protection, security and fuel economy but also comes with remote control operation- that means, to open or close the cover you just need a button and that’s it. These are also the strongest tonneau covers of all.
So, it depends upon You-go for best tonneau cover that comes under your budget.
Being a truck enthusiast I’ve listed the 3 Best Retractable Tonneau covers that gives your truck complete security and protection along with sleep appearance.
Do share your thoughts after reading this article and help us in improving Truck Enthusiasts.
#3 GATOR Trax Retractable Tonneau Truck Bed Cover (G10231)
If you’re not aware about Gator then let me tell you Gator is well known brand that offers best in class products and customer service. Gator offers high class truck bed covers that protects your valuables from being damaged.
You don’t have to compromise when choosing a tonneau cover for your truck as the Gator Trax Retractable encompasses the best features of different types of covers.
The GatorTrax tonneau is made out of LEXAN, the same stuff that is used in fighter jet cockpits. LEXAN polycarbonate is not only durable, it is lightweight, unharmed by UV rays, moisture, and it withstands temperatures ranging from -50 to +200 ℉.
The top is a one piece construction, to prevent water penetration.
It is one of the most durable cover you’ve ever seen and the top strongest cover in our list!
The GatorTrax cover comes in two different finishes First is Matte Finish that is powder coated with a durable matte black and Second is Gloss Finish that comes in high Gloss for a nice mirror look So it depends upon you.
Thanks to its exclusive use of ball-bearing that prevents the cover from binding when opening or closing it. Moreover the cover rolls up in canister without contacting itself so there will be no wear and tear over its lifetime cycle.
Time to good bye to old jammed bearings as Gator Trax rolls over the sealed ball bearing mounted on the rails which means you don’t have to remember to lubricate the bearing.
The GatorTrax MX cover locked at any position where ever you want to lock it .
Being UV protected it will never fade and does not require any maintenance. It also improve mileage by up to 10%.
The attractive low profile design make it look more attractive. The cover comes with limited lifetime warranty.
Check out Customer Reviews & Ratings
Key Features
- Custom fit to 2009-Up Dodge Ram 5.7 FT. Bed No RamBox
- Bed Incredible Strong and easy to use
- Combines industrial strength aluminum construction with an incredibly resilient matte finish.
- Low-profile design enhances the appearance of your truck.
- Unlimited hauling flexibility and convenient use with a fifth-wheel trailer
- Secures your valuable cargo or stays open whenever and wherever you need it
- UV protected
- Improve Mileage up to 10%
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
#2 Retrax 80233 PRO MX Retractable Truck Bed Cover
Presenting the one of the strongest Retractable Truck bed Cover of all time. The Retrax PRO MX Retractable truck bed Cover is one of the strongest cover you’ve ever seen.
Not just the protection and security –RetraxPRO MX Tonneau Cover offers you all the benefits of a traditional Tonneau with a unique, contemporary and attractive look.
Custom design for your specific year, make and model the RetraxPro Tonneau cover features the best-in quality premium, powder-coated matter black finish.
Made from Industrial strength heavy-duty aluminum the RetraxPRO can have load capacity more than 500 pounds.
RetraxPRO truck bed cover made with aluminum slats covered in a matte powder coat, giving them the extra strength to supports distributed loads.
Good bye to pull straps , snaps or springs as the cover comes with Sealed ball-bearing rollers which are mounted onto each section to allow the retractable cover to open and close easily with just one hand!
Thanks to its exclusive use of ball-bearing that prevents the cover from binding when opening or closing it.
It comes with patented low-profile design that enhances your truck’s style and the matte black finish of the RetraxPRO MX matches OE bed caps incredibly well.
The cover can be locked open in any position along the rail to allow unlimited hauling flexibility and convenient use with a fifth-wheel trailer.
The operation of this cover allows it to always stay flush to the rails and creates a dependable seal to help keep the elements out and protect your cargo.
Being UV protected it will never fade and does not require any maintenance. It also improve mileage by up to 10%.
The RetraxPRO MX features a limited lifetime warranty, meaning you’ll never have to worry about your bed cover once you have it installed.
Check out Customer Reviews & Ratings
Key Features
- Custom fit to fits Ram 1500 8′ Bed (09-up) & 2500, 3500 (10-up) Long Bed
- Incredible Strong and easy to use
- Hands-off operation via a wireless remote control
- Combines industrial strength aluminum construction with an incredibly resilient matte finish.
- Low-profile design enhances the appearance of your truck.
- Unlimited hauling flexibility and convenient use with a fifth-wheel trailer
- Secures your valuable cargo or stays open whenever and wherever you need it
- UV protected
- Improve Mileage up to 10%
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
#1 Pace Edwards BLD77A01 Bedlocker Tonneau Cover
Wait for the First Position is over!!
Pace Edwars bedlocker Tonneau Cover stands at First #1 Position in our list.
Before talking about the cover let us know about manufacturer.
Pace Edwards is the premium brand for assured quality, function, and innovative designs that work! The industry leader in tonneau covers for more than 17 years, their specialties include spring-activated and electric retractable hard tonneau covers.
They manufacture three of the highest quality tonneau covers available on the market today including; the BedLocker™ Electric Tonneau, the JackRabbit™ Spring-Activated Retractable Tonneau , and the original Roll-Top-Cover™ Manual Tonneau.
Coming towards the cover- The Pace Edwards bedlocker Tonneau cover removes all your effort as it comes with handy wireless remote.
Featuring a flush mounted clamp-in design and a textured black finish the Bedlocker Tonneau Cover offers tremendous strength, security, durability and style.
Being the most innovative electric retractable Tonneau cover it open and close at the touch of a button in less than 30 seconds and can be stopped at any point.
So you just have to push a button and Bedlocker’s heavy – gauge aluminum panels effortlessly roll away and yes it will take only 30 seconds!!
Moreover it can be wired to work along with your truck’s power door locks for additional security.
Thanks to its drop-in, clamp-in design that does not require any drilling and install in less than one hour.
Don’t worry about your cargo and valuables to be socked in rain as the BedLocker offers patented silicone rubber hinge seal that will not allow water to even penetrate the retractable blanket.
For ultimate performance and reliability the cover is equipped with a powerful electric motor drive with electromagnet brakes that make sure that it will not freeze or collapse under snow.
Made in USA Your Pace Edwards Bedlocker Retractable Tonneau Cover is backed by a 3-year warranty.
Check out customer reviews & ratings
Key Features
- Custom designed to fit Dodge/RAM 5ft 6in BedLocker
- Comes with Silicone rubber hinge seal that prevent water from getting in
- Includes 2 wireless keychain remote controls with a 30’ radius
- Powerful Motor drives with electromagnetic brakes ensures its smooth operation
- Also equipped with incorporated release lever that allows use f cover even in the chance of dead battery or lost remote
- Most Reliable, Durable and Secure with High-Guage Aluminum Black coated Panels
- Not freeze under snow
- Install in less than hour with no drilling
- Made in Use- backed by 3 year warranty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_HcJ3rld8g
Protection and Security for your Truck bed
The main benefit of having tonneau cover is the protection and security of anything whether it is cargo or anything else that you keep in your bed. Tonneau cover locks your bed and make it complete closed vault that will safe your cargo from being jumping out and also provide protection against any thieves.
Moreover it protects your cargo or bed from being exposed to UV rays while in rainy season keeps your cargo dry all the time. With some of the tonneau covers that comes with complete locking mechanism you can even safeguard your valuables along with other items.
Increase Durability and Life of truck bed
It also provides protection to your bed as due to rain, dust or UV rays or any other foreign material, there are high chances that your truck bed will damage due to corrosion– But with tonneau cover, you can ultimately increase the life of your truck bed by not letting it exposed to external weather.
Safe Transportation of Luggage or Cargo
Apart from providing security to your cargo, the tonneau covers also provide safe transportation of your luggage or any cargo. So whether you’re hauling or going to camping with your family, tonneau cover will allow you safely carry your camping gear or any other valuable without getting exposed to rain, snow, wind or any other foreign material.
So, if you’re planning to go out with your family or friends and finding difficulty in carrying your gears or tent with yourself then you must need a tonneau cover in your truck.
Even if you’re going to your work, you can easily keep your equipment safe in your truck bed with the bed cover installed in it.
Improved Fuel Economy
This is the other most important benefit you will get along with the first 2 advantages. This is one of the advantage of the tonneau cover that most of the truck owners fail to observe.
After installation of tonneau cover you will get to notice increase in fuel economy of your truck, no doubt that will not very high but yes… it will create impact in long run.
A tonneau cover will help reduce aerodynamic drag and can improve gas mileage. It will cover your truck into vault and your bed will generate less air drag as compared to open bed as showing in the pic below. This will increase your mileage by around 5%, some vehicles area also able to save even 10%.
Better Organisation of Cargo
With the tonneau cover installed in your bed you can better arrange your cargo in organised way as it will eliminate any impact of wind on the cargo. This will allow you to add more cargo or valuables in your bed as if you keep your cargo in proper organised way then then every inch of your bed is being used effectively.
Increase Resale Value
This is the long run benefit you will get after installing tonneau cover in your truck. As the cover protects your truck bed by not letting it exposed to external weather condition, it will make your truck look like new without any wear or corrosion signs that will automatically increase the value of your truck while reselling.
Conclusion
We do hope that this article helped you in making a definitive choice when it comes to choosing an Best and affordable tonneau cover for your Dodge/RAM Truck.
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Vicky Dwaj, Founder and CEO of TrucksEnthusiasts , is an automobile engineer passionate about pickup trucks and accessories. Follow his journey to discover the latest trends in off-road accessories, cars, and truck parts.
