Pickup trucks offer a lot of utility to their owners; that is why, they have become a popular choice in the United States’ car market. Especially with the later versions, they offer more interior room, better hauling ability, comfort and towing capacity.
Although many improvements on pickup trucks have been done over the years, there are still two problems that most truck owners face. These are: lack of security of loads in the truck bed and poor fuel economy. Good thing tonneau covers came into existence resolving the said issues.
A truck bed cover is not exactly what it sounds like. It is not just a cover for the bed of your truck. It has different features such as armor lid, retractable, hinged, etc. catering to the varied taste or preferences of truck owners. One of the more popular types is the armor lid tonneau cover which has become a must-have for every truck owner.
Tonneau covers are available in two main forms: hard and soft. The hard tonneau cover is usually a hinged, folding type of cover. It is removable, light weight and allows easier access for the owner. One can quickly open up a large section of the truck bed for use when needed. They provide moderate security and hide everything that is stored in the truck bed. Another type of tonneau cover is one that which has to be bolted to the truck and tilts up to allow access to the bed. This one is usually made of fiberglass. A compromise with this type of cover is the lack of vertical space in the truck bed to use for hauling. It cannot be easily removed and therefore limits the hauling capacity. However, hard tonneau covers offer added security as it has a locking mechanism and it has a more sturdy construction.
You may also opt for soft tonneau cover which is available in roll up and retractable versions. The roll up type is a reinforced tonneau which can be rolled back and tied with Velcro straps. It allows wider access to the bed. Retractable tonneau is the flexible hard top version that retracts into a canister mounted just below the rear window of the pickup truck.
No matter which tonneau cover you choose, there will always be a gain in fuel economy. Although truck models have very different aerodynamic properties, almost every truck will experience some drag from air flowing into the tailgate. Increase in vehicle drag will require the truck to work harder to keep moving. As a result, there will be an increase in fuel consumption. With a truck bed cover installed and covering the entire truck bed, air is forced over the tailgate reducing the total amount of drag. Better gain in fuel economy is achieved with a lighter tonneau cover.
Tags: armor lid, armor lid tonneau cover, hard tonneau cover, truck bed cover
