Campfire question I drive a loud 6.0 turbo diesel like seamore after towing the trailer a long distance I like to let my truck idle while unhitching to let the turbo cool down & start the truck while I'm running slides / awning in to warm up before towing do others consider this to be rude at camp?
Hey guys! Did you guys like this solution for heavy eBikes? Did you like the cover itself or did it have issues? We're doing some research and looking ourselves since we won't be able to store them on the back either. Thanks.
We bought a Retrax for our Silverado 1500 when we retired in 2016 and we are full time on the road. This cover has operated flawlessly with no problems. Just a hint on maintenance keep the rollers and slid tracks clean and lubricated with a good silicone spray. Love our Retrax. Live your dream.
We love our Retrax Pro MX on our Chevy 2500. We find that with three young kids, my wife and I, our truck has become our main family vehicle (not just when towing our Trailer). So keeping everything dry, and clean and still having room for a bunch of stuff is a plus. I opted for the electronic one with remote; my wife can access easily without swearing at me :). We have been very happy with it. For those interested, as I was, I reached out to Retrax and got word this morning. If you already have some other model of Retrax installed, the XR rails can be purchased and retrofitted to your current system.
Great review! Finally decided to purchase the RetraxPro MX after watching videos on various tonneau covers. Your video is one of the best on RUclips in regards to covering this.... well cover. Thank you again for the review, keep you the great work!
Yep, love ours! We carry a lot of things in our truck bed and have never gotten wet or stolen. I didn't know about the rack options! Thank you for that. Enjoy
I really like your truck bed cover. I have looked at those before. The cover that I like and want is the diamond back truck cover. My wife and I ride 4 wheelers and these covers can hold 2 4 wheelers on top of the bed and we can still pull our camper. We love your videos. Thanks for your advise. Wife and I went to Maine back in May and hit a lot of the high points you and Christy talked about. We loved Jordan's restaurant with the blueberry pancakes. It was awesome. Hope y'all have a good week.
I bought a DB HD and LOVE IT!!! you can do so much wit it and it has never let me down. I doubt I will ever have to replace it unless I get a longer truck bed lol
I have been looking for months for a tonneau cover that spoke to me in terms of quality, security and versatility. This one looks like it fits the bill. Thanks so much for your channel, honest reviews and a tone that is not too serious but serious when it needs to be. I thoroughly enjoy your channel as well as trust your opinion. God bless you guys and roll safe.
Thanks Ronnie, I think this is the one you seek: amzn.to/2CJPzfZ I'm sure that if you get one you will like it. These are great quality and I love the storage options they allow.
Great choice Shawn! We tow a Toyota Tacoma behind our motorhome. I bought a ProdoTech folding e-bike two years ago, with the intention of storing it inside my truck bed. As you know, good e-bikes are expensive, so I wanted to be able to hide it from prying eyes while traveling. I then began searching for a quality locking bed cover. The RetraxPro was the most expensive on the market, but it seem to get the best reviews. I have been extremely happy with it after two years. Not only does it hide equipment from prying eyes, it protects it from the elements. I do get some light rain water leakage at the tailgate area, but the rest of the truck bed stays pretty dry. They didn’t have the model that you purchased available when I bought mine, looks like a great addition to their lineup!
What size bed on the Tacoma? Does the Retrax take up much room when it's retracted? I have the five foot bed on my Tacoma and the Retrax is on my short list.
I wasn’t sure of the exact measurements, so I just went outside to measure. The Retrax drum that stores the retractable top takes up 11” of bed space. It is mounted to the bed rail below the rear window, but it does not touch the floor of the bed. It still leaves about 8” of space between the the floor of the bed and the bottom of the drum. I have the 6’ bed and it hasn’t hampered me yet. A 5’ bed may be a different story though if you need to haul long objects.
I forgot to mention, the Tacoma’s OE cleat tie downs and sliding bed rail system must be removed before the Retrax can be installed. That was the only negative thing I found with the Retrax. To be honest, I really don’t miss it, but I can see where it may be a deal breaker for others.
nice review - just installed mine and it took me 3-hrs. I'm doing the same with a cargo carrier and bike rack. Overall, very impressed with the product.
Thank you! I checked this exact tonneau out today at the local shop, and came home to get some more information. What is the 2nd video that pops up? You guessed it, my buddies from LoLoHo! So, now I have a review that I know I can trust! “Daisy” is getting an upgrade tomorrow! Thanks!
I'm in Reno, NV and I called the local dealer. He has been selling Retrax since they came out and said the ProXR is the best they make. I have a 2016 Silverado crew cab with 6'6" bed. They will install for just $100.00! Yes I am lazy, but if something goes wrong they are on the hook for correcting. I have the Chevy cover but always have hassled with the connectors and afraid of some twit with a knife. Thanks so much for the videos and stay warm!!
@@ChipRoberson Yes! It has been great! Absolutely no problems! TIP: ONLY use paraffin was to lube the tracks. Cut a small block and run up and down every so often and you are good to go! Used Trimline on Greg Street
I like that update to their cover. I had the Retrax cover without the integrated rail. I ended up drilling holes in the cover through the bed of the truck to attach the Yakima crossbar feet to the truck. It worked well. I wish this version of the bed cover was around in 2014 when installed my set up!
U can buy just the rails with the t-slots to retrofit. I just ordered and looking forward to installing it on my 2 year old retrax. Also...what model is the Thule cargo u have in the video?
@@LongLongHoneymoon of course!You're welcome! My wife(from Meridian,Ms)and I(New Orleans)we both love camping hiking and exploring.but we really can't do things like that right now, we have a 2 year old. You guys are like a mental vacation for us ,lol. We look forward to your videos every week! Thank you again!
I just bought a 2018 F-150 and had a Retrax Powertrax installed. It’s my second Powertrax as I had one on my 2015 F-150. Great product. They said the warranty will be void if any lubricant is used on the track. Only paraffin was is allowed. So on my new Powertrax I took a rag and ran it across a block of paraffin wax and applied to the track on both sides. It really smoothed it out. My covers are not 100% waterproof. Heavy rain or Carwash will allow a bit of water but nothing to be concerned with.
We just returned from a couple of weeks of camping. We have a popup camper so overnighting in a parking lot or rest area is not an option so we decided to set up and take down the camper every day getting to and from our destination, we won't be doing that again. We originally were going to book a room at hotels along the way but were concerned the truck would be an easy target for those with ill intent. We have a soft tonneau cover and it would be way too easy to get into and get to our generator, e-bikes and my cooler filled with adult beverages. We decided to go with the Retrax cover from your Amazon store it will be here Tuesday. Now I have one more question were did you find the crossbars and T mounts. Also thanks for all your entertaining and inspiring videos. P.S. My wife has scoured your Amazon store and still can't find your self respect for sale LOL.
Great review! We have a Rolback on "Lewis" and I'm currently trying to figure out some crossbars for bikes also. Our bike rack almost tore the bumper off "Clarke" (our TT) on our Canada trip. Turns out that the rear bumper of a TT is an EXTREMELY harsh environment! Anyways, I'm hunting crossbars and going with some Yakima uprights to store the Townie and Trek nation.
Hey Sean, This video was made in 2018. I'm just wondering if you still have it and if so how has it held up so far? I'm considering having this installed on my 2016 Ram 1500 Thank You so much Love your videos!
We are full time Airstreamers and store our MTB externally. Unfortunately a lot of the hardware on the bikes are getting surface rust especially after spending a month along the Oregon coast..
Check out Boeshield T-9. We have this stuff in the liquid and spray varieties and it works well. We use it everywhere on our Airstream (door, keyholes, hitch, hinges, latches, etc.) but it is great on bikes too. Developed by Boeing to protect aircraft from rust. amzn.to/2CgzHR0
Thanks for the great video! We just bought a Ford F-250 and are going to pick out a bed cover tomorrow. I am so glad I watched this before going. We will be getting the RetroPro XR.
Sean, it's been 4 years since you installed the Retrax Pro XR, how is it holding up and are there any major issues with water leaking into the bed area when closed?
That is so cool. Really great product. I think it will be popular if you don’t have a fifth wheel. Great look. Much better than hanging bikes off the back. Our old fifth wheel came complete with dent from a sad solution for carrying bikes. And the extra storage box is a great accessory as well. As always a good thorough review.
Can you provide the Yakima part numbers for the parts you've used. I cannot find your type of setup on their website. They have an Outpost and Overhaul system, but they are higher than your system. Thanks.
Just got the same cover - loving it! They recently had a promo where they threw in Yakima cross bars and the T-slot feet if you bought the cover. Win WIn!!
Can you program the tonneau cover remote control to the universal garage control buttons on the driver side visor such that you can just use those? (for example on f-150)
I wish I forked over the extra cash for the aluminum. First hail storm of the year damage my brand new polymer retrax. Same rails, just plastic. If you live in Texas get the aluminum.
I just had the Embark installed. It was GMC approved and had them install it. Mine doesn't have the rail system on top but don't really need it since I have a toyhauler, but having the whole bed locked is a bit of confidence.
Another good option is Truck Cover USA. They have basically the same type cover but use Yakima rails. I think it's called the American Rack System. I've had mine for several months and love it. The Retrax wasn't out yet when I bought mine. Mine is outfitted with two regular bike racks.
A year or two ago we put a BakFlip cover on the bed of our F250 with a front receiver hitch and bike rack. This looks like a much better solution though it’s also a much more expensive one.
The Traveling McCaffertys Our front hitch is a DrawTite brand but I looked at the Curt hitch and it was virtually identical. The bike rack is a Saris brand. No problems at all with the hitch or rack. If I could do anything differently I might get one of the hitches that folds down. Mine is fixed once it is in the receiver. When Im not towing I will sometimes put the hitch in the rear receiver but I can’t put the tailgate down with the bikes and hitch on. They make a hitch that folds down for that purpose but that’s not what I have.
I had a Silverado with the retrax tonneau cover. A very good cover. The problem I had with it was when I went through a car wash with my truck and a closed tonneau cover. One of the employees of the wash who was short had climbed up on the rear wheel and the side to dry the rear window. While he was drying it he knelt on it and broke the top between the slats. We did not know it was damaged until a couple days later when I found the the top was leaking. I had to purchase a new sliding top from the manufacturer. For this problem on my new trucks afterwards, I went with the Undercover Elite. Although it doesn't roll up, its completely waterproof and can take the weight of several people without damage. It can also be removed by two people and comes with wall hangers when you don't need it.
Our ReTrax cover arrived and it took me about 2 hours to complete the install, it was on the expensive side but worth every penny. If you are thinking about getting one the install really is pretty easy just take your time and have someome to help you lift it over the bed after the rails are attached. Next on the list is Yakima cross bars and either a Thule or Yakima cargo box.
Good point about Ebikes and standard racks. The weight rating is usually not enough. The 1Up USA is a nice hitch rack with a decent weight rating. I liked it, but as soon as I hooked up a trailer, the hitch was not available for the bike rack. I put a bike under a $300 Tonneau, but I travel down (live on) a dirt road. A lot of dust kicking around. It's a beautiful cover and a great piece of engineering. The price is eye-watering. Right now I have a small van for my RV, and I could buy a small utility trailer for that kind of money. There are folding ebikes, and some, like the Fat Folders (wide tires) are very capable. I didn't plan to watch more than the first 30 seconds of this video, but you had me hooked. People really have to work to keep things fairly simple, not leverage the stuff with more stuff. Stuff to the power of whatever...
Nice! I considered this and the diamondback they run for the same price. I went with the db although im probably never going to use it to its full potential it can hold 1600lbs on the top of the cover
The only problem with the diamondback, and I had one on my older truck, is you can't access the bed with stuff on top of the cover. The only way to access the bed is thru the tailgate. A deal breaker for me when I upgraded my truck for camping and bike hauling
That was a cool "vertigo" shot near the end. Do you worry about the bikes getting stolen. G from Chris and G travels had her bike stolen off the back of their rig a few years ago. It made me think twice about bring bikes while camping.
We could easily switch it.... I was thinking that the quick access from the driver's side would be worth it. It's nice to be able to step outside and immediately have access to that gear. But if the visibility ends up being a problem, we will switch sides.
That is a great cover for a jobbers truck who keeps containerized material that conforms to the size of the bed and stays under the height of the cover. I prefer my Access roll up cover because I never know what I will have in the back and sometimes I need my roll up to flex to cover things that would be to high and not be covered by a rigid cover.
Quick question. We buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. If we use your store link, search for an item that was not reviewed by you, find the item and purchase it, does it still count for you on your affiliate link. Since we are outfitting a new RV, we need to get a lot of new stuff and was curious about the affiliate program. Love your videos. We have been binge watching vids by you and several other folks. Chuck and Katie. Southeast Georgia
Yes! If you start your shopping at our Amazon store link and then use the search bar to find whatever it is you need, then we should earn a commission for the purchase you make. Thanks so much! Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner!
That cover is sweet. Sooo much better than most. Good choice. What size fuel tank do you have? If it is the 23-26 gal tank do you find that it is a problem with frequent refuels or other?
Headed to the dealer to pick up my new pickup in a few minutes - '19 Tacoma TRD Off Road - and wanted to search for bed covers and reviews. Voila!! RUclips puts Sean and Seemore right at the top of the list. Nice to see familiar faces on a topic I'm new to. I may do a little more research while I wait for the funds to magically appear in the bank for a Retrax MX One, but I'm probably going to trust your recommendation. Thanks, guys!
I prefer the cap type cover for keeping my accessories, bikes, generator etc out of the weather. Also I get better mileage due to the aerodynamic wind flow over the cab and cap over the trailer. The price for your cover is high and your bike frames are subject to weather.
We like this system because when we aren't on the road the Thule box and bike racks can be removed in minutes. I also don't like the lack of visibility with a truck topper. It's just personal preference.
Now that it's been a few months since you had your Retrax cover installed, are you still happy with it, and the bike rack? I had a Retrax (without the T-slot rails) on our 2017 RAM 3500 long bed, and it was VERY difficult to open and close. I'm guessing the installers did not read the instructions. We really like the idea of storing our bikes above the truck bed. How do you secure the bikes so they don't get stolen? Thanks so much for the great content!!!
We are still loving our cover. The bike rack has locks at three different points, so it's pretty darn secure. Not saying it would be impossible for someone to steal them, but they would have to put in a whole lot of effort!
Purchased one two years ago and think it’s great. We 5th wheel it and even with it half open ( or closed 🤔) it seems to help with drag. We have a 3500 Chevy dually with 6.0 gas so our miles per gallon is less than friendly so ANY thing we can do helps. Costly ? I have been told if ya want to play you must pay🤪🤪
Thanks, I think anyone who owns one of these covers appreciates its quality. Ours is more than just a cover - it has enhanced the functionality of our truck. I understand that some people are grumbling about the price, but it's a premium quality product and is priced accordingly. In every product category there will always be a premium option, and this is it for tonneau covers. The company also offers less expensive models if people want to go that route.
You and I are on the same page with the RetraxPro XR cover and the E bike storage. Wanting to know how the Yakima High Speed mounts are working out after you have been using them for awhile - any issues or recommendations? Are you going to made any additional comments on this system? Thanks.
Hi Sean. Just recently installed the retractable cover on our truck. Installation went smooth and it looks great too. Do you have a link to the T track crossbars that you used? Thanks.
Nice setup. I just bought the Retrax XR. What crossbar system are you using? We are considering ebikes as well, you mentioned Yakima bike racks, which models? Thanks for the video and the information.
I personally don't like the lack of visibility with a shell. Also, our bikes would barely fit inside a shell. Not to mention they would take up half of the bed space. This system allows full use of the bed space, room for the Thule storage box for things we access frequently, and storage for the bikes. When we're not on the road the Thule and bike racks are removable in minutes. We really like that! It's just personal preference, and this is what works best for us.
Thank you so much! Your timely video helped us finally decide on what pick up cover to install. 👍 It's perfect for our needs and a worthwhile investment. Thanks again and happy and safe travels!
Would love to see a quick video on how quickly you can install and uninstall T-Slot accessories... I'll be pulling a fifth wheel but want to store the bars in the bed when towing and then when we get to our destination, quickly slip on the Thule bars and accessories. Trying to visualize how much time that actually takes!
We actually have Yakima bars and accessories and a Thule box (this combo was recommended by the bike shop expert). You can remove the entire setup in a couple of minutes but it’s a 2 person job. You can remove individual bars pretty quickly... we did it today but it was the first time so it took a while. With practice I think you could do it fast.
FYI, the non pro versions are more reasonably priced as well. These new ones with built in rails are very cool. Wish my old ones had this option (I have drilled towers on my bed rails in the past).
Looks like a nice tonneau. Just curious how does one keep water, grit and dust from entering the bed through the tailgate gaps? I have a tonneau which seems tight and tried weather stripping on the gate which helped only a little. When it rains "sideways" (as Forest Gump would say) my truck bed becomes a shallow swimming pool.
I have a retrax on my 2015 F150 since I bought it. The cover still has not leaked. One thing the cover is not responsible for is the draft between your tailgate and the truck body. I have gotten lots of back road dirt in the first few inches of the truck bed. I love retrax paid 1200.00 for mine at the time. I installed mine by myself. No disrespect to Sean. But it is actually easy to do alone.
By truck body I should have said the spot between the the end of the cover and the tailgate on the truck. Along the sides on both sides are sealed completely. For me I just let the little bit of water that goes into the retrax box just fall into the truck bed. It's never been a problem and we live in Florida with lots of rain.
Great video!! Lots of good info. I live in Canada and have to deal with LOTS of snow and ice for 8 months of the years any thoughts on if it will jam up?
11/24/2019, Dear Sean and Kristy, Greetings from California. Just a note of thanks for doing the video. It just so happens that my wife Rita and I are looking at covers for our newly purchased 2016 RAM 1500 "Laramie" "
Looked at the retrax a year ago and got the Pace Edwards. They had the rail system (much cleaner look and lower profile) before retrax offered theirs. Pace Edwards doesn't have an exposed key lock which is great for newer trucks with locking tailgates. (no key to deal with) Also comes with thule load bars. Retrax is nice though,.
Great looking product. I’ve had the “Jack Rabbit” on My F150 for almost 6 years. Same basic design but is not totally waterproof. Water does get in. This looks like a better option.
Love the idea of the cover.... but what happened to your Yamaha generator? We have a Yamaha and struggle to find a truck bed cover that would allow room for the gen. Any solutions or ideas (other than trading in generator - we LOVE the Yamaha that you guys have (or should I say had)?
We still have the Yamaha but (sadly) I don't think it will fit beneath this cover. Now, someone out there could probably mount the generator ABOVE the cover. They make T-Slot platforms and I think the load bars can hold 300 pounds! You would need to really secure the generator in place, though! I haven't seen it done but it should be possible...
We had some snow stick for awhile this morning up in Minneapolis. Can't wait until we get the semi-permanent stuff. I couldn't live without snow six months a year, you Southerners are crazy.
Our bikes have fat tires. Not too keen on mounting our ebikes in outdoor weather conditions. We always remove batteries, but still concerned about electrical failure. We put in our jeep. They fold up.
I am looking for a cover that will fit in the bed of my truck with the existing truck bed tool box in. Did you find any companies that had custom lengths?
Nice product, thanks for the video. I don't understand the negative comments about the price, if you feel the price is too high, don't buy it. Don't blame the messenger.
This is it! amzn.to/2CJ97Rs
Campfire question
I drive a loud 6.0 turbo diesel like seamore after towing the trailer a long distance I like to let my truck idle while unhitching to let the turbo cool down & start the truck while I'm running slides / awning in to warm up before towing do others consider this to be rude at camp?
No
Hey guys! Did you guys like this solution for heavy eBikes? Did you like the cover itself or did it have issues? We're doing some research and looking ourselves since we won't be able to store them on the back either. Thanks.
We bought a Retrax for our Silverado 1500 when we retired in 2016 and we are full time on the road. This cover has operated flawlessly with no problems. Just a hint on maintenance keep the rollers and slid tracks clean and lubricated with a good silicone spray. Love our Retrax.
Live your dream.
We love our Retrax Pro MX on our Chevy 2500. We find that with three young kids, my wife and I, our truck has become our main family vehicle (not just when towing our Trailer). So keeping everything dry, and clean and still having room for a bunch of stuff is a plus. I opted for the electronic one with remote; my wife can access easily without swearing at me :). We have been very happy with it. For those interested, as I was, I reached out to Retrax and got word this morning. If you already have some other model of Retrax installed, the XR rails can be purchased and retrofitted to your current system.
Good information , thanks!
Great review! Finally decided to purchase the RetraxPro MX after watching videos on various tonneau covers. Your video is one of the best on RUclips in regards to covering this.... well cover.
Thank you again for the review, keep you the great work!
Yep, love ours! We carry a lot of things in our truck bed and have never gotten wet or stolen. I didn't know about the rack options! Thank you for that. Enjoy
Dear Sean & Kristi, Great informational video Sean! It's like having a mini storage shed on the back of your truck! What a great idea! Txs... ~Joanna♡
I really like your truck bed cover. I have looked at those before. The cover that I like and want is the diamond back truck cover. My wife and I ride 4 wheelers and these covers can hold 2 4 wheelers on top of the bed and we can still pull our camper. We love your videos. Thanks for your advise. Wife and I went to Maine back in May and hit a lot of the high points you and Christy talked about. We loved Jordan's restaurant with the blueberry pancakes. It was awesome. Hope y'all have a good week.
I bought a DB HD and LOVE IT!!! you can do so much wit it and it has never let me down. I doubt I will ever have to replace it unless I get a longer truck bed lol
I have been looking for months for a tonneau cover that spoke to me in terms of quality, security and versatility. This one looks like it fits the bill. Thanks so much for your channel, honest reviews and a tone that is not too serious but serious when it needs to be. I thoroughly enjoy your channel as well as trust your opinion. God bless you guys and roll safe.
I am one of the rare owners of a F-150 with an 8 foot bed. It’s a 2018. Can you put up a link for that bed option?
I went to their website and found the part# for the cover with the T rails model , 18 F-150 w/8 foot bed is model# T-80375
Thanks Ronnie, I think this is the one you seek: amzn.to/2CJPzfZ I'm sure that if you get one you will like it. These are great quality and I love the storage options they allow.
Have the Pace Edwards remote controlled cover which is also metal and fits flush, but is automatic. About the same price.
Great choice Shawn! We tow a Toyota Tacoma behind our motorhome. I bought a ProdoTech folding e-bike two years ago, with the intention of storing it inside my truck bed. As you know, good e-bikes are expensive, so I wanted to be able to hide it from prying eyes while traveling. I then began searching for a quality locking bed cover. The RetraxPro was the most expensive on the market, but it seem to get the best reviews. I have been extremely happy with it after two years. Not only does it hide equipment from prying eyes, it protects it from the elements. I do get some light rain water leakage at the tailgate area, but the rest of the truck bed stays pretty dry. They didn’t have the model that you purchased available when I bought mine, looks like a great addition to their lineup!
What size bed on the Tacoma? Does the Retrax take up much room when it's retracted? I have the five foot bed on my Tacoma and the Retrax is on my short list.
I wasn’t sure of the exact measurements, so I just went outside to measure. The Retrax drum that stores the retractable top takes up 11” of bed space. It is mounted to the bed rail below the rear window, but it does not touch the floor of the bed. It still leaves about 8” of space between the the floor of the bed and the bottom of the drum. I have the 6’ bed and it hasn’t hampered me yet. A 5’ bed may be a different story though if you need to haul long objects.
I forgot to mention, the Tacoma’s OE cleat tie downs and sliding bed rail system must be removed before the Retrax can be installed. That was the only negative thing I found with the Retrax. To be honest, I really don’t miss it, but I can see where it may be a deal breaker for others.
nice review - just installed mine and it took me 3-hrs. I'm doing the same with a cargo carrier and bike rack. Overall, very impressed with the product.
Looks just great Sean. Wish we would have gone that route. We purchased the classic fibreglass version, painted the same color as the truck.
I purchased this setup and love it. The cover is outstanding. The rack also works well. Thanks for the insights.
Glad you like it! This setup really is a great addition.
Thank you! I checked this exact tonneau out today at the local shop, and came home to get some more information. What is the 2nd video that pops up? You guessed it, my buddies from LoLoHo! So, now I have a review that I know I can trust! “Daisy” is getting an upgrade tomorrow! Thanks!
I'm in Reno, NV and I called the local dealer. He has been selling Retrax since they came out and said the ProXR is the best they make. I have a 2016 Silverado crew cab with 6'6" bed. They will install for just $100.00! Yes I am lazy, but if something goes wrong they are on the hook for correcting. I have the Chevy cover but always have hassled with the connectors and afraid of some twit with a knife. Thanks so much for the videos and stay warm!!
Richard, did you go with this cover? If so, who did you use in Reno and how do you like it after a year?
@@ChipRoberson Yes! It has been great! Absolutely no problems! TIP: ONLY use paraffin was to lube the tracks. Cut a small block and run up and down every so often and you are good to go! Used Trimline on Greg Street
I like that update to their cover. I had the Retrax cover without the integrated rail. I ended up drilling holes in the cover through the bed of the truck to attach the Yakima crossbar feet to the truck. It worked well. I wish this version of the bed cover was around in 2014 when installed my set up!
Yes, we have some friends who did the same to their Retrax a few months ago. I think this model will prove to be very popular.
U can buy just the rails with the t-slots to retrofit. I just ordered and looking forward to installing it on my 2 year old retrax. Also...what model is the Thule cargo u have in the video?
Sean. The drain tubes go into rubber grommets. No need to drill the need, just poke a hole in the grommets.
I have had a roll top since 2001 and I use 303 UV protected it still looks new
Love you guys! You two are such an inspiration to my wife and I! I wish nothing but the absolute best for you two!!
Thanks so much Tony!
@@LongLongHoneymoon of course!You're welcome! My wife(from Meridian,Ms)and I(New Orleans)we both love camping hiking and exploring.but we really can't do things like that right now, we have a 2 year old. You guys are like a mental vacation for us ,lol. We look forward to your videos every week! Thank you again!
Absolutely brilliant solution! Solves all the issues. Thank you!
Great video! This is probably the only video anywhere on RUclips that answers all the right questions. 👍👍👍🤓
I just bought a 2018 F-150 and had a Retrax Powertrax installed. It’s my second Powertrax as I had one on my 2015 F-150. Great product. They said the warranty will be void if any lubricant is used on the track. Only paraffin was is allowed. So on my new Powertrax I took a rag and ran it across a block of paraffin wax and applied to the track on both sides. It really smoothed it out. My covers are not 100% waterproof. Heavy rain or Carwash will allow a bit of water but nothing to be concerned with.
We just returned from a couple of weeks of camping. We have a popup camper so overnighting in a parking lot or rest area is not an option so we decided to set up and take down the camper every day getting to and from our destination, we won't be doing that again. We originally were going to book a room at hotels along the way but were concerned the truck would be an easy target for those with ill intent. We have a soft tonneau cover and it would be way too easy to get into and get to our generator, e-bikes and my cooler filled with adult beverages. We decided to go with the Retrax cover from your Amazon store it will be here Tuesday. Now I have one more question were did you find the crossbars and T mounts. Also thanks for all your entertaining and inspiring videos. P.S. My wife has scoured your Amazon store and still can't find your self respect for sale LOL.
Hello Sir, Thanks for sharing the video!! Could you please let me know if the aluminum top cover leaks while raining or doesn't leaks at all?
Regards
Great review! We have a Rolback on "Lewis" and I'm currently trying to figure out some crossbars for bikes also. Our bike rack almost tore the bumper off "Clarke" (our TT) on our Canada trip. Turns out that the rear bumper of a TT is an EXTREMELY harsh environment! Anyways, I'm hunting crossbars and going with some Yakima uprights to store the Townie and Trek nation.
I really like your truck bed cover and it will be a definite consideration once I buy my truck and travel trailer.
Hey Sean, This video was made in 2018. I'm just wondering if you still have it and if so how has it held up so far? I'm considering having this installed on my 2016 Ram 1500 Thank You so much Love your videos!
We are full time Airstreamers and store our MTB externally. Unfortunately a lot of the hardware on the bikes are getting surface rust especially after spending a month along the Oregon coast..
Check out Boeshield T-9. We have this stuff in the liquid and spray varieties and it works well. We use it everywhere on our Airstream (door, keyholes, hitch, hinges, latches, etc.) but it is great on bikes too. Developed by Boeing to protect aircraft from rust. amzn.to/2CgzHR0
Thanks for the great video! We just bought a Ford F-250 and are going to pick out a bed cover tomorrow. I am so glad I watched this before going. We will be getting the RetroPro XR.
Sean, it's been 4 years since you installed the Retrax Pro XR, how is it holding up and are there any major issues with water leaking into the bed area when closed?
That is so cool. Really great product. I think it will be popular if you don’t have a fifth wheel. Great look. Much better than hanging bikes off the back. Our old fifth wheel came complete with dent from a sad solution for carrying bikes. And the extra storage box is a great accessory as well. As always a good thorough review.
Can you provide the Yakima part numbers for the parts you've used. I cannot find your type of setup on their website. They have an Outpost and Overhaul system, but they are higher than your system. Thanks.
Just got the same cover - loving it! They recently had a promo where they threw in Yakima cross bars and the T-slot feet if you bought the cover. Win WIn!!
Can you program the tonneau cover remote control to the universal garage control buttons on the driver side visor such that you can just use those? (for example on f-150)
I wish I forked over the extra cash for the aluminum. First hail storm of the year damage my brand new polymer retrax. Same rails, just plastic. If you live in Texas get the aluminum.
I just had the Embark installed. It was GMC approved and had them install it. Mine doesn't have the rail system on top but don't really need it since I have a toyhauler, but having the whole bed locked is a bit of confidence.
Another good option is Truck Cover USA. They have basically the same type cover but use Yakima rails. I think it's called the American Rack System. I've had mine for several months and love it. The Retrax wasn't out yet when I bought mine. Mine is outfitted with two regular bike racks.
Great review. I also have the retracts tonneau cover quick question on which of the Thule cross bars and mounting cleats. Thank you.
These are actually Yakima cross bars and mounting cleats.
A year or two ago we put a BakFlip cover on the bed of our F250 with a front receiver hitch and bike rack. This looks like a much better solution though it’s also a much more expensive one.
exactly my thought, however, I think its worth the price - just picked one up today
The Traveling McCaffertys Our front hitch is a DrawTite brand but I looked at the Curt hitch and it was virtually identical. The bike rack is a Saris brand. No problems at all with the hitch or rack. If I could do anything differently I might get one of the hitches that folds down. Mine is fixed once it is in the receiver. When Im not towing I will sometimes put the hitch in the rear receiver but I can’t put the tailgate down with the bikes and hitch on. They make a hitch that folds down for that purpose but that’s not what I have.
We love our Retrax. Wow love the new one!!
I had a Silverado with the retrax tonneau cover. A very good cover. The problem I had with it was when I went through a car wash with my truck and a closed tonneau cover. One of the employees of the wash who was short had climbed up on the rear wheel and the side to dry the rear window. While he was drying it he knelt on it and broke the top between the slats. We did not know it was damaged until a couple days later when I found the the top was leaking. I had to purchase a new sliding top from the manufacturer. For this problem on my new trucks afterwards, I went with the Undercover Elite. Although it doesn't roll up, its completely waterproof and can take the weight of several people without damage. It can also be removed by two people and comes with wall hangers when you don't need it.
Retrax Pro XR is rated for 500 pounds. How much did that car wash employee weigh?
Our ReTrax cover arrived and it took me about 2 hours to complete the install, it was on the expensive side but worth every penny. If you are thinking about getting one the install really is pretty easy just take your time and have someome to help you lift it over the bed after the rails are attached. Next on the list is Yakima cross bars and either a Thule or Yakima cargo box.
We have Yakima bars but went with a Thule box. Both have been great.
Good point about Ebikes and standard racks. The weight rating is usually not enough. The 1Up USA is a nice hitch rack with a decent weight rating. I liked it, but as soon as I hooked up a trailer, the hitch was not available for the bike rack. I put a bike under a $300 Tonneau, but I travel down (live on) a dirt road. A lot of dust kicking around.
It's a beautiful cover and a great piece of engineering. The price is eye-watering. Right now I have a small van for my RV, and I could buy a small utility trailer for that kind of money. There are folding ebikes, and some, like the Fat Folders (wide tires) are very capable.
I didn't plan to watch more than the first 30 seconds of this video, but you had me hooked. People really have to work to keep things fairly simple, not leverage the stuff with more stuff. Stuff to the power of whatever...
Nice! I considered this and the diamondback they run for the same price. I went with the db although im probably never going to use it to its full potential it can hold 1600lbs on the top of the cover
The only problem with the diamondback, and I had one on my older truck, is you can't access the bed with stuff on top of the cover. The only way to access the bed is thru the tailgate. A deal breaker for me when I upgraded my truck for camping and bike hauling
That was a cool "vertigo" shot near the end.
Do you worry about the bikes getting stolen. G from Chris and G travels had her bike stolen off the back of their rig a few years ago. It made me think twice about bring bikes while camping.
Good video, but IMO I think the storage hub would be better on the other side for rear view vision.
We could easily switch it.... I was thinking that the quick access from the driver's side would be worth it. It's nice to be able to step outside and immediately have access to that gear. But if the visibility ends up being a problem, we will switch sides.
Hi, how long is your bed and which length roof box are you using?
That is a great cover for a jobbers truck who keeps containerized material that conforms to the size of the bed and stays under the height of the cover. I prefer my Access roll up cover because I never know what I will have in the back and sometimes I need my roll up to flex to cover things that would be to high and not be covered by a rigid cover.
Quick question. We buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. If we use your store link, search for an item that was not reviewed by you, find the item and purchase it, does it still count for you on your affiliate link.
Since we are outfitting a new RV, we need to get a lot of new stuff and was curious about the affiliate program.
Love your videos. We have been binge watching vids by you and several other folks.
Chuck and Katie.
Southeast Georgia
Yes! If you start your shopping at our Amazon store link and then use the search bar to find whatever it is you need, then we should earn a commission for the purchase you make. Thanks so much! Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner!
That cover is sweet. Sooo much better than most. Good choice. What size fuel tank do you have? If it is the 23-26 gal tank do you find that it is a problem with frequent refuels or other?
Headed to the dealer to pick up my new pickup in a few minutes - '19 Tacoma TRD Off Road - and wanted to search for bed covers and reviews. Voila!! RUclips puts Sean and Seemore right at the top of the list. Nice to see familiar faces on a topic I'm new to. I may do a little more research while I wait for the funds to magically appear in the bank for a Retrax MX One, but I'm probably going to trust your recommendation. Thanks, guys!
Another fair and honest review thank you especially for including the price
How is it honest? It's basically a paid commercial.
Very nice review and bed cover; especially, like that it's lockable (any position is a bonus). Thanks for sharing, Sean. Y'all Be Safe!
I prefer the cap type cover for keeping my accessories, bikes, generator etc out of the weather. Also I get better mileage due to the aerodynamic wind flow over the cab and cap over the trailer. The price for your cover is high and your bike frames are subject to weather.
We like this system because when we aren't on the road the Thule box and bike racks can be removed in minutes. I also don't like the lack of visibility with a truck topper. It's just personal preference.
Pretty cool. For us though, the truck cap works great for all the stuff that has to go in the back.
We considered a cap also. There's certainly more than one way to skin a cat! :O
Who makes the crossover bars that the Yakima bike racks attach to? Did I miss you stating the manufacturer?
They are also Yakima.
Thanks for your review ! Great work. Thanks for sharing.
Now that it's been a few months since you had your Retrax cover installed, are you still happy with it, and the bike rack? I had a Retrax (without the T-slot rails) on our 2017 RAM 3500 long bed, and it was VERY difficult to open and close. I'm guessing the installers did not read the instructions. We really like the idea of storing our bikes above the truck bed. How do you secure the bikes so they don't get stolen? Thanks so much for the great content!!!
We are still loving our cover. The bike rack has locks at three different points, so it's pretty darn secure. Not saying it would be impossible for someone to steal them, but they would have to put in a whole lot of effort!
We have the Bakflip VIP, and it was been horrible. Sagging after the first year, panels delaminating. This looks like a much better product.
Sorry to hear about your experience!
Long Long Honeymoon thanks. live and learn. BTW We love your channel!!
Purchased one two years ago and think it’s great. We 5th wheel it and even with it half open ( or closed 🤔) it seems to help with drag. We have a 3500 Chevy dually with 6.0 gas so our miles per gallon is less than friendly so ANY thing we can do helps. Costly ? I have been told if ya want to play you must pay🤪🤪
Thanks, I think anyone who owns one of these covers appreciates its quality. Ours is more than just a cover - it has enhanced the functionality of our truck. I understand that some people are grumbling about the price, but it's a premium quality product and is priced accordingly. In every product category there will always be a premium option, and this is it for tonneau covers. The company also offers less expensive models if people want to go that route.
I likey. Enjoy the October snow!
It's so nice to see you again, Sean.
I also have weather covers on my vents so and if it rains it doesn't come in the trailer
You and I are on the same page with the RetraxPro XR cover and the E bike storage. Wanting to know how the Yakima High Speed mounts are working out after you have been using them for awhile - any issues or recommendations? Are you going to made any additional comments on this system? Thanks.
Everything has worked well so far! Totally recommend! 👍
Also do you have any comment between this and the comparable roll n lock e series power retractable? How long does tihs one take up back to front
Hi Sean. Just recently installed the retractable cover on our truck. Installation went smooth and it looks great too. Do you have a link to the T track crossbars that you used? Thanks.
Nice setup. I just bought the Retrax XR. What crossbar system are you using? We are considering ebikes as well, you mentioned Yakima bike racks, which models? Thanks for the video and the information.
Did you consider a bed cap instead of the tonneau cover and if so what were the factors that made you go with this set up?
I personally don't like the lack of visibility with a shell. Also, our bikes would barely fit inside a shell. Not to mention they would take up half of the bed space. This system allows full use of the bed space, room for the Thule storage box for things we access frequently, and storage for the bikes. When we're not on the road the Thule and bike racks are removable in minutes. We really like that! It's just personal preference, and this is what works best for us.
Thanks for the review! Answered the Qs I had about it from an actual owner.
Thank you so much! Your timely video helped us finally decide on what pick up cover to install. 👍
It's perfect for our needs and a worthwhile investment. Thanks again and happy and safe travels!
Would love to see a quick video on how quickly you can install and uninstall T-Slot accessories... I'll be pulling a fifth wheel but want to store the bars in the bed when towing and then when we get to our destination, quickly slip on the Thule bars and accessories. Trying to visualize how much time that actually takes!
We actually have Yakima bars and accessories and a Thule box (this combo was recommended by the bike shop expert). You can remove the entire setup in a couple of minutes but it’s a 2 person job. You can remove individual bars pretty quickly... we did it today but it was the first time so it took a while. With practice I think you could do it fast.
Hi Sean and Kristy, How is the cover holding up after a few years?
Great review Sean-Does the Atima AY3000 you reviewed fit under the Retrax?
Sadly, it doesn't. Definitely a bummer because we like how quiet the Atima is.
FYI, the non pro versions are more reasonably priced as well. These new ones with built in rails are very cool. Wish my old ones had this option (I have drilled towers on my bed rails in the past).
Looks like a nice tonneau. Just curious how does one keep water, grit and dust from entering the bed through the tailgate gaps? I have a tonneau which seems tight and tried weather stripping on the gate which helped only a little. When it rains "sideways" (as Forest Gump would say) my truck bed becomes a shallow swimming pool.
I have a retrax on my 2015 F150 since I bought it. The cover still has not leaked. One thing the cover is not responsible for is the draft between your tailgate and the truck body. I have gotten lots of back road dirt in the first few inches of the truck bed. I love retrax paid 1200.00 for mine at the time. I installed mine by myself. No disrespect to Sean. But it is actually easy to do alone.
By truck body I should have said the spot between the the end of the cover and the tailgate on the truck. Along the sides on both sides are sealed completely. For me I just let the little bit of water that goes into the retrax box just fall into the truck bed. It's never been a problem and we live in Florida with lots of rain.
Does the bike rack lock? Will you go into more detail in another video?
This particular rack does lock in multiple places.
ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO. JUST GOT OUR TRAILER SO WE ARE OUTFITTING IT NOW.
Great video!! Lots of good info. I live in Canada and have to deal with LOTS of snow and ice for 8 months of the years any thoughts on if it will jam up?
11/24/2019, Dear Sean and Kristy, Greetings from California. Just a note of thanks for doing the video. It just so happens that my wife Rita and I are looking at covers for our newly purchased 2016 RAM 1500 "Laramie" "
Looked at the retrax a year ago and got the Pace Edwards. They had the rail system (much cleaner look and lower profile) before retrax offered theirs. Pace Edwards doesn't have an exposed key lock which is great for newer trucks with locking tailgates. (no key to deal with) Also comes with thule load bars. Retrax is nice though,.
Great looking product. I’ve had the “Jack Rabbit” on My F150 for almost 6 years. Same basic design but is not totally waterproof. Water does get in. This looks like a better option.
How’s the RetraxPRO holding up? Does it leak or rattle?
Curious why you installed your Thule box backwards?
Love the idea of the cover.... but what happened to your Yamaha generator? We have a Yamaha and struggle to find a truck bed cover that would allow room for the gen. Any solutions or ideas (other than trading in generator - we LOVE the Yamaha that you guys have (or should I say had)?
We still have the Yamaha but (sadly) I don't think it will fit beneath this cover. Now, someone out there could probably mount the generator ABOVE the cover. They make T-Slot platforms and I think the load bars can hold 300 pounds! You would need to really secure the generator in place, though! I haven't seen it done but it should be possible...
Great review!
Thank you!
Will check out the above storage options!!
Is it snowing there? Come on down to Palm Springs...
We had some snow stick for awhile this morning up in Minneapolis. Can't wait until we get the semi-permanent stuff. I couldn't live without snow six months a year, you Southerners are crazy.
haha it's good to love where you live! I like snow in small bite sized portions... ;)
Would your old Yamaha gen., fit under that cover?
Great review. But can u add links to the Champion generator and the Yakima tracks?
Does it actually lock into place with the propane tank? Mine still moves I think
Our bikes have fat tires. Not too keen on mounting our ebikes in outdoor weather conditions. We always remove batteries, but still concerned about electrical failure. We put in our jeep. They fold up.
Hi.....do you guys use a cell phone booster and if so can you recommend one ? Thanks
I am looking for a cover that will fit in the bed of my truck with the existing truck bed tool box in. Did you find any companies that had custom lengths?
Nice product, thanks for the video. I don't understand the negative comments about the price, if you feel the price is too high, don't buy it. Don't blame the messenger.
Well said. News flash: quality costs money! It's a premium product.
lol i knew it when i saw your video going threw Idaho that you guys were hot footing it to the Tetons!
Gotta get our camping in before the snow hits!
Any issues with noise? Like the cover rattling
Very similar to my Roll and Lock...without the tracks....
Have you seen any fading in the color?
Nice cover. How much does it weigh? I've looked around on their website and cannot find it.
Can you guys do a video over free/or cheap living in a Camper