Update on Tonneau Master Rolling Cover and Weatherflector smoke guards

[Mike Up]

The Tonneau Master rolling cover didn't fit the bedliner's bulk header, wrap over very well. There is a slot in the rails to fit over the liner's bulk header wrap over but the slot wasn't deep enough. My factory drop-in bedliner's bulk header,wrap over extends a little over a 1/4" deeper in the bed, toward the tailgate. Because of this, the rails need to sit on top of the liner's bulk header, wrap over which leaves an open hole on the rail corner's side and an open slot in the front of the rail corner. With no bedliner, this would be considered normal and Sport Master supplies a black caulking just to close these open holes. Unfortunately my installer didn't use the caulk and later stated none was sent.

The good news is that Sport Master responded immediately within 12 hours for each of my 3 emails. They are sending me the caulking and more foam (for the fronts). Even with these holes, the water leakage is very minimal. I just want a dry bed that would had been accomplished if the material would had been installed with the cover, as it should had been. Otherwise, there's no water leakage anywhere! Just in the holes I knew would leak because of the lack of caulking. I'm very happy with this cover and I would state, it's very easy to install. While I foolishly paid $25 to have it installed, I've taken it off to realign the rails that weren't lined up 'perfectly' in the install. I'm a bit anal, but it now is as perfect as it can be. I've even bought trailseal tailgate gasket but no water has even leaked in through that area. Seems water follows the inside of the tailgate and drains through the drain holes under the tailgate. No water in the bed from anywhere in that area even during hard rains. I'll use the seal anyhow to keep dust out and even water that may be blown in from a severe thunderstorm.

So the Tonneau Master cover is water tight when installed properly, with the proper materials. For the money, I felt it was a bit more quality with the stitched corners and double locking levers, one on each rail.

It's not as theft proof as I would had hoped. It can be opened rather quickly, with the tailgate locked, if one has knowledge of the workings. The velcro can be opened on each side, COMPLETELY, and an arm would fit in to unlock each side. It's hard, but can be done. For ~$400, the convenience to open your bed completely at any time, beats any hard lid or cap which needs to be taken off with prior knowledge of the haul.

The Weathflectors were VERY, VERY easy to install. I just don't understand how many had a difficult time. You simply stick the vertical edge, near the mirror, in first. Make sure the vertical edge is resting on the dew edge and grasp that vertical edge and bow the flector outward, a way from the truck, and slide the rear corner of the flector into the vertical slot of the window track but leaving 1/2" from the flector 'lip' to the top of the window slot.

Then starting at the front edge, start pulling down and working the flector into the slot. Make sure to keep the flector from rubbing on the window's top metal edge and damaging your paint. It's very easy to keep this from happening, just pay attention.

Once it's installed, make sure it's seated properly and then raise your window "SLOWLY", paying special attention when the window contacts the rear corner of the flector. It will pop but you can take the stress out by gently pushing the flector to allow the window to slide next to it. You need to inch(1/4" to 1/2") the window up so you don't pinch your fingers. This was the fronts.

The back windows were a snap, they have tape to hold them in until they setup from the pressure fit. The fronts didn't need tape as the front vertical edge helped hold them in place until they pressure fitted. With the backs, you remove the tape and slide the rear corner of the flector in place and then wedge the front corner in. The flector really just slides right into place hence the need for the tape to hold it intially. Again, when raising your windows, do it slowly, and the same way as was done on the fronts. 1/2" by 1/2" and pushing the flector outward to help the window slide next to it keeps stress down and avoids a possible cracked flector.

For both front and rear windows, you need to raise and lower your windows at least 5 times to set the windows and then leave the windows up for 24 hours so that the flectors setup.

By no means am I telling anyone to use my method to install the flectors, only describing how I did the install and the cautions I took. Read Weatherflector's manual on how to install the proper way to avoid damage to flector, truck, and body.



Have a good one and hope you find this informational.

[titanse05]

I had Weatherflectors on my last vehicle and I just ordered them for my new TITAN. I agree that they are really easy to install. Just requires some patience.

[titanse05]

Could you take some pictures of the tonneau cover and post them? It sounds like both of us are "anal" about the quality of the accessories that we put on these trucks and I appreciate your opinion.

[Mike Up]

Originally Posted by titanloversinceday1

Could you take some pictures of the tonneau cover and post them? It sounds like both of us are "anal" about the quality of the accessories that we put on these trucks and I appreciate your opinion.

I'll try to take them today if I find time. I really want to get things done while the weather is nice. If I don't get to them today, I take them tomorrow.

The cover is awesome, I get compliments on it all the time and its very slick. The Tonneau Master people are also Grade A.

I found out they didn't get my later emails because their email client has a spam blocker. It was most likely deleting my emails because I was using replies that included several emails addresses.

One thing to consider is that the inner metal lip under the rail caps is not very big. While the rail cap's inside lip extends several inches, the metal lip under it is only about 2". So you can't have the rails sitting to low or the clamps won't be clamping fully to the metal lip. Since the front of the rails sit on the rounded inside corners of the bed liner's bulk header section, the rails will need to be adjusted to slightly come down so that the D-Cell gasket on the tailgate section, rests on the tailgate's plastic protector. It may still have a slight gap until the cover stretches. Regardless, even when I did still have a gap, no water ever entered the bed through here.

Also, your drop-in bedliner may be molded slightly different so that the bulk header wrap over section doesn't stick as far inside the bed. If so, the rail slot may work for you. If I had a much thinner aftermarket bedliner, the slot would had worked but Nissan's bedliner is VERY thick. Even the Pace-Edward installer said that my bed liner was better than any they offered including their spray in.

Post to ya soon, have a good one.

[Mike Up]

Here's the pictures. I circled in red where the black strip caulking is needed. The caulking should had been installed with the cover but the installer probably lost it. Obviously the latch, the latch catch, and the bulkheader hole I pointed out, are only one side of two. Just didn't want to duplicate.

Have a good one.

[Mike Up]

Continued.............

[Mike Up]

Since it was dark when I took the pictures, here's a picture of a Tundra with the cover.

[titanse05]

Thanks for the pics

Got my Weatherflectors and I love them more than the old ones I had for me last car.

Did the front ones make a sort of pop sound when the window was inched up for the first time? That pop and the flexing of the front flector so much when you get towards the back of the window was a little un-nerving ....but I got it and IMO the Weatherflectors are the best money can buy.

[Mike Up]

Originally Posted by titanloversinceday1

Did the front ones make a sort of pop sound when the window was inched up for the first time? That pop and the flexing of the front flector so much when you get towards the back of the window was a little un-nerving ....but I got it and IMO the Weatherflectors are the best money can buy.

Here was my installation review, Once it's installed, make sure it's seated properly and then raise your window "SLOWLY", paying special attention when the window contacts the rear corner of the flector. It will pop but you can take the stress out by gently pushing the flector to allow the window to slide next to it. You need to inch(1/4" to 1/2") the window up so you don't pinch your fingers. This was the fronts.

I was watching the whole time and knew that they needed to be set, so I expected a pop as they locked in, just not as loud as it was.

I'm really happy with mine as well, and they look cooler than hell.

Let me know what you decide on as far as covers.

Have a good one.

[Mike Up]

Update on caulking and leak problem here.

Have a good one.