Question .... for those who use a cover on these trucks, what is your preferred method to take it off and put it back on.

On cars I first go to each end in turn and after undoing any straps, bungies, strings, etc .... I pull the end outward towards me, then holding the center, pull each corner free. Then I pull each corner up to the center and am trying to get the sides up over the mirrors now. After the ends are up, corners meeting, ... I go to the sides and take the lowest part of hem up onto the roof and get it over towards the center of the car ton meet the other side. Once done, I'll fold each side up and over a second time. Last folding is I work the passenger side over onto the driver side as I push the driver side across towards the passenger side some to keep it laying on my car. Lastly, I'll roll the front portion toward the center of the car, then roll the rear portion towards the center, then grab it all in a big hug, like a big fluffy scroll set, and keeping the front roll in my left arm, rear roll in my right arm, I lay it in the trunk in the same orientation as fits the car.

Bought my '07 F-side Scab in 2009, it sleeps in a open on one end car port. It get's dusty though, then occasionally bird poop or cat tracks show up. Beside it is a '01 Mercury Grand Marquis, it looks new, it is under the same roof but it also has a light weight single layer car cover on it, easy to remove alone and just lay it in the trunk, go. I have often considered getting one for the '07 ... but though the height even though lowered, might make it a hassle.

A few weeks ago a buddy heard me say was gonna buy one, he said "don't", then he gave me a heavy several layered one that came to him with his 2015 Scab. He never uses it, it was in the truck when he bought it. We, (Wife helped) put it on the '07 a couple weeks ago as we were going to be away a few days. It is a heavy cover, has the inner soft cotton liner, is water proof, etc ... but it is a bear to get in place. I took it off today to use the '07, it was a chore getting it off and rolled up while still laying on the truck bed cover. ... but when on the truck, it fit super.

So, went to town to get groceries, looked at offerings at Advance, bought a single layer Autocraft AC79 "T" size cover, said fit up to 17.5' up to 19' long pickups, it listed F-150s. Well, it's light, easy to go on, will be easy to remove and store away, but it is a snug fit just to get the lower hem to the gaps between the front and rear bumpers and the body, so it should stay on well. It covers all but the lower rocker areas and bumpers, so it's great. $60 and I'll easily get 3 or 4 years out of it as it is in a carport too. Not water proof, but water resistant and dust proof.

Side note, I can see where mice ate some holes in that heavy one down near the lower hem area, guess someone had it laying in a garage? Might use it to cover my utility trailer if loaded with anything, or something. My buddy whom gave it to me was pretty adamant that he did not want it back, said it took up too much room in his "space". I bet it cost someone $250 judging by what I see on line. I could just cut the cab part off and use it alone on my '77 in the summer?

 

Pop got irritated, fighting, bed cover, and truck cover, like your buddies, heavy wet noodle, even when using the lighter one, you still have to deal with not using the bed to roll up the cab, hood part, just to cumbersome, for vertically challenged people, trying to roll the heavy wet noodle, even thought a few times had broken antenna, trying to remove cover, by himself, went to lighter, and still prefer 2 people, but got it done, having bed cover, and truck cover, not an ideal answer, just do it, he started rolling from both ends, and met at cab/bed so he could catch and fold up as he pulled off truck.

 

Yeah, probably folly on my part. Between the heavy freebie and the $60 lightweight, I'll likely get some use from one of them.

I'm considering just using one on the cab only as the car port is closed in in back and I always back in. I could cut the cover, leave a long flap and just drop the flap downward between cab back & bed. I did remove the antenna whip, lays across the dash carpet cover quietly, I use XM anyway.

The heavy one would be OK if leaving the truck unused for long periods outside in a "hostile to truck" environment ... but is way overkill if in a dry carport. I hate to think what it would weigh wet. The lighter one, I'm hoping will eliminate bird poop or cat tracks. I must say, though, either of those menaces are easier to deal with than are chewed up fuel line or wire harness.

It' (thinner one) is on it now but here in a spell, Wife and I are going to go out to eat so will maybe we'll try the removal as I think you describe, her on one side, me on the other, maybe roll front up over cab to a roll to rest on the bed cover at rear of cab ... then roll rear up over tailgate to meet it ... then just deal with a longish double roll, maybe fold it half? This way, the inner surface left exposed will be mostly the portion that lays on the bed's hard cover top surface?

I could rig pulleys and strong cords and just pull it off and drape on like a circus big top.

 

I like both your ideas, cutting them in half, and the hanging drapes, like the jeep top hanger.