Anybody have this particular retractable bed cover or any other competing product. I'm really interested in this and I'd like to hear some of your experiences with them.
Thanks.

 

I looked long and hard at retractable bed covers for my '01 SC. I ended up getting the Retrax version. Pros and cons that I made my decision on:

1) Have to "pamper" the roll n lock cover. It's vinyl and has to have silicone sprayed on it periodically (or so a couple of the local dealers said).
2) when the Roll n Lock rolls up, it rolls up on itself, potentially abrading itself.
3) Retrax is Lexan and rolls on bearings both when out over the bed and when retracted, so it never has a chance to abrade itself.
4) The roll n lock made the bed no wider than the tail gate with the bed cover retracted.
5) The Retrax mounted closer to the bed walls (still takes a good 6 inches off the head of the bed thought), so I can carry bigger items without having to take the bed cover off fully.
6) You had to drill into your tailgate to mount the lock on the roll n lock.
7) Retrax locks to itself, allowing for the cover or tailgate to be locked independent of the other.

My nickels worth. I've had the bed cover on for a year now and only things I have to saw are:

1) Not as water tight as I would like, but I think adding some weather stripping under the rail mounts will help.
2) The paint is REAL easy to scratch. Wax often and it helps.
3) Kinda a pain to install and line up, but once done, removal and reinstallation is a piece of cake. Can take if off if I need to in about 3 minutes, back on in about 5.
4) The side rails allowed me to mount Yakima's rail rider system to it (the bed cover is rated to 185 lbs, the Yakima rack system to 150 lbs) and put the mtn bikes, skis or what ever over the bed and still put stuff in the bed and keep it dry.

 

By the way, thanks for the good info on the two systems. A couple of questions though...

You say that the paint is easy to scratch. Do you mean the paint on the Retrax or the Screw?

Did the install require drilling holes anywhere in the truck?

Does the Retrax rattle at all(retracted or extended)?

Did you have yours professionally installed or did you do it yourself?

/Marcus

 

I meant the paint on the leading edge of the bed cover. If you go to retrax's web site, you can see there is a short metal edge that ends up covering part of the tailgate. My wife set a small duffle bag that had been setting on the ground on the cover and when she pulled it off (instead of lifting it first) it scratched the paint. So I have been real careful since.

As for drilling holes, that was one of my requirements for the bed cover, absolutely no holes drilled into the truck. Not a single hole drilled. It's held in place by 4 'C' shaped clamps to the truck bed walls.

I haven't heard any rattling at all with mine. But that is probably due to the installation (which I did myself). I made sure I had just the right fit so the bed cover would move smoothly (the bearings make it move real smooth and nice) and not have a lot of play in it.

E