I have a snap style tonneau cover. I also live in New England and have no patience. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or idea's on converting a tonneau to a hinge style of some sort of quick removal. I was thinking about drilling straight down through the tonneau frame rail, through the bed and using wing nuts or something. I currently need to crawl inside and remove 6 allen head screws in order to remove the whole cover with frame.They are machine screws so the take about 50 turns to remove each one. There isn't any clearance for a ratchet so it's a slow process. If I drill a hole in each corner and stick a bolt through the cover and bed rail then use a large spacer and wing nuts I may be able to remove it much quicker. The cover itself will cover the bolts I use and the thing should be fairly stable. Anyone tried something like this? Any better idea's?

 

Sounds like a good idea......most people have the hinge type that flips up, mine is like yours, just a snap style...why would you need to take it off? I just roll mine up, its faster than unbolting wing nuts

Rocky

 

my extang full tilt removes in like about 2 min.. you pop off the gas struts lift it to 45deg and pull off... never own another soft cover again best $ spent

 

The snaps tend to put up a fight when it's cold out. I dont need to remove it often, but when I do it's always a pain. My 4 wheeler or just general use. I bought the truck cause I needed a truck, but I always seem to forget that because the cover tends to be more of a hassle then it's worth. It takes less time to remove the whole thing than to remove the snaps, use it, fix the snaps that broke removing them, and the stretch the crap out of it to attempt to reattach the snaps.

 

since i have bought mine i have never touched the snaps. honistly go buy a good cover

 

My cover has not been on for over 2 months because I hate trying to get the snaps snapped in the cold.

Your idea sounds like it would work and if it didn't you would just have a few extra holes but could still make it work the way it is supposed to.

 

ive contemplated it alot... what ive come up with is to use door hinges bolted to the rail against the rear window and then to the back of the bed.... then you have to come up with some way to make those clamps at the rear quick release...

best cover is the tri fold ones

 

Honestly, i can have my cover rolled up, with the rails in the bed in under 2 min....

I do have problems with it shrinking in the winter, but who doesnt?

Ive never broke a snap and ive had mine on for 2 years..

Rocky

 

what kinda cover you using?

 

I think its LUND brand but i forget.....Just the snap on type soft cover....

Rocky

 

i've had mine on my truck for about a year now and love it. i have a box in the bed up against the cab and whenever i need something i just unsnap the corner and reach in for something.

and i think i read in the manual or something that if you use vaseline on the snaps it will make them easier to snap on or unsnap them. but i have yet to try it.

 

My idea would be just remove the tonneau cover and buy a Topper.

 

i have the same problem with with mine. it shrinks in cold weather and is a pain in the *** to get back on. my solution is to snap in on in october while i can still streach it, and then it stays on untill march.

 

I have a cap as wel. Takes away from the look of the truck. I bought the truck because it was a truck. So I really dont want to loose it's function 6 months out of a year. I decided on altering the clips. Instead of using the bolts that came with it, I put two hinges on the front, of course I altered them slightly. I removed the pin inside the hinge and put a longer one with cotter pins in the end. Now I just tilt up the complete cover and remove the cotter pins and pull the pins. The cover comes off in one piece. As for the back, I notched the rails slightly and put a twist on c clamp on each side. It's real secure and completely removes or installs in 3 min. Parts cost about $15-$20 from Home Depot.

 

got any pics, possibly a how-to?

 

That sounds real good. Any pics of it showing just what you did?

 

That sounds like a great idea! I've been thinking about doing something similar with my tonneau. Like the others asked... can you post a couple of pictures?

 

sounds awesome, I have the exact same problem, post up a how-to!

 

I would like to post some pics. However, while shopping about 1 1/2 weeks ago, someone decided they wanted my tonneau more than me. They stole the whole thing including hardware. Kinda wondering why nobody saw anything. I was in the store about 40 min. When I came out I noticed it was gone. I didnt have anything in the bed. It took me about that long to put it on. Someone must have known what size socket to use or something. I dont understand people. The damn thing was even ripped and had black duct tape over the rip. o well. Maybe thats the push I need for the hard tonneau? I'm suppose to be doing the same thing to a buddies f-150. I will try to get pics of that one.