How to Install Tonneau Cover with Bed Liner

Tonneau covers are a great way to protect your truck bed and inside of the cab from rain, snow, dirt, and other outdoor elements. They also help keep your truck looking clean by providing a barrier between your cargo and the outside world. Installing one is not complicated if you have some essential tools on hand (screwdriver, drill). Still, it’s crucial that you follow all instructions carefully to avoid damaging any surrounding parts of your vehicle or Tonneau cover itself.

Installation Guide with Bed Liner

Bed Liner Installation:

• First of all, open the tailgate because the closed tailgate decreases access to the truck bed. Also, it interferes with the installation of a tonneau cover.
• Now remove the obstruction like screws and handles inside the truck bed. If you have a compatible truck, then it must have holes and caps to fit screws. But if there are not then you can drill also.
• Clean the truck bed with spray or alcohol. And then soak the excess moisture with a dry cloth or sponge.
• Now place the bed liner inside the bed. Through holes, you need to fit the screws and handles. Then to make it look like one-piece stuff, you need to cover the screw holes with the cap. Follow the same procedure with the tailgate.

Now you are done with the bed liner. Now you need to install a side rail on the bed rail and then install the cover.

Side Rail Installation:

1. Place the side rail wobbly on the bed rail. By default, most of the truck bed cover comes with two side rail. If there is no, your cover must have clamps fixed from below once the cover is closed.
2. After placing the side rail symmetrically, now fix the side rail with the help of a clamp right next to the cab. The best clamp is the toothed type. Which increases the surface area of contact and stabilizes the side rails effectively? You can add shims also. They close the gap between the side rail and truck. It helps in stabilization as well.
3. Now place an additional clamp at an even distance from each other. And tighten them up. Repeat the same with the second rail.
4. Adjust the clamp until the rails are flat and standard. Take as much time as you want in this step. Otherwise, you will land in the installation of the loose and insecure type of tonneau cover.
5. After adjusting, now tighten all the clamps with a hand or tool, if required.

Tonneau Cover Installation

• A weatherproof cover comes with a rubber seal. Install the rubber seal on the side rail. It prevents the area between the cab and cover.
• Now position the cover on the bed rail. This will require two people. Now place the folded or rolled cover over the rail right next to the cab area. It will perfectly fit in the rail. But sometimes, you might have to push it to fix it in place.
• Now unfold or unroll the cover. And then shut the tailgate. You need to adjust the cover tension with the screw.

Now finally, bolt the cover into the rails. For the sake of cross-checking, you can also tighten the clamp again at this stage. 

Hopefully this tutorial has helped you with installing your cover. If not, then please check the above video Tutorial which also guide you step by step. Thank you for reading and remember to check out my blog often for more DIY articles and get the most out of life. I post every Monday so be sure to subscribe if you want more tips like these in your inbox weekly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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