Tonneau Install

Pace Edwards "Retractable Bedlocker Electric Truck Bed Cover

THE REASONS FOR considering a tonneau cover are almost as numerous as the number of designs available.

For some, its a matter of appearance; for others, It"s about security. But perhaps the most fundamental reason for wanting a tonneau is to keep your gear clean and out of the elements.

As convenient as a tonneau can be, however, they are not without their limitations. Hard covers, even those that hinge, often can’t open wide enough to accommodate tall cargo or big loads. Some designs are difficult to remove and store, and won"t work if you"ve got a fifth wheel hitch. And some can make it a real hassle to get what you want from the front of the bed when it"s packed with gear. Pace Edwards took all of these concerns into consideration when it designed its Bedlocker Electric retractable truck bed cover.

The unique design incorporates rigid aluminum panels joined together by patented silicone hinges, and retracts into a canister at the front of the bed.  enables you to use the bed any way you want-retract the cover completely, and you can haul your quads, personal watercraft, whatever. Close it completely, and you can keep the contents secure and dry. You can also open it, or close it, as much as you"d like; and it mounts completely flush with the bed rails for a clean look. As the name would imply, the Bedlocker Electric"s key feature is its power operation.

Simply touch a button on the key fob, and the Bedlocker Electric’s motor opens or closes it, completely or partially, and holds it securely in place any- where along the guide rails. No need for lock or key. Pace Edwards has been in the retractable truck bed cover business for more than 20 years, and although the Bedlocker Electric is the companys premier product, it offers several other lines. These include the original Roll-Top Cover, the JackRabbit manual retractable, power tailgate locks and the Full Metal Jackrabbit, which offers similar construction to the Bedlocker, but is manual in operation.

Also of note, Pace Edwards still manufactures its products at its Centralia, Washington headquarters. Here, a Bedlocker Electric was installed on an 08 Chevy Silverado 4x4. Even with the addition of the necessary wiring for the electric motor and the time needed for photography, the entire installation took a little more than an hour, and required very little in the way of drilling thanks to its unique clamp-in design.

THE BEDLOCKER ARRIVES IN ONE LONG CONTAINER, REINFORCED WITH PARTICLE BOARD AND PROTECTED BY DENSE FOAM PACKAGING. CHECK TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS OKAY BEFORE REMOVING THE COVER FROM THE BOX.

1  Curiously, the 08 Silverados bed only has one large drain hole on the drivers side, so another hole was drilled on the passenger side to accommodate the drain tubes that come with the kit. Once the holes are drilled, test fit the drain tubes to make sure the holes are large enough.

2. Get some help to lift the Bedlocker canister up onto the tailgate, and remove the particle board packaging on either end.

3. The motor is already prewired with this pig- tail that simply plugs into the main harness, which is run up to the battery via a hole drilled in the bed and routed to the engine compartment with wire ties.

4. The canister is moved to the front of the bed, about a foot from the cab and supported by the shipping box to hold it just above bed height. The cover guide rails are removed from their box and the protective paper strip is removed from the rubber pad on the underside of the guide rails. Then, the guide rails are slid into the brackets on either side of the canister, making sure to thread the blanket in the guide rails at the same time.

5. With the rails installed onto the canister, the canister can be moved up against the cab, centered in the bed, and the support removed from underneath. Dont forget to plug the harness in!

6. Because the bed of the Silverado is not actually square, PE supplies these two-piece aluminum clamp shims, which are slid onto the guide rails to ensure that the guide rails remain the same distance from each other for the length of the bed. If they are not square, the cover will not be able to operate correctly.

7. The clamp shim is moved to the front of the rail, and the clamp shim bracket, which is used to adjust the distance between the bed rail and the cover guide rail, is installed.

8. The four rail clamps are installed on each corner of the bed next. Unlike the clamp shims, used to keep the rails square in the bed, the rail clamps secure the guide rails to the truck bed rails. Once the distance between the rails has been measured and is the same at the front and rear of the truck bed, the clamps are secured. The drain tubes are installed next. Simply push them into the holes underneath the canister — they snap into place.

9. Finally, attach the top cover to the canister using one supplied screw on either side, wipe down the inside of the rail guides with the provided 303 Lubricant, and the installation is complete. Next, you will run the cover back and forth and see if it operates smoothly; if it slows down at any point, the clamp shims may need to be adjusted. You’ll know it’s right when it glides open and shut quickly and effortlessly.

10.  With the installation completed, you can see that the cover is actually flush with the bed rails for a clean appearance. PE"s testing and customer feedback has shown that these covers can actually save you gas — how much depends on your truck and how you drive.