Diamondback Tonneau Cover

Not raise them, The Shims reinforce them since they are hollow underneath.

 

The OEM cover has a gutter system track with brackets that allows the rails to be used in a lower position. In Order for me to keep the bed rails, they need to be installed in the upper location.

 

Diamondback Covers are great for attaching things.

Got both 50lbs 12' Kayaks up there on top of the tent and the bike racks on either side.

These covers are beasts!

 

Took a nice wet drive up to Diamondback to have my HD installed and take a tour of their factory today. I’m a QC manager for a large construction company, and I was very impressed with their level of QA/QC and how they work together to ensure they deliver a quality product.

 

I agree, while I have never been to their facility they must have strict QC. I bought an outlet model for truck and it was put on there for a couple scratches on the underside of the cover. Not that I’m complaining cause I never seen them and I got 10% off. But yea if those things aren’t perfect they aren’t being sent to customers. Good to see a company producing solid stuff in a keep production in the US.

 

Looking good! Do you have a photo showing how far up yours is placed on the bulkhead? Also of how they applied the gasket on the bulkhead? Would greatly appreciate it (if possible) Mine seems further forward than yours and I’m still having leaking issues in the front corners. Thanks!

 

I’ll try and post pictures later this week. My drain plugs had 3/4 holes in them for the oem tonneau cover drains and I used Gorilla tape to seal them for now. It’s been raining for the last 3 days (over 3”) I checked the bed today to see if there was any water, and I was happy to see there wasn’t any at all. My results may be different if I was driving it though. Have you crawled under the closed cover to see if you can see any light shining through?

 

Will post pictures of how mine is lined up when I get the chance. Yup, I’ve climbed in and closed it up. Used silicone on the front corners multiple times. Can’t seem to get it sealed. I used butyl tape under my rails. I still think some gets in there as well. My middle might be too tight. I might try to back that off. I have a tailgate seal kit. The top of the cover deff doesn’t totally seal on the tailgate, but I seem to not have a problem there. Just on the bulkhead. This was today with rain. Almost looks like rain is getting between the gasket and metal of the cover. Idk.

 

Did you put some weight on the cover when tightening the latch, the gasket need some compression to seal.

 

Hard to tell from the pictures, but did you install the bulkhead weatherstip?

 

I did. Had a person the first time. Couple weeks later I retightened everything. Put a pallet with my disc weights on each corner as I went around and re-tightened the lock bars.

 

I did. When it’s not snowing I’ll open and snap one. I installed it to fit between the plastic side rails per instructions. Tucked the corner under the edge of the rail. Deff had light coming through. Used silicone. No longer see light, but have water. I’ll try to silicone more. Feels like I’m beating a dead horse there.

 

I know people say to add weight while installing the cover, but when I asked the Installer at Diamondback, he said it was not required. He pulled the cover down slightly while setting the lock rods and tightened the center section to 50 Inch-Lbs. Have you reached out Diamondback for help?

 

Where the bulkhead strip meets the plastic cap - not sure it should tuck under the rail. Mine is cut tight to the caps on each side and butyl used to fill the small gap. Butyl was also installed under the cap end at the bulkhead area only.

 

Gotcha. I’ll keep messing with it and see what I can do. Maybe mine is too tight. Not sure.

 

Drove around today with some snow turning to rain. Leaking was awful. It’s getting under the weatherstripping and running down the rails. I also don’t see how to stop it from coming in the gaps in the bed rails that the tundra has. It’s as tight as I can get it. Wondering if anyone has this issue or a fix. I know once I get the bulkhead figured out it will help a lot. But I don’t know about the sides. Last photo shows the gaps I’m talking about.

 

Here’s the only spot that has additional Butyl besides under the bed side cap (at the same spot)
After 3+ days of rain (about 4”) this is the only water in the bed.
I also posted a picture of the cover at the tailgate for reference.

 

I still can't find the flaw on my outlet one. They said there was overspray on one of the corners. Looked brand new to me.

 

I know exactly what your problem is. The bed side Molle Panels.If you remove them and send them to me it might fix everything. .

You could try adding additional shims under the cap to help reinforce it. I have a feeling I’ll have similar results as you if I’m was driving in the rain. Unfortunately it’s part of the design of the bed side caps and I’m not sure if any cover would help. Have you tried using silicone spray or a seal conditioner to help keep the seal flexible?

 

I think my bulkhead strip is an issue. Yours is farther back than mine. I’m going to apply another one and start there. I think that will help a lot. Mine is on too far forward on the bulkhead.

I put armor all on the seal 2 days ago. Seems in good shape. I installed the cover 3 weeks ago. I think fixing my bulkhead strip and maybe siliconing the gaps in the bedrail design on top might do the trick.

I’ll get right on removing those panels to send ya! Seriously though, thanks for your help and posting photos. Appreciate it.

 

I never have an issue with my bulkhead water strip on the front, all I did is added 2 piece of door foam strips from inside of the bulkhead strip to the front of the bed rail covers.

 

Well I have lots of things to try. Anyone do anything about the gaps on the top of the rail? I think that’s where some water is getting in near my hubs. Inside pics shows the light that comes through on those spots. Cover is as tight as I can get it. I put serious weight on top when I tightened the locking rail bolts.

 

FYI them shims on mid panel goes under the bed rail cover to stop the cover deform, also will make your mid panel sit lower to seal that gap.

 

Yup. I put all the shims on before installing. Also put butyl tape on the inside of the rails. No water getting under the rails. Just those gaps on the bed rail design themselves that the front and rear panel cover. Might have to silicone that gap.

 

To fill those little gaps molded into the bed rails I used a strip of thin rubber I cut from an old bike innertube, then glued in place with some silicone.

 

Ah, good stuff. Appreciate it! Got a photo?

 

No, and I no longer have the truck. I simply cut a piece exactly the width of the little channel and siliconed it in place. Worked perfectly to block water entry at those points.

 

Ok thanks. Appreciate the tip.

 

Mine leaks badly as well. I have the shims installed under the middle portion of the bed rails and it helped. But still getting leaking at every corner and around one of the middle panel seals. I am going to install the butyl taoe along the length of the rails and bulkhead and hope that make things a little better

 

Good luck! Hope you can fix it. It’s quite frustrating given the cost of the cover.