How much is too much for tonneau leak?

So I have Toyota OEM trifold hard tonneau and it leaks form every corner when wet - dealer says it’s normal. So how much is normal - a few drops overnight, couple of drops a minute or should it be pretty much 100% watertight?

thanks for any advice!

 

Unfortunately no cover is water tight. And the Tundras leak like a siv in most cases. I did the light test this week and will be adding some sealants next week.

 

Yes that’s what I’m thinking - maybe there is some places that can be improved - just don’t know my way around the cover well enough to know where to look at first

 

Is it true that Toyota OEM hard trifold tonneau cover = Bakflip mx4?

 

I have a 2016 and one of the dealer add ons was a truxedo low pro cover. Its a roll up type, mid cost unit, think they go for about 500 now.

It is 9 years old and has NEVER leaked. Not in rain, snow or even powerwashing.

 

did you put some type of rubber stripping in the notch's at the front corners of the bed?

 

Let me know if you find a watertight hard tonneau cover. Every one I've owned has leaked. My current MX4 is about typical of others I've owned.

The problem is compounded by the ridiculous gaps at the sides of the tailgate.

I did have a soft roll up model (Truxedo, IIRC) that secured to the rail with velcro. That one was more watertight when new, but the velcro prematurely wore out causing it to flap in heavy wind, or at the car wash.

 

should've said as well that the dealer unsurprisingly said it's normal...

 

FYI, as far as I know the Toyota hard tonneau covers are rebranded BakFlip MX4s.

I installed my MX4 and followed the installation instructions to the letter. They supply some cheesy adhesive-backed weather strip to install at the front corners. I could easily see a factory worker neglecting that step. But, even with that weather strip in place, you can see daylight thru those front corners.

I suppose a guy could go crazy with some silicone at the corners, and make them fairly watertight. But you still have the huge gaps at the sides of the tailgate, which I think is the biggest culprit for leaks, and dust accumulation in the bed.

 

They all leak. The beds flex too much.

 

Bak revolver x4s is pretty watertight. High pressure car washes (touch less only)are no problem. Used the wand the other day to blast away the salt, no water intrusion at all. However, there is some water near the tail gate after cruising down the highway in the rain. I won’t blame that on the tonneau cover though. Had a gator trifold a few trucks ago that was weather tight too.

 

I have the OEM. I bought a gate weather strip from Amazon and it solved my problem of water right at the tailgate.

I also sealed right at the front, on the top by the bolt as they had been overtighted and had made a small gap . I can take a pic if need be

Today drove 6 hours over 2 mountain passes, heavy heavy snow, rain, freezing rain, and all the slop on the highway plus hit a car wash when home.

Bone Dry in there.

$29 ESI Ultimate Tailgate Seal with Taper Seal 10ft for use with Truck Caps and Tonneau Covers

https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Tailgate-Seal-Taper-Seal®/dp/B00IPQWXZQ?crid=11FY8DWN6S4J3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GW2C0hDkH5soasqWdO0x9aCa2DA-flZYG8Eok4fSpX_WMmF3ferX4Jo1Esf02j4ZqrGOfBwMOc2Ac--QEYX_6IdP2gEG1TNFMxVpZkRIM9izmdtpU86N-JW0Q1N2t0O0KrVN3S4XJW9MTQarpHcIYQc0ziczf49W4pjb9gI2BYU2giKWebJKmD8OwosGsbNZrgKO4LVk6oZZwMoMunt_WQNbPXdRY4z1elabJKBJoKM4XxksUb21VgEtTDlzRRlykwRq34tjyeUHzmJM-Ur5Ta-j82LfYyOmdHyg4iauUTxf8Cltdm957Dv12pRFUPqWdxeZod1Br-1oyNMSiD_GAwQD1b521Nf3p4QOttmgaqPG96dv3YKcSOpJ7UWYKjaN_v-MLtrMrADHPt6gpzsl_RB1FIHS9X0zEaWuATlz-I94d_kjVOsBttp7HXLZ9Ioc.qWPd0c_wEPAqybbd_kKEXWDeoWW5BNXD_J_Re0lrT3Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=tail+gate+seal&qid=1738469893&sprefix=tail+gate+seal+%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-5

 

OP, FWIW my $200 Tyger Trifold never leaked a drop for 6 years. Last year I switched to a $1200 Bakflip MX4 and the leaks are ridiculous. My most disappointing upgrade by far.

 

Crawl in there & have someone close you up & look for sunlight. That’s the best place to start

 

My MX4 leaks and it's pitch black when I crawl underneath besides the tailgate. It tends to leak around all 4 corners still and all along the side edges regardless.

As an alternative, I keep plastic moving boxes in the back, which keeps my gear dry if it's sitting along the edges where it gets spray.

 

I installed a retractable tonneau cover a couple of weeks ago, and I've been driving around in heavy rain since then. No leaks. (Which I'm surprised about since I don't have expectations of submarine-class waterproofing).

I washed my truck yesterday with my SunJoe electric powerwasher. (I am phobic about blasting my truck with a powerwasher by applying it too close, so I don't feel like I messed anything up, rather I applied water in a direction and volume the seals were not designed to resist). 2 silver dollar sized drip puddles in the bed near the front corners of the bed, and one same sized "puddle" near the driver's side of the tailgate. That is very acceptable for me.

If I haul anything in my bed that just can't get wet, I'll wrap the items in plastic wrap/bag or put it/them in a sealable tote to transport. My main purpose for a tonneau cover is to be able to secure items (like luggage, ladders, groceries) under the cover. Theft deterrance is the primary goal. Protecting my cargo from the elements is secondary. (YMMV depending the role/application of your truck).

 

@Thumper_6119 - what make/model do you have for your retractable tonneau cover?

 

I have a SyneticUSA MR Pro cover.
https://www.syneticusa.com/products/tundra-w-o-deck-rails-off-road-built-pro-hard-retractable-tonneau-cover

It is a Chinese knock off of the Retrax cover. The Retrax cover runs about $2600 (with t-slot tracks, which my cover came with t-slot tracks). The SyneticUSA cover was about $1k. The SyneticUSA cover has dual locks that can lock in any position. Retrax has a lifetime warranty whereas the SyneticUSA has a 5 year warranty. I can't speak to the quality of materials used on SyneticUSA cover and how they last over time as I've only had mine for a couple of weeks, so time will tell.

The specs say the cover slats are powder coated aluminum, and they seem to be fairly durable, but again, time will tell. So far, I've been extremely pleased with my purchase. It installed easily, and it doesn't rattle when driving, even over bumps. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it has done with keeping water out of the bed. My expectations were less.

 

I've had the Retrax Pro XR on my 24' since July of last year. I absolutely love the cover, but I will say that it is not water proof. If you're driving in a downpour, you're good. If I take it through the carwash, or clean it off with a pressure washer, you will get water in the bed. Not a lot, but enough. The pressure and volume of water from a carwash is just too much for the water channels to redirect without any issues.

 

I read somewhere a while ago that since the OEM cover is port installed, bad seals can be replaced under warranty.

I don’t know how true it is, but I was debating on giving it a try with my dealer.

 

Same here (I have the MR though). I get small drips at both rear corners, but that's it. Even in very heavy rain. It works better than expected, and the cost was right. I've had mine since December, very pleased with it so far.

 

Seems like my undercover armor flex leaks way more than i’d like.