DiamondBack Cover Torque Specs

I just installed a new DiamondBack HD cover on my short bed 2020 Tundra. I'm pretty happy with the fitment. However, I wasn't sure how tight to make the clamps that secure the center section to the bed rails. The clamps attach to the tracks mounted inside the bed and I'm concerned with damaging them. I contacted DiamondBack and they replied back that they don't have any torque specs but suggested trying 12 ft/lbs. I tried this, but stopped short of their recommendation as it felt too tight for the tracks. This normally would be a problem, but I've read a few post about owners finding their clamps became very loose.

Has anyone used a torque wrench to install their cover? If so, how tight did you secure the clamps?

 

Never have used a torque wrench. Mine is on loosely - basically a few wrench turns after the clamp makes contact and have been fine for 2 years. It doesn’t need to be tight because remember, when moving you obviously also have the front and back lock rods holding it down, and locked. If you have the center panel clamps too tight, it will deform the plastic top bed rail caps.

 

That's true. I guess I'll just check on it periodically.

I thought the shims that were installed under the bed rail caps were suppose to prevent any deformation.

 

I never received shims with mine nor knew anything about them. I will look into it. Mine aren’t bad after two years but I don’t have the center tight. In any event, also remember that the tighter the center, the more difficult it is to close and lock the front and back panels. It took me a few weeks of trial and error to get mine adjusted where I liked it. I also didn’t use the bulk head seal. I instead used some thin rubber tape as a gasket to seal it.

 

Here's a link to the shim install instructions: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...-cap-shims-tundra-installation-guide.pdf?5071

 

I’m supposed to get my HD today, thanks for the heads up

 

So I was just doing a search on DB covers torque specs and came across this thread. I'm in a 21 Tacoma and at about 5 ft lbs I started hearing significant creaking and squeaking from my bed rails, I'm not fully confident in that since the wrench had has a min of 10 ft lbs, but I can say I would not have gone to 10. I switched wrenches and left it at 2.5 ft lbs. My cover (DB HD) did not have any shims to install and I have not had any issues with bolts loosening. I am considering after their 12 ft lb recommendation putting some blue loctite on the clamps and going to 3-3.5 ft lbs. At 2.5 the cover is completely immobile imo and will not go anywhere.