Adding an F150 tonneau cover to a RAM 1500 can be a bit tricky. This cover is a hinged, rigid piece of material placed on the truck bed and provides maximum protection for your cargo.
Will a F150 Tonneau Cover Fit a RAM 1500? You can fit the F150 tonneau cover to a RAM 1500 by measuring the size of the truck bed of both vehicles, then attach its side rails with the front rails using screws, fix the side rails using clamps, and finally roll it down.
Whenever you want to see your cargo, you can easily slide it backward using its settings, and similarly, you can also slide it forward to cover the luggage.
What is a Tonneau Cover?
A tonneau cover is a retractable covering for the bed of a pickup truck, and it is also called a bed cover or roll cover.
If you live in a town where hail storms occur two times a week, then you should use a hard one as it can bear the pressure.
On the other hand, if your house is in a city where only rainfalls, you do not need to worry about it, and you can use a soft one in this case.
It is different from other types because it does not act as an enclosed shell; instead, it lays flat on top of your truck bed.
Its most common types are roll-up, and retractable which you can store in the bed when not in use and dropped down with the touch of a button.
Roll-up covers secure the place and do not slide on its top, while a retractable one slides on the top surface and uses clamps to cover the luggage.
They are available at a standard price in local stores and offer good protection against water, dirt, and other elements.
Aluminum products are lightweight and durable, you can easily carry them around, and they do not wear out early.
Fiberglass tonneau covers are expensive but strong enough to resist cracking in extreme weather conditions, and they are also easy to install.
Vinyl has a lower profile than aluminum but tends to scratch easily, whereas aluminum scratches less but will rust over time if you do not treat it regularly with oil or wax.
It is an innovative, stylish way to protect the cargo area in your truck, and it can either be lightweight or heavyweight.
You do not want to drive your truck fast if you have lightweight covers, as they can fly away with a bit of gust of air.
They are also an excellent accessory for truck companies like Ford, Dodge, and other vehicles that have beds and that carry cargo on their beds. You can also give custom orders to online stores, which will manufacture them according to your demand.
Steps to Install F150 Tonneau Cover to RAM 1500
You may not think much about the dimensions of a truck bed until you need to buy a tonneau cover for your truck.
You need first to check the dimensions of both the trucks as it is a fundamental step that you should follow to install them.
Park your Ford F150 truck in the garage and lift the hand brakes and now note its model number and truck bed size.
You need to know the size of truck beds as they can either be short, long, or in a standard size, depending upon their dimensions.
You should consult with an experienced person who will tell you the size of your bed without looking at the manual.
The user manual serves as an essential guide for any product as it is the manufacturer’s way of communicating with its customers.
If you still have your manual, open it, and it will have enough information regarding your truck’s bed dimensions, and you can write them down.
On the other hand, if you do not have your manual and want to determine the dimensions, there is a general way of measuring it.
You can use a measuring tape for this purpose; it is a flexible, thin strip with markings in inches and centimeters.
Now put one end of the measuring tape on the top edge of the tailgate and place the other end on the bulkhead of the bed.
Note the reading and convert the inches to desired units; for example, if you want to convert it to feet, divide the length by 12.
To measure the width, put one end on the right side of the tailgate and the other on the left side, note the width, and convert the units as well.
If you want to measure its height, then place measuring tape on the top surface of the tailgate and put its other side on the bottom surface of the tailgate.
Now you have successfully noted the dimension of your Ford F150 truck, and to measure the dimensions of Ram 1500, repeat the same process.
If you have already bought the covers and their dimensions match those of the Ford F150, then you do not need to measure its bed dimension separately.
Once you have both these vehicles’ correct dimensions, the next step is installing the tonneau cover on Ram 1500.
You will waste your money and time if you try to fit the wrong cover on your truck, and we recommend you follow the steps carefully.
If you have a roll-up tonneau cover, place one of its side rails on the right edge of the bed and the other on the left edge.
Now put the front rail having the cover attached to it on the bulkhead of the bed and connect the right edge of the front rail with the right rail.
You can use a Phillips screwdriver to tight the screw and similarly attach the left edge of the front rail with the left rail.
Now using clamp brackets, attach the right and left rails firmly with the body of the bed and make sure they do not move from their position.
Roll it towards the tailgate and check whether you have fixed it correctly with the bed of Ram 1500 or is it causing any problems.
If you want to secure the front rail, first clean the bulkhead using a wet cloth and then put a bulkhead seal on top of the bulkhead. Once the seal is firmly placed on the bulkhead, remove the seal protector on its upper surface.
Now place the front rail precisely on top of the seal and push it down to stay at a right angle and correct position.
If you have a retractable cover, then you need to first put the canister on the bed of your Ram 1500, and it will have stickers on its front and backside.
These stickers will help you place the canister in the correct position; now attach the side rails with the edges of the canister.
The canister is a heavy body, so you may want to put a wooden block under the canister to support the weight.
Now put all the necessary bolts and screws to hold the rails with the canister and attach clamps on the passenger and driver sides.
When you have correctly attached all of its parts, then using the strap, pull the cover out and check out it’s working.
Why Do You Need a Tonneau Cover for RAM 1500?
They have a unique design that allows access to the covered cargo without removing it or opening up the cover.
The main reason for purchasing them is to protect your belongings from rain and snow when you are not using your luggage. You should also check the weight of the RAM 1500.
Even if you only have the truck occasionally, when you need it for work purposes or camping or hunting, having a tonneau cover will prevent water from seeping inside.
It means that the manufacturers need to maximize fuel economy and performance in their vehicles, and using these is one of the solutions to this problem.
It will also protect you from theft since it hides your valuables in the bed of your vehicle and saves the money you spent on the luggage.
It becomes more difficult for thieves to break into your truck without being noticed by you, and you can also catch them in the act.
Some of them also come with an advanced locking system, and you need to lock them and rest assured they will protect your luggage.
You do not need to close the tailgate, and this way, it will provide more space to put extra weight and cargo on the bed.
Tonneau Cover Installation Cost and Time
A roll-up tonneau cover will cost you around $150 to $500 depending upon the company that makes it and the bed sizes of trucks.
A small size bed cover will cost you much less than a large size bed cover, and if you buy it from a renowned company, its cost will be much more.
You can complete the installation process of these covers in about 30 to 50 minutes if you are using them for the first time.
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