Roll n Lock A vs. M Series vs. Bakflip/Linex Lxp (maybe Retrax, too)

Mossyoakglock · February 28

Sorry for the late reply here.

From what I remember, the Retrax is not easy to take the canister out. Also, the cover cannot come off without removing the canister. I feel like the RNL canister would be easier to remove if needed plus you can undo two screws and take the canister cover off if you need to clean out the canister. If you’re looking for a cover that you can easily remove the canister, I believe it’s the Pace Edwards SwitchBlade.

Primary reason I went with the RNL was the smaller canister. Not sure if this really matters but with the Retrax you have to walk the cover down the length of the bed but with the RNL, you just unlock it and the cover has a tensioner spring that automatically retracts into the canister.

For the stopping points, it was already mentioned that the Retrax can be closed and latched at any point. With the RNL, it has three positions. Completely closed, halfway and 1/3 open. I guess four if you consider fully open as well. Each position latches in a grove so it’s strong.

Here are some pictures of the Retrax w/ aluminum slats leaking on my 2008. It was a pretty good amount of water and didn't take much of a rain to do this. While it was mostly on the sides, it would run down the wheel well and into the center and also leaked between the slats.

MrLeadFoot · February 28

1 hour ago, Mossyoakglock said:

Sorry for the late reply here.

From what I remember, the Retrax is not easy to take the canister out. Also, the cover cannot come off without removing the canister. I feel like the RNL canister would be easier to remove if needed plus you can undo two screws and take the canister cover off if you need to clean out the canister. If you’re looking for a cover that you can easily remove the canister, I believe it’s the Pace Edwards SwitchBlade.

Primary reason I went with the RNL was the smaller canister. Not sure if this really matters but with the Retrax you have to walk the cover down the length of the bed but with the RNL, you just unlock it and the cover has a tensioner spring that automatically retracts into the canister.

For the stopping points, it was already mentioned that the Retrax can be closed and latched at any point. With the RNL, it has three positions. Completely closed, halfway and 1/3 open. I guess four if you consider fully open as well. Each position latches in a grove so it’s strong.

Here are some pictures of the Retrax w/ aluminum slats leaking on my 2008. It was a pretty good amount of water and didn't take much of a rain to do this. While it was mostly on the sides, it would run down the wheel well and into the center and also leaked between the slats.

Thank you for the additional info.

Trotorx2 · March 1

I know this isn't one on your list. I have the Truxedo Sentry CT and I want to love it but I'm having issues with it leaking in the front corners. I really like the looks and ease of opening and removal if I need the entire bed. Real Truck customer service has been very helpful even sending me replacement seals for the front as the main seal was installed wrong. I've replaced the seals, measured and reinstalled the rails and so far nothing has stopped the leak. The truck bed has a gap in both corners that I sealed up and that helped. The leak isn't real bad but even a light rain there is water in both corners.

MrLeadFoot · March 2

6 hours ago, Trotorx2 said:

I know this isn't one on your list. I have the Truxedo Sentry CT and I want to love it but I'm having issues with it leaking in the front corners. I really like the looks and ease of opening and removal if I need the entire bed. Real Truck customer service has been very helpful even sending me replacement seals for the front as the main seal was installed wrong. I've replaced the seals, measured and reinstalled the rails and so far nothing has stopped the leak. The truck bed has a gap in both corners that I sealed up and that helped. The leak isn't real bad but even a light rain there is water in both corners.

Thanks for that info. I should at least LOOK at that model, so I know about it.

calgator73 · March 2

On 2/20/2024 at 7:19 AM, MrLeadFoot said:

How often do you have to 303 it? And, how long have they each lasted you?

My 2015 (for my 2500) had the roll-x and it lasted three years until I sold the truck with minor degradation to the felt on the underside. I never treated this one.

In June '21 I purchased the upgraded x4s for my 20 AT4 and after about one year noticed that the vinyl seemed to be wearing abnormally with no treatment. At the time I was going through the local scratch and shine several days a week. After the warranty swap in Aug 22 I started treating the vinyl quarterly and mostly hand wash. No issues since then.

MrLeadFoot · March 2

3 hours ago, calgator73 said:

My 2015 (for my 2500) had the roll-x and it lasted three years until I sold the truck with minor degradation to the felt on the underside. I never treated this one.

In June '21 I purchased the upgraded x4s for my 20 AT4 and after about one year noticed that the vinyl seemed to be wearing abnormally with no treatment. At the time I was going through the local scratch and shine several days a week. After the warranty swap in Aug 22 I started treating the vinyl quarterly and mostly hand wash. No issues since then.

Thank you. Treating the vinyl with what?

calgator73 · March 3

21 hours ago, MrLeadFoot said:

Thank you. Treating the vinyl with what?

Aerospace 303. Also good for tires and practically everything.

MrLeadFoot · March 3

2 hours ago, calgator73 said:

Aerospace 303. Also good for tires and practically everything.

I'm stupid. You actually mentioned the 303 I all of your posts. Sorry about that.

MrLeadFoot · March 3

On 2/19/2024 at 7:22 AM, Phantom 4D said:

I have the BakFlip MX4 on my 2023 Sierra. I transferred it from my 2019 Sierra. No leaks other than at the tailgate. My truck sits under a carport when not in use. Haven't been in any hail storms. Some fade but a coat of good wax takes care of that,

If I go BakFlip, I would go to the Linex version so as to not have to worry about the finish getting compromised.

MrLeadFoot · March 3

On 3/2/2024 at 4:32 AM, calgator73 said:

My 2015 (for my 2500) had the roll-x and it lasted three years until I sold the truck with minor degradation to the felt on the underside. I never treated this one.

In June '21 I purchased the upgraded x4s for my 20 AT4 and after about one year noticed that the vinyl seemed to be wearing abnormally with no treatment. At the time I was going through the local scratch and shine several days a week. After the warranty swap in Aug 22 I started treating the vinyl quarterly and mostly hand wash. No issues since then.

BTW, would I be able to just open the multipro inner taligate to reach the latch pull cable, or would I need to open the whole tailgate?

MrLeadFoot · March 3

On 2/28/2024 at 11:52 AM, Mossyoakglock said:

Sorry for the late reply here.

From what I remember, the Retrax is not easy to take the canister out. Also, the cover cannot come off without removing the canister. I feel like the RNL canister would be easier to remove if needed plus you can undo two screws and take the canister cover off if you need to clean out the canister. If you’re looking for a cover that you can easily remove the canister, I believe it’s the Pace Edwards SwitchBlade.

Primary reason I went with the RNL was the smaller canister. Not sure if this really matters but with the Retrax you have to walk the cover down the length of the bed but with the RNL, you just unlock it and the cover has a tensioner spring that automatically retracts into the canister.

For the stopping points, it was already mentioned that the Retrax can be closed and latched at any point. With the RNL, it has three positions. Completely closed, halfway and 1/3 open. I guess four if you consider fully open as well. Each position latches in a grove so it’s strong.

Here are some pictures of the Retrax w/ aluminum slats leaking on my 2008. It was a pretty good amount of water and didn't take much of a rain to do this. While it was mostly on the sides, it would run down the wheel well and into the center and also leaked between the slats.

A few more question, if you don't mind.

1) I know the Roll n Lock canister is 7 1/4" deep, but nowhere can I find the measurement for much it extends back into the bed from the front bulkhead. I know when it's installed part of it sits on top of the front bulkhead rail, but is there a way for you to measure that and post the measurement?

2) If there is water on all these retractables when you open them wouldn't they get wet all over the inside of the covers by virtue of the water dripping onto the inside of the cover from being rolled up, which would cause them to then drip everywhere in the bed when closed again? (@calgator73, wouldn't that be true of the X4S, as well?)

3) If yes to 2 above, can the Roll n Lock be opened only part way if you want to access something near the back of the bed and closed again, so you don't have the assumed problem in 2 above, or does it HAVE to be opened all the way first to re-engage the latch?

Edited March 3 by MrLeadFoot

Mossyoakglock · March 4

I'll get that measurement later this afternoon when I'm near my truck but I can answer the other two.

There are drain tubes that run from the bottom of the canister. That's one of the downsides to the retractables because you have to drill holes in your bed for most of them. I'll get a picture of how I ran mine. You could get water on your cover when you retract it if your drain tubes are clogged but they are easy to unclog. I just take the my air compressor and shoot a blast of air to unclog them.

As for retracting the RNL, if you fully open the cover, there is an indention that will click the latch back to the close position. But, if you only want to open it partway, you would need to open the cover, then manually turn the lock back to the closed position and it will catch at the first section. I'll see if I can get a video of that.

MrLeadFoot · March 4

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I'll get that measurement later this afternoon when I'm near my truck

Great, thanks in advance for that.

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There are drain tubes that run from the bottom of the canister. That's one of the downsides to the retractables because you have to drill holes in your bed for most of them. I'll get a picture of how I ran mine.

I'd appreciate seeing that. In their installation video, RealTruck shows them simply running the tube under the Bedrug (should you have one installed) without bothering to drill the bed. I assume that, because the top surface of the Bedrug is raised, they theorize that the water just runs onto the floor beneath the rug, and drains through the small holes at the front of the bed, and out the back of the bed, all on its own, and the surface of the Bedrug doesn't get wet. While it sounds like it makes sense in their video, I'm not sure if that really holds true in real life.

Quote

You could get water on your cover when you retract it if your drain tubes are clogged but they are easy to unclog. I just take the my air compressor and shoot a blast of air to unclog them.

Using an air compressor to unclog them is a good idea, but I was actually referring to inside of the cover getting wet from the water sitting on the outside of the cover dripping onto the inside of the cover simply by rolling it up, not from water in the canister itself. It's hard to describe, but I'll try again:

When water is on the outside of the cover, after the first revolution of rolling it up, the outside of the cover on the next revolution meets the inside of the next part of the cover that's going into the canister, thereby the inside of the cover at that point becomes wet from water on the outside of the first part of the cover that was rolled up. As such, when you pull the cover back out of the canister to cover the bed again, water would now be on the inside of the cover, which would then drip right in the center of the bad, potentially making it look like the cover is leaking in the middle. I hope that makes better sense, and although I don't have experience in this area, I would think this would be true unless each part of the cover is shielded from other parts of the cover when it rolls up, but I doubt it can be with such a small canister.

Quote

As for retracting the RNL, if you fully open the cover, there is an indention that will click the latch back to the close position. But, if you only want to open it partway, you would need to open the cover, then manually turn the lock back to the closed position and it will catch at the first section. I'll see if I can get a video of that.

I think I understand what you're saying here, and for the sake of clarity, let me see if I have this right:

You're saying that if I hold the cover when I initially open the latch to prevent it from fully retracting, once it moves away from the tailgate a bit I can simply manually turn the latch in the opposite direction to re-engage the mechanism, and then when I let the cover cotinue to open, it will then "catch in the first stop position", for lack of a better term, correct? If this is true, doing this would actually help prevent the inside of the cover from getting wet if I only want to partially open the cover when it's wet.

BTW, does it immediately start to retract on it's own, right when you unlatch it, or do you have to give it a little push to get it started? Not a deal-breaker or anything because I can see advatanges either way, I was just curious.

Edited March 4 by MrLeadFoot

GETGONE · March 5

There's already two drain holes in the front floor of the bed. The tubes that came with my Retrax were too large to fit through the holes, so I found tube that did fit through the holes and used brass barbs to size down the tube from the canister to the smaller bed holes. Coming up on 4 years with no issues.

calgator73 · March 5

On 3/3/2024 at 11:05 AM, MrLeadFoot said:

BTW, would I be able to just open the multipro inner taligate to reach the latch pull cable, or would I need to open the whole tailgate?

Yep. I'll take a picture tomorrow.