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

[GETGONE]

4 minutes ago, MrLeadFoot said:

I forgot to ask, do you have to use the key to lock the latch in order for it to stay in all the positions, even closed all the way? In other words, I understand to have it locked you need to use the key, but what about when there's nothing in the bed? Can you unlock it, remove the key, and then simply use the handle (or whatever you call it) to latch and unlatch the cover, and have the latch stay latched in the partial and fully closed positions, without the key?

 

You can do this with the Retrax cover. Key keeps the handle from popping up. If you leave it unlocked you press the button on the handle and it pops up and you can move the cover where ever you want it.

[MrLeadFoot]

41 minutes ago, GETGONE said:

 

You can do this with the Retrax cover. Key keeps the handle from popping up. If you leave it unlocked you press the button on the handle and it pops up and you can move the cover where ever you want it.

I know I can do this with the Retrax, but I want to know if it can be done with the Roll n Lock, because at this point, I'm kind of leaning toward the Roll n Lock for two reasons:

 

1) Canister size, which is one of biggest reasons people don't buy Retrax, even though it is likely the better cover.

2) Cover sticks too far out of the canister when open.

 

Now, if I had the long bed, this would have been settled by now and I'd have had a Retrax on it a LONG time ago. 

[Mossyoakglock]

On 3/15/2024 at 4:07 PM, MrLeadFoot said:

I forgot to ask, do you have to use the key to lock the latch in order for it to stay in all the positions, even closed all the way? In other words, I understand to have it locked you need to use the key, but what about when there's nothing in the bed? Can you unlock it, remove the key, and then simply use the handle (or whatever you call it) to latch and unlatch the cover, and have the latch stay latched in the partial and fully closed positions, without the key?

 

No, you don't have to use the key for any of the open positions. They key is only needed if you want to lock the cover. 

 

Either turn the latch to open the cover, let it slide all the way open (the canister cover will kick the latch back to the close position automatically) and then pull the cove to your desired closed position. Or, you can open the cover and then immediately turn the latch manually and the cover will stop in the first open/close position. 

 

I've probably only used the key on the cover a handful of times in the 1.5 years I've had it. Typically I only lock the cover when traveling. Around town it's mainly to keep things dry or from flying out of the bed. I don’t keep anything of major value in the bed at all times. 
 

 

Edited March 18 by Mossyoakglock

[MrLeadFoot]

Excellent info! I was hoping I wouldn't have to use the key every time I want to open it. Like you, I'd want to open it, put something in it, get home and take it out without having to use key, but want to be able to lock it when I go travel somewhere and have something stay in the bed.

 

By any chance, if the cover is locked, can you open the tailgate and open the cover by turning the latch from underneath? Now, THAT would be the cat's meow!

 

Oh, and do the rails cover the stake pockets? 

Edited March 20 by MrLeadFoot

[Mossyoakglock]

You can open the tailgate with the cover closed/locked but once it's locked, it's locked. 

 

And no, the rails don't cover the stake pockets. You still have full access to rear stake pocket as a handle. 

[MrLeadFoot]

7 minutes ago, Mossyoakglock said:

You can open the tailgate with the cover closed/locked but once it's locked, it's locked. 

 

And no, the rails don't cover the stake pockets. You still have full access to rear stake pocket as a handle. 

 As you might have guessed, I was looking for more ways to not have to use the key. But, after more thought, I realized if you can open the tailgate and unlock the cover from underneath by simply turning the latch, then it stands to reason that if you could do that, you then wouldn't be able to securely lock the cover in a partially open position, although by virtue of being partially open it wouldn't be secure anyway! 

 

Speaking of handles, were you able to keep your bed grab-assist handle, or must that be removed completely, like the American Roll Cover requires you to do? 

[Mossyoakglock]

Yea, the only reason for the key is to lock/unlock the cover. 

 

I don't think there is a need to be able to open the cover from underneath since the knob is in the center of the cover. There isn't a good way to grab the mechanism to easily open the cover that way. One other thing, if you have the cover partially opened and want to have it fully opened, you would need to pull the cover all the way closed, turn the knob/latch and then let it open all the way. 

 

I don't have the in-bed grab handle, just the handles on the bedrails so I'm not sure if the cover requires that to be removed. If I remember right, I think it does come with a bracket that you use if you do have that handle. 

 

[MrLeadFoot]

4 hours ago, Mossyoakglock said:

Yea, the only reason for the key is to lock/unlock the cover. 

 

I don't think there is a need to be able to open the cover from underneath since the knob is in the center of the cover. There isn't a good way to grab the mechanism to easily open the cover that way. One other thing, if you have the cover partially opened and want to have it fully opened, you would need to pull the cover all the way closed, turn the knob/latch and then let it open all the way. 

 

I don't have the in-bed grab handle, just the handles on the bedrails so I'm not sure if the cover requires that to be removed. If I remember right, I think it does come with a bracket that you use if you do have that handle. 

 

The only reason I was thinking of being able to unlock it from underneath was so I wouldn't have to carry the key all time, or if I lost it or something. It wouldn't be so bad for me have to open my small inner tailgate to open the cover, but I certainly wouldn't want to have to open the whole thing to open a tonneau. I also like the fact I would be able to open it without opening the tailgate at all. I guess I've become accustomed to only carrying the fob, and not having to use a key. But, then again, I still use a key to open the door to my house and office!

 

Thanks for the info on the grab handle. I better look into that. The only other decision I have left is whether to go with A or M. Yes, we talked about it, but I'm a bit concerned with the vinyl since I park outside and it gets hot in the summers and there doesn't seem to be an ozone layer where I live!   Sure, you can treat it as recommended, but knowing me, it will become a PITA after while and I won't do it. Same reason I hunted high and low for a Silver truck. Doesn't show dirt easily so less washing needed. I think I'm going to call RNL and ask them if I were to buy the A and it leaks between the slats, would they give me my money back or continue to swap until I get one that doesn't leak, and if the leaks persist, would they give me something else as a replacement? I'm sure they must've had slat leakage over the years, and bringing it to their attention might help them keep trying to improve their design. Plus, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Edited March 21 by MrLeadFoot

[Mossyoakglock]

15 hours ago, MrLeadFoot said:

The only reason I was thinking of being able to unlock it from underneath was so I wouldn't have to carry the key all time, or if I lost it or something. It wouldn't be so bad for me have to open my small inner tailgate to open the cover, but I certainly wouldn't want to have to open the whole thing to open a tonneau. I also like the fact I would be able to open it without opening the tailgate at all. I guess I've become accustomed to only carrying the fob, and not having to use a key. But, then again, I still use a key to open the door to my house and office!

 

Thanks for the info on the grab handle. I better look into that. The only other decision I have left is whether to go with A or M. Yes, we talked about it, but I'm a bit concerned with the vinyl since I park outside and it gets hot in the summers and there doesn't seem to be an ozone layer where I live!   Sure, you can treat it as recommended, but knowing me, it will become a PITA after while and I won't do it. Same reason I hunted high and low for a Silver truck. Doesn't show dirt easily so less washing needed. I think I'm going to call RNL and ask them if I were to buy the A and it leaks between the slats, would they give me my money back or continue to swap until I get one that doesn't leak, and if the leaks persist, would they give me something else as a replacement? I'm sure they must've had slat leakage over the years, and bringing it to their attention might help them keep trying to improve their design. Plus, it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

I keep one key in the truck and the second key in my toolbox in the garage. 

 

Being able to open the cover without opening the tailgate was another feature that I wanted. There are some retractable covers that do not have an external knob/latch. They have the latch like a tri-fold cover. 

 

I definitely like the look of the aluminum cover but with my past experience with the Retrax, I couldn't make myself go with the A-Series. 

[MrLeadFoot]

On 3/21/2024 at 8:49 AM, Mossyoakglock said:

 

I keep one key in the truck and the second key in my toolbox in the garage. 

 

Being able to open the cover without opening the tailgate was another feature that I wanted. There are some retractable covers that do not have an external knob/latch. They have the latch like a tri-fold cover. 

 

I definitely like the look of the aluminum cover but with my past experience with the Retrax, I couldn't make myself go with the A-Series. 

I will likely do like you with the keys.

 

I also want the option of opening the cover without having to open the tailgate, but having the multi-pro tailgate would help make having a cover that can only be opened from underneah eaiser to swallow.

 

It's not so much the look of the aluminum that attracts me to the A series, it's the fact that the vinyl might wear out too fast for me. In fact, all the aluminum retractables I've seen, have their paint worn over a couple of years anyway, by virtue of them rolling up over and over and over. And, that's exactly WHY I was questioing the integrity of their slat "seals" to begin with. It's tough  decision. Right now, I have "analysis paralysis".

[Mossyoakglock]

From what I found in my searching was there is only one retractable cover that can be opened from underneath and that's the Rough Country cover. It operates similarly to the RNL. It does not have an external latch and it does not lock. 

 

So with the RNL, you can open the cover with both the tailgate closed and/or open but the the RC, you have to open the tailgate. With the Multi-pro, you probably can just open the center section. 

 

As for the vinyl, I had a Pace Edwards on my 2008 for about 9 years before going to the Retrax. The cover was still in great shape when I sold it but the truck was garage-kept as well. I just washed it when I washed the truck and applied a protectant once a month or so. 

 

Here is a link to the RC

 

Rough Country Cover

[Capt Bob]

Coming over from the HD forum. I’ve been using the RNL since 97. Early models were stout enough that a grown man could stand on the closed unit dead center without damage. The aluminum slats were very thick and the resulting weight often caused the spring mechanism to fail. They then switched to the lighter slats and covered them in vinyl (M model). The “A’ model was discontinued but is of course available once again.

 

I have never experienced leaks between the slats on neither model. Leaks have always been at the tailgate corners but the quantity is in direct relationship to the rail mounting. As the video shows, they have 3 stops between fully opened or closed. You can open from the bottom, as was stated if it isn’t locked. Why you would want to, who knows. Properly maintained/lubed rails will allow retraction without pushing.

 

You are correct in that if the canister is filled with water (drain hoses clogged) while the top is closed, when you open the cover, it will get wet. Upon closing, water will then run/drip over the contents in the bed. This is user error rather than a design flaw. You need to keep the drains clear, both the canister holes and the tubes. The canister top is easily removable to access the drains and as stated earlier air pressure works well in clearing the tubes.

 

Again, as stated earlier, you can open the tail gate with the RNL either locked or unlocked. You can open the RNL without unlocking/lowering the tailgate. The assist handle can be used on the 2500HD but the rail uses one of the handle mounting studs and I find the stud length to be just a hair too short. In other words, an additional shim at that point would make for a better rail alignment and as stated a tighter water seal.

 

Lastly, I prefer the A model and use 303 protectant on the unit. Treat it when cleaning the truck. Spray on, wipe off.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Edited March 26 by Capt Bob

[MrLeadFoot]

6 hours ago, Mossyoakglock said:

From what I found in my searching was there is only one retractable cover that can be opened from underneath and that's the Rough Country cover. It operates similarly to the RNL. It does not have an external latch and it does not lock. 

 

So with the RNL, you can open the cover with both the tailgate closed and/or open but the the RC, you have to open the tailgate. With the Multi-pro, you probably can just open the center section. 

 

As for the vinyl, I had a Pace Edwards on my 2008 for about 9 years before going to the Retrax. The cover was still in great shape when I sold it but the truck was garage-kept as well. I just washed it when I washed the truck and applied a protectant once a month or so. 

 

Here is a link to the RC

 

Rough Country Cover

Wow, thanks for the added info. The Rough Country appears to be similar to the RNL M Series, but does not have the extra stops. It looks like it DOES lock, in a way, because you can't open it without opening the tailgate. It's MUCH cheaper than the RNL, but one reason I want to be able to open the cover without having to first open the tailgate is because when the tailgate switch breaks, you don't have to break open the tonneau, you know what I mean? So, I guess the question now becomes, "is it worth $600-1000 more (depending upon M or A series) for the additional stop positions and the ability to open it without opening the tailgate first?"

 

BTW, do you hear your cover blowing around when driving? Because watching the Rough Country video, you can see that their cover has quite a bit of up and down movement when they open and close it, so it makes me wonder if it flaps around from wind turbulence.

[MrLeadFoot]

5 hours ago, Capt Bob said:

Coming over from the HD forum. I’ve been using the RNL since 97. Early models were stout enough that a grown man could stand on the closed unit dead center without damage. The aluminum slats were very thick and the resulting weight often caused the spring mechanism to fail. They then switched to the lighter slats and covered them in vinyl (M model). The “A’ model was discontinued but is of course available once again.

 

I have never experienced leaks between the slats on neither model. Leaks have always been at the tailgate corners but the quantity is in direct relationship to the rail mounting. As the video shows, they have 3 stops between fully opened or closed. You can open from the bottom, as was stated if it isn’t locked. Why you would want to, who knows. Properly maintained/lubed rails will allow retraction without pushing.

 

You are correct in that if the canister is filled with water (drain hoses clogged) while the top is closed, when you open the cover, it will get wet. Upon closing, water will then run/drip over the contents in the bed. This is user error rather than a design flaw. You need to keep the drains clear, both the canister holes and the tubes. The canister top is easily removable to access the drains and as stated earlier air pressure works well in clearing the tubes.

 

Again, as stated earlier, you can open the tail gate with the RNL either locked or unlocked. You can open the RNL without unlocking/lowering the tailgate. The assist handle can be used on the 2500HD but the rail uses one of the handle mounting studs and I find the stud length to be just a hair too short. In other words, an additional shim at that point would make for a better rail alignment and as stated a tighter water seal.

 

Lastly, I prefer the A model and use 303 protectant on the unit. Treat it when cleaning the truck. Spray on, wipe off.

 

Good luck.

Thank you for contributing some helpful info. Regarding why would I want to open from underneath, I just thought it would be nice to have the option to open from underneath, via the inner multipro gate, if I didn't have the cover locked and didn't have the key. It was only a "nice-to-have" possibilty, not necessarily "need" or if I would even use it that way.

 

I think you misunderstood what I meant when I was asking about water getting in the middle of the bed. I didn't mean water from a canister full of water, so please allow me to clarify:

 

Visualize water sitting on the cover after a rain. At that point the underside of the cover should be dry. Now, when you open the cover, it rolls, right? So, after the first revolution of the cover rolling up, the top will naturally begin to come into contact with the underside, thereby dripping water from the top onto the underside, so then the underside would be wet. So, when you pull it to cover the bed again, I was wondering if that wets the middle of the bed. But @Mossyoakglock said any water that gets on the underside that way is very minimal, so that's good, would you agree?

 

Good to hear that you've not experienced leaking between aluminum slats. Do you have the A series now? I ask, because you say you use 303. Do you mean you use it on the aluminum slats themselves?

[Capt Bob]

First, the water sheets off the cover due to the truck’s rake and ends up in the canister. That occurs if there is a rake of some degree.  Doesn’t take much rake. Rains a lot where I reside but I never have standing water of any degree on the top after a rain event so yes, I agree that you will not get any measurable amount of water in the center of the bed if you open and then close the top following a rainstorm. Opening while it’s raining is another story. Again, this precludes the drains/hoses being clear allowing the canister to properly drain.

 

No noise while driving. 

 

I have an A model ( my 3rd.) on my 2500HD and yes, I condition the entire top with 303. I used it also on the 3 M models I had.

Edited March 27 by Capt Bob