Vinyl Bed Cover-Durability????

MarkG · February 12, 2002

I have a 2000 short bed silverado and have been looking at bed covers. I orginally wanted to go with a fiberglass lid but I am also in the process of buying a house so I don't really need to be spending that kind of money. So my question is, how durable are the vinyl covers? Does the constant heat and cold warp the cover? I found one that mounts flush in the bed, anyone have experience with these? Does it fit properly if the bed is not perfectly square.

Thanks for the help

Mark

2000 silverado 5.3

General Lee 01 · February 12, 2002

MarkG,

This question will be ebtter off in the Aftermarket Area.

Elwood · February 12, 2002

I had one for my 96 S-10, and a few of my friends have had them. The one person I knew who had one that mounted flush, didn't like it, he had alot of problems with it, but that may have just been him.

I really liked mine alot. I believe it was "Anaco" brand or something like that. The frame of it mounted with clamps (similar to C-clamps) so there was absolutely no drilling involved, and there was a protective padding on the bottom of the frame, to keep it from scratcing the paint. I know a guy who has one like it and he likes his alot too.

I never had a problem with the weathering, and nethier did any of my friends.

The only problem I saw was, if I unsnapped it in cold weather, I had to wait until a sunny day to put it back. Or I could put it back during the cold and have to leave one or two snaps undone until it got sunny. Then I could stretch it to get the one one or two I left.

I liked it better than the fiberglass, because if I went somewhere and needed to haul something big, that I hadn't planned on hauling I could just unsnap it, roll it up to the cab and tie it. Then I only had the three supports in the middle to set somewhere (behind the seat or beside whatever I was hauling). With the fiberglass you just raise it up and there it is like an open trnk lid, or you remove it completely and come back to get the cover after you're done hauling. With this you don't have to worry about that.

From my personal experiences with mine and with freinds who had them, and one guy who had the fiberglass I liked the soft ALOT better.

MountaineerTom · February 12, 2002

The only problem I saw was, if I unsnapped it in cold weather, I had to wait until a sunny day to put it back. Or I could put it back during the cold and have to leave one or two snaps undone until it got sunny. Then I could stretch it to get the one one or two I left.

Throw it in the dryer for 30 seconds to a minute so it will soften up and become flexible and that will cure that problem when installing it when cold, as long as you can get it installed before it gets completely cooled off. Don't put it in for too long though, experiment with it to see how long you need.