Are tonneau cover lock cylinder?

A tonneau cover is a protective cover that is used to secure your truck bed. If you have goods or other materials in your truck that need to be protected against dust and moisture, a tonneau cover is what you need.

But are tonneau cover lock cylinders worth it? In this article, we will cover all you need to know about the benefits and disadvantages of tonneau covers. We will also share some of the ways you can customize this cover.

Types of tonneau covers

There are two main types of tonneau covers, hard and soft ones. However, there are also four categories of tonneau covers and they fall under these two main types.

Hard tonneau covers

Tonneau covers in this category are made of hard materials like fiberglass, hard plastic, or aluminum. They provide more security to your truck bed and are heavy, but they are expensive.

Soft tonneau covers

Covers in this category are made of more flexible and soft materials like vinyl. These covers are lightweight, offer less protection, and are less expensive compared to hard tonneau covers.

The four types of tonneau covers below can be considered as subcategories that can be found under the two main types of tonneau covers.

Retractable tonneau covers

This type of tonneau cover falls under the hard category and can be made of aluminum or hard plastic. This cover opens and closes with just the tap of a button, they are easy to use and offer maximum protection.

Roll-up tonneau covers

This is the most popular form of a tonneau cover and it is made of vinyl which can be classified as a soft type. You can roll up this cover just as its name suggests or you can lock it up over your truck bed.

Hinged tonneau cover

These covers are mostly made of aluminum and they offer the best protection to your truck bed. The only downside to using this cover is that it cannot accommodate a lot of baggage because it can’t sit above the bed rails of the truck.

Foldable tonneau covers

This tonneau cover is available in both hard and soft materials. A notable feature of this cover is that it comes in a tri-fold (three-layer fold) or a quad-fold (four-layer fold), this allows it to cover all or half of the truck bed.

Benefits of tonneau

This cover is vital to any owner of a pickup truck for a lot of reasons. Aside from security, these covers can be used as a means of storage and can also improve the way your truck looks by a great deal.

Protection and transportation of luggage

The most apparent benefit of a tonneau cover is the protection and transportation of luggage. Whether you want to move heavy tools and equipment, furniture, or load for a family vacation, these covers prevent rain, snow, or strong winds from destroying your belongings. And it also aids the transportation of this luggage.

Aesthetically pleasing

Having a tonneau cover installed on your truck feels like completing the whole vehicle. This item gives your vehicle a new and smooth finish, some are available in designs that feature a canvas to further improve the look of your truck.

Various styling options

We have explained the various forms in which you can purchase a tonneau cover and they all give you the option of styling your truck in any way you like. You can roll up the cover, fold it, or leave it completely closed.

Improved gas mileage 

A lot of truck users don’t notice this advantage, but it is one of the most important benefits. When your truck bed is left open, there is increased air drag. when you enclose the truck bed with a tonneau cover, there is a reduced air drag which boosts your gas mileage by around 3% to 5%.

Improved value

When it is time to resell a truck, it looks battered and damaged, but this is not the case with a tonneau cover. With this cover, you have an increased fuel mileage, security of goods, protection of the truck bed from external damage, and a nice-looking vehicle. All of these features will give your truck a high value when it is time to resell it.

Disadvantages of tonneau covers

There are a lot of benefits of using this car accessory, but there are also some downsides. A tonneau cover is expensive making it hard for some truck users to access it, there are also issues with installation that make owning this cover a pain.

Sometimes it can be hard to find a cover that is compatible with your truck model as the covers are not universal.

Are tonneau lock cylinders worth it?

Tonneau lock cylinders are responsible for offering extra protection to your truck. The major benefit of this lock cylinder is that they offer protection against theft, even if your tonneau cover alone will keep your luggage out of prying eyes, materials can still be stolen. But with a lock cylinder, thieves have no way of accessing your truck bed.

It also provides additional security for luggage when driving. When you hit a rough road, some items can still fly out of your truck bed, especially with a softcover. This lock secures every side of the tonneau cover preventing any item from flying out. With these major benefits, it is reasonable to say that lock cylinders are worth your money.

How to install a tonneau cover 

Before installing a lock cylinder, it is important to know that different types of covers have different installation methods. The steps below explain how to install a roll-up tonneau cover which is easy to do.

Materials needed

• Tonneau cover
  
• Left and right side rails
• Seal
• Bulkheadseal
• Bolts
• Clamps

All of these materials come with the tonneau cover and they should be cleaned before use.

• Use the bulkhead seal on the front side of your truck bed that is directly below the rear window
• Attach the seals to the end of the rails, there is a spot reserved for the seals to stick
• Set your tonneau cover on the bulkhead of the truck and set the rails on the bed rail to help it attach well to the tonneau cover
• After attaching the rails to the tonneau cover, ensure that the whole setup is the same by measuring an equal distance of 8 inches between your tailgate and the rail on both sides.
• Secure your clamps on both rails of your truck bed
• Roll out the tonneau cover and attach a foam seal to both ends to secure the cover on the rear rails of the truck.
• Pull the tonneau cover tightly to the sides, to know if your cover is tight at all ends, there should be no wrinkles.

Conclusion

Are tonneau cover lock cylinders worth it? We have seen that tonneau covers offer protection against theft, secures your luggage, boost fuel mileage, and make your car look good but lock cylinders offer additional for your truck bed.

We have explained how to install a roll-on tonneau cover properly including the materials needed for this process. Thank you for reading.