Do Bed Racks Work With A Tonneau Cover?

1 comments Nov 11, 2022

Tonneau covers allow truck beds to be used to their full potential, allowing for the storage of large amounts of equipment while protecting it from the elements and theft. The ideal set-up for overlanding involves having a bed rack that complements a tonneau cover, especially if you usually bring a lot of gear with you.

The problem, though, is that not all tonneau covers work with rack systems and those that do work only with specific types of racks. To use a tonneau cover in addition to your bed rack, you will need to find one that fits between your bed rails. Fortunately, there are tonneau covers that meet those requirements.

Covers that completely enclose your bed rails keep you from mounting a rack or accessing the stake hole pockets. The majority of soft folding tonneau covers as well as several roll-up covers fall under this category.

Best Truck Bed Racks With Tonneau Cover

Leitner Tonneau Bed Rack For Toyota

 Let's begin our list with the unique ACS Tonneau by Leitner Designs. Designed and manufactured in California, it is here to improve your outdoor fun! If you own a Toyota Tacoma or Tundra and want to get a bed rack with a tonneau cover, then no further.

This truck bed rack from Leitner Designs is considered to be the best truck bed storage solution for carrying and securing the most cargo, allowing you to go further and stay out longer with confidence. The rack will keep all of your valuables safe on top while you enjoy the most difficult terrain.

With a weight capacity of 400 lbs when in use and 800 lbs when parked, the new ACS Forged Tonneau can certainly carry and do anything. Additionally, it can be upgraded as it permits the addition of various accessories from different manufacturers such as Thule, RhinoRack, etc.

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Leitner Tonneau For Ford F150

Leitner Designs is versitile in its ACS Forged bed rack with a tonneau cover as they are available for multiple truck models, including the Ford F15.  The ACS Forged, which was released in late 2019, carries on the iconic reliability, modularity, and customization of the initial ACS Classic in a newly designed package.

The ACS Forged Tonneau has a high load capacity, 400lbs dynamic and 800lbs static, due to its single-piece aluminum alloy uprights and custom 10.9 Alloy steel fasteners. Another feature worth mentioning is that this bed rack weighs only an impressive 85lbs.

As we previously mentioned, this tonneau cover bed rack combo is fully upgradeable with an ever-expanding line of accessories. It fits Thule, Rhino-rack, and Yakima accessories perfectly. The upgrading possibilities are endless. This tonneau cover bed rack is a reliable storage solution and definitely worth considering.

RCI Bed Rack For Jeep Gladiator

Another bed rack that is worth mentioning on this list is surely this one. Just adding the RCI tonneau adapters, will complement a lot of tonneau covers. This USA-made adjustable bed rack from RCI is 18" tall from the bed rail to the top of the rack. It has a fully adjustable width and is ideal for the Jeep Gladiator.

 The rack itself has a static weight capacity of more than 750 lbs, so you can use any rooftop tent, mount, and carry pretty much anything you can think of, and more when you install a tonneau cover. It is an off-road rack with a sleek design that will complement your truck.

The rack comes with all hardware needed for installation which takes approximately 45 minutes. Moreover, the installation consists of bolts to the inside of the bed rails or can be mounted with optional "drill-free" clamps.

Billie Bars

If you own a Jeep Gladiator and full bed racks aren't your thing and you prefer cross bars that go hand in hand with tonneau covers, then this product is for you. There are three heights to choose from: 11'', 17'', and 24'', and no matter which one you choose, you can still add Retrax, Roll-N-Lock, and Pace Edwards T-slot covers later.

These Billie Bars feature a dual-stage powder coat with zinc base high-strength steel brackets and anodized high-strength aluminum that is resistant to rust, so it is safe to say that they are very durable. Mount anything from rooftop tents, jerry cans, and camping equipment to baskets, containers, kayaks, etc., the possibilities are endless.

Finally, the kit includes two cross bars in addition to all the necessary hardware and brackets to mount to Retrax, Pace Edwards, or Roll-N-Lock T-slot compatible covers.

Front Runner Chevy Colorado

The Chevrolet Colorado Roll Top is quickly becoming known as one of the best trucks in the US. Therefore, it is only right to mention a bed rack that can complement a tonneau cover for it. With a 660lbs load rating, as well as unrivaled durability and endurance, it is a bed rack to consider getting.

As Front Runner is one of the leading bed rack companies, a lifetime guarantee is included with all of their bed racks. This rack must be mounted on a load bed top ledge with a minimum surface area of 55mm wide and a length of 1000mm - 1600mm.

A minimum clearance of 20mm is required from the inner face of the leg base to the outer edge of the roll top, depending on the roll top used. This is true if the leg is attached to a Front Runner Track or another Roll Top channel.

Conclusion

Tonneau covers are excellent and useful to have if you want to use the full potential of your truck's bed for additional storage space that will protect your equipment, gear, and other items you wish to bring from the elements and theft. As you can see, some tonneau covers work with certain bed racks, so if you want to get one, check if they are compatible. On the other hand, if you don't own either, you can get a bed rack that includes a tonneau cover.