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You can install this retractable, hard tonneau cover on your vehicle in about 10 minutes, and you can completely remove it just as quickly for full bed access. Aluminum and vinyl deck has strength of a hard cover and seamless look of a soft cover.
Features:
Specs:
The Switchblade retractable hard tonneau cover provides you with security and weather protection for your truck bed, easy accessibility to your cargo, and the flexibility to haul large items that require full bed capacity whenever needed. You can install the cover without assistance in approximately 10 minutes, and you can completely remove it from your vehicle's bed just as quickly. The tonneau deck is constructed of a vinyl fabric top sheet that is bonded to rigid aluminum panels, combining the seamless appearance of a soft cover with the security features of a hard cover.
Simple, 1-Person Installation
To install the cover, set the canister on the bulkhead of your truck. Make sure that it's square with your bed. Bolt the side rails to the tabs on the canister.
Secure the rails to your truck bed side rails using 2 clamps per side. Slide the clamp onto the rail, flip the pivot arm up so it is under the bed rail lip, and tighten the clamp in place with the twist knob. Shims are included for trucks with tapered beds.
Each clamp at the tailgate end of the rails has a supplemental kickstand to help level the rails and prevent overtightening during installation. To install the kickstand, simply slide it into the grip handle at the bottom of the clamp. Rotate the kickstand so the foot rests squarely against the side wall of the truck bed, and tighten in place.
Mount the top cover plate to the canister with the included hardware. Attach the drain tubes to the canister and route each tube out of the OEM drain holes in the floor of your bed.
To hold the pull strap off the floor of your truck bed, apply the adhesive hook-and-loop fastener strip onto the underside of a rail at your desired location.
Remove or Reinstall in 10 Minutes
After the initial installation, the tonneau cover can be completely removed or reinstalled in approximately 10 minutes. The Switchblade is great for whenever you need to haul large items that require full bed capacity from front to back and side to side. After your large haul is complete, you can easily reinstall the cover to protect your truck bed again.
To utilize your entire truck bed, detach the canister from the side rails by removing the bolts on either side with a wrench. Then take the side rails off your truck by removing the clamps with the same wrench. Wrap the pull-strap around the canister and use it to lift the canister off your vehicle.
Retractable Cover with Built-In Pull Strap
To retract the Switchblade, simply squeeze the pinch grips located underneath the cover near the center of the tailgate to activate a heavy-duty tension spring. The spring automatically retracts the cover into the canister at the bulkhead of your truck bed. This provides quicker, easier access to your truck bed when compared with manual retractable covers that have no spring-loaded assist.
A built-in pull strap helps you extend the cover over your bed. As you pull, the tonneau will glide smoothly along tracks in the side rails until it reaches the tailgate and secures in place. You can also use the rear plate of the tonneau cover to pull it closed.
Compact, Angled Canister
The cover retracts into a canister located at the front of your truck bed, giving you unrestricted visibility out of your rear window. The canister also protects the stored cover from the elements. And the compact, angled design allows for maximum clearance for your tools and cargo.
Water Management System
The Switchblade rails feature a water management system that channels excess water into the canister. This prevents water from getting into your bed or freezing in your tonneau cover rails during cold temperatures. Drain tubes attached to the bottom of the canister remove water through the OE drain holes in the floor of your truck bed.
Flush-Mount Design
The black powder-coated side rails sit 1/8" above your truck bed rails for a flush appearance. This low-profile design is aerodynamic to reduce wind drag, and it helps to improve gas mileage when the cover is closed.
Stylish and Heavy-Duty Construction
The Switchblade deck is constructed of a vinyl top layer bonded to heavy-duty aluminum slats. This ArmorTek deck looks like a soft tonneau cover with no visible seams, but has the strength and security of a hard tonneau cover. A large seal at the rear of the bed closes the gap between the cover and tailgate to create a barrier to prevent water from entering the truck bed.
Security
The Switchblade provides excellent protection for your cargo when used in conjunction with a closed and locked tailgate. Both the pinch grips and pull strap are located underneath the rear plate, which makes them inaccessible when your truck bed is closed. The heavy-gauge aluminum panels are better at preventing theft when compared with soft covers that can be cut or punctured with a knife. The panels are also more effective at preventing theft than tri-fold hard tonneau covers because the panels cannot be pried open at any point along the rails.
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Average Customer Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (268 Customer Reviews)
You can install this retractable, hard tonneau cover on your vehicle in about 10 minutes, and you can completely remove it just as quickly for full bed access. Aluminum and vinyl deck has strength of a hard cover and seamless look of a soft cover.
Within three months the seals along the rails warped in the sun making it nearly impossible to slide the cover open or closed. I have upgraded my cover to a Bakflip MX4. I can’t share photos because I discarded the whole cover.
Sean
5/2/2024
I threw it away and replaced it with one that worked.
Seems ok Didn't realize it had a vinyl cover over top or wouldn't have purchased . Hopefully it will hold up. Installation wasn't to bad just make sure to level rails when done to make sure it slides right. Also has large gaps buy tailgate on both sides that I will need to fill with weather stripping or it will leak bad. It will be a pain to take out if needed as you will have to take rails and all out. Looks ok but doubt it will last very long due to Vinyl covering and wont hold up in severe weather. Personally I wouldn't purchase it again when this one craters.
Great tonneau cover fits great and does not leak except for a few drips in heavy rain or car wash. Easy to close very happy with my purchase. The install was easy to do by myself.
An installation video would be a lot better, especially for the do it yourselfer.
Packaging was great, haven’t installed yet my truck is in for service.
Went through directions and all parts seem to be there.
Fits great with easy installation.
The package just arrived. I still need to install.
Tonneau cover came quickly. It installed a exactly as it was supposed to. Seems a little tight but not binding. Looks awesome.
Received order quickly. Install was smooth. Cover was what I expected. A few small adjustments and everything functioned well!
Mike
3/12/2023
Cover still working great!
Loving this cover so far. My teenage son and I were able to install it in about an hour. Looks really good on my truck and fits well. Operates smoothly and appears to seal well.
This cover is a great product and performs well. Glad I purchased it. The only shortfall is that a small gap exists in each corner between the tailgate and the cover when closed which can allow rain to enter. Adding two short pieces of weather strip helps this. Love the ease of closing and opening the cover, no climbing into the truck needed.
Easy install. Works great.I really like how easy it is to close or open and the slatted cover is a great security feature.
A bit more to install. But overall a great cover
This is my second switchblade, I like the security and look. It allows more water in the bed than expected. The packaging could be better this unit showed up with serious damage to the box and the drain tubes were broken due to placement under the canister in the box. Etrailer sent replacement drain tubes soon as I called. Great service!
Just installed this afternoon, so not a lot of experience yet. I installed by myself in about 1 1/2 hours. The instructions were clear and brief. I had a little trouble getting the front clamps in place, but that was due to the thickness of a brand new spray-in bed liner, it was pretty thick. Once everything was in and adjusted the cover works good and looks like it will keep most of the weather out.
The bad:
1. The product showed up with damage. Box looked to be taped to fix it being dropped.
2. The metal parts that rest on the bed rail were bent.
3. They talk about shims in the instructions and the video but do not show where the shims are. I did have to remove them to help even out the distance the rails are between the front and back.
The good:
1. All parts were still in the box.
2. I was able to straighten the metal parts and install the product.
3. The installation video was very helpful.
Does not fit entirely flush with the trucks bed as the picture shows. Called customer service for help with the order and they tried to upsell me on another cover. I specifically stated that I didn’t see the cover with the matte finish. Website has poorly posted pics. Buyer beware. I’ll pay $[XX] to return the cover and will buy from [online vendor]
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Condition: Installed
Notes: Item has been installed/test fit.
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Katrina D.
5/2/2024
While I am definitely not against the upgrade, Im a fan of Bakflip products myself. There are some ways that you can prevent the Tonneau cover from warping in the sun, instead of getting rid of it. I am sorry that we didnt get in touch sooner on this and you had to spend more money on another cover. If you are consistent with lubricating the seals at least once a month, something like 303 Aerospace protectant or Blaster Graphite spray will work. Another potential issue could be that the seals sometimes get turned under the wrong way, instead of laying flat on top of the cover, which will damage them. It also could be that the tailgate seal is not cut down to proper length, if the tailgate seal is left too long and part of it rides under the sweep seals in the rail track itself. That will also damage the sweep seals.