Diamondback Bed Cover Turns Tacoma Into Functional Family Vehicle!
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- #9 This is my review of the Diamondback SE bed cover. In my search for a bed cover that would give you security and the capability to add cross bars this is the best out there. Since the Tacoma is a small truck adding cargo capacity is a must when traveling. The Diamondback really stands out with the ability to tie down cargo right to the bed cover or add a cross bar system to haul bike racks, tents, cargo baskets, etc. I used this for a recent beach trip and it performed flawlessly. I had items strapped to each panel allowing me to still open each panel for bed access. I look forward to adding the crossbar system in the near future.
You should be a salesman! Thanks for answering all my question. Just ordered the HD version for my Tundra.😊
Well actually I am, haha! Just glad to help and thanks for checking out the channel.
Very helpful. Thanks so much
I keep finding new uses for this cover. Love it
Nice review… I decided on the Diamond back Switchback cover for my Tacoma…should arrive in about 3 weeks.
I really like the look of the switchback. I have a video coming out hopefully tomorrow where I remove the panels to haul firewood
@@cabinviewventures yeah I’ve had trucks all my life - we own a horse farm. I bought my current Tacoma (TRD Off Road Dbl Cab) new in 2019…I have 245k miles on it.
Unlike you, a family hauler has passed - our 3 kids have left the nest (2 in college and one graduated last year). My wife has been a stay at home mom/housewife all our 30 years of marriage and she always had either a Suburban or High Top Conversion Van for the family cruiser. Now she has a 4 runner TRD pro (lime green- she’s flashy) …that’s her small car now.
I like the size of the Tacoma and my wife and I travel it it often. I have never liked covers as they look cheap to me. I have been thinking about trying a DB cover for a while, and when I saw the switchback I figured why not give it a shot.
I look forward to being able to put suitcases, travel things in the bed of my truck now leaving the back seat for our German Shepherd.
The kit from diamondback comes with rtv silicone, the stinky stuff, to fill the gap between the cover and corners of the bed. I found mine were way to big for silicone alone and needed some foam filler. And my bed stunk for a week until the silicone smell aired out. I just used foam from the packaging but there is definitely a better way to do it. I would have also bought a clear low voc silicone. That’s the only thing I was disappointed with. Just seemed like a cheap way to seal the bed for a $2k cover.
@@cabinviewventures I have a bunch of Petmatex Silicone…I like it …I asked DB folks and they say they are familiar with it snd recommended it. I’m not sure about the smell…I’m around horses all day, so I might not notice…I’m certain if it does stink, I’ll notice it when it’s in the bed with a cover.
@@cabinviewventuresthat’s what I did. I took the side rails and bulkhead rail off and used butyl tape then clear silicone running all along the rails then reinstalled the rails. Ordering a diamondback next week.
Thank you very very very much, this video has answered all my questions! A new question I have in mind, is the rubber gasket that runs around the cover replaceable? I am buying a used DB SE, the guy sold his Taco, hence the DB is for sale now. Thanks
I haven’t checked to see if DB sells replacements but you should be able to peel off the old one and adhere a new gasket
Very useful review, thank you. A question. I assume you can take the front panel off as simple as the rear? But what about that middle support cross piece, can that be taken off and put back on easily, if desired? I'm currently deciding between a Ford F150 Platinum or Raptor, maybe Tremor, all with the 5.5 bed, and I assume these would work well on those. I was thinking the Diamondback HD, but now that I've watched your video I'll double check their max weight capacities before deciding which Diamondback to get. I love the idea of the HD with 1600 lbs capacity on top so am hoping.
Yes front panel is almost as easy. There is a safety bar you have to take off. One nut and you can remove it. The middle support is what’s clamped to the bed rails. You would want to mark the location before removing to make the reinstall easy. That 2024 tremor looks pretty nice!
I have the same truck and the same cover. I also added the cleats myself and am looking to add another set. The layout for the cleat locations for the HD cover puts the side cleats at the front and back of each panel. I am considering a location that I have not yet seen from anybody, and that is to put one cleat on each side in the solid center location, which would give me three cleats on each side of the cover rather than 4. I cannot comprehend a reason why this would not be sufficient. Anybody have any thoughts?
I like the idea of a middle tier down point. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
I thought of another question, and you seem so informed I thought I'd ask you. I heard one person say that in order to help keep the heat down inside the bed in the heat of a hot summer when the Diamondback HD is closed most of the time, they put some kind of silver insulation up high on the underside of the bedcover, I assume maybe to fill the spaces between the horizontal reinforcements. Unfortunately, he didn't say specifically how well it worked. Do you have any experience with this, or any thoughts about it? I was thinking, if I put some decent insulation between all the horizontal cross supports on the inside of the cover, thick enough to fill the spaces, I could still mount things to the cross supports on the underside of the bedcover if I chose to. Thanks. It's such a good looking and useful cover, but this heat issue has concerned me some, for it can get very hot in the summers where I live, snowy and cold in the winters, but quite hot in the summers.
That’s a good question and honestly I’m not sure what the best solution would be. I never noticed any issue with the heat. I also never kept anything sensitive to heat in the bed. On our beach trips it was fine with the bed loaded on hot 90 degree humid days. I can’t imagine it would be different than inside the cab of the truck with sun beating through the glass. I would try it without the insulation and see what you think.
Very nice cover but what if you need access to the whole bed to carry something bigger that that 2 ft panel that removes? How hard is it to remove that center cross section ?
There are 4 clamps that unbolt and the center can be removed. You can mark the location with tape so everything reinstalls quickly without having to recenter. I have a video coming out later this week where I remove the two big panels to haul firewood.
It takes one person about 2 - 3 minutes to remove the entire cover. Another 2 - 3 minutes to reinstall. I’ve done it many times.
@@cabinviewventures looking forward to it...
Do you know how to remove the safety rod to help in taking off the front panel?
It just unbolts
I thought of another question, if you will. The new 2024 F150's will offer a "Pro Access" tailgate, which in addition to folding down to open, also has a smaller side to side swinging door section in the center. Assuming the weather seal is just as good, do you see it being a big advantage to be able to open the tailgate side to side to be closer to the bed when the HD bedcover is closed, maybe has something on top that makes it so you cannot open the top? Thanks. You do lose the pullout step, so you get one or the other, the pullout step fold down tailgate or the pro access fold down or side to side swinging door tailgate.
The cover should work fine with any tailgate. The way it’s designed you can adjust how tight it closes. I would think the new swing out tailgates work better with this cover.
Can you open your tailgate while the cover is closed/down?
Yes you can open and close the tailgate. It’s a nice tight fit.
Hey there - do you know what the inside dimension from bed to underside of diamond back cover is? I want to buy an SE cover but I’m not sure if I can still slide my cooler underneath. Thanks!
I don’t remember exact, I don’t have that truck anymore. I have an Ozark Trail cooler that’s 21” tall and that didn’t fit. I think it might have been an inch too tall. I ended up buying a new cooler that’s 17” tall and fit no problem. Hope this helps a little.
What is the reason for charging the same for all bed sizes and lengths. The bean counters don't know how to do math?
Bigger bed=more materials
Small bed=less materials
Charge more or less depending on the size.
Do you get any water inside at all? I just installed a bakflip and I have been disappointed in how much water I am still getting. Is the diamondback 100% dry? Thank you
Mine is not 100% but only gets minimal water when washing the truck. I don’t have my bed corners fully sealed. It takes a little work but you should be able to get it 100%. The cover itself and the seal on the cover don’t leak.
I have a 23 TRD off Rd too, I have been looking at these Diamondbacks too. My question is how much do they weigh? And does that weight affect your gas mileage, compared to an average cover
The diamondback covers are all aluminum. They are very light and will help improve fuel mileage by sealing off the bed. I think I made a comment in the one video about our beach trip. The truck fully loaded with people and gear and I averaged I think 18mpg.
I have a 23 TRD Off Road Access cab, so I have the long bed. Just got the HD version of this cover and the shipping weight was 212lbs.
I find this particular model useless, specially when you can’t fold the middle section. I know you can loosen the bolts to remove them but who realistically wants to do that every time. Switch is more what I would consider getting
That’s why they make different configurations to fit most needs. They are nice high quality covers!
I was looking at the switchbacks also, but then I considered that those panels do not come apart at the hinges like the SE and HD. So if you need your full bed, you are removing 80s lbs all at once rather than 35 lbs at a time. Just depends what you need the cover out of the way for more often, partial open bed or full open bed. That's my understanding at least.
Why in the heck is 5 ft bed Tacoma cover cost same as 8 ft bed on a F350??
Do they need lessons on how to price things right.
Bigger they are uses more materials = more money
Less materials = less money
Who are these 3rd world bean counters.
3:31 did you really just say that? You must know absolutely nothing about your truck if you said it "doesn't even have 1000lbs of payload capacity". Your truck has over 1400lbs payload.
Total payload for a TRD Off Road is 1,395lbs but that’s including occupants and anything in the cab. Make sure you understand payload so you don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation. With 5 people in the cab I don’t have 1,000 lbs of bed capacity. Stay safe out there.
Good bet to determine payload is to read the sticker inside the driver door best bet is to weigh your truck then subtract that from GVWR. 17 DCLB TRD Off road sticker pay load 950 lbs, Cabinview is correct that includes everything you add to the truck. It’s a painful realization when building out an adventure rig but something that should be considered.
so called "music" was so annoying I left.