So you’ve decided to buy a new tonneau cover but you’re wondering “how do I know what size my truck bed is?” Don’t worry, measuring your pickup truck for a new tonneau is simple. All you need is a tape measure and a few minutes to spare and you’ll have the answer.
How should a tonneau cover fit?
A snug fit is ideal for truck bed covers, which is the end game when it comes to fitting, measuring and using covers. When they fit perfectly, tonneaus not only give your truck a sleek appearance, they protect your truck’s tub and the items you’re carrying inside. That’s why you really need to get the measurements of your truck bed correct.
Measure Your Truck Bed For A Tonneau
Here we go, the first step in getting your soft cover truck bed measurements right is to take your tape measure, which should be at least four metres long, and a pencil and paper to write the numbers down. If you have someone else to hold one end of the tape measure it’s easier, but not absolutely necessary.
Then follow these steps to measure your truck bed:
- Open your truck’s tailgate and lower it.
- Stand behind the tailgate
- Run the tape measure along the truck bed floor and up to the wall behind the cab and jot down the measurement.
- For some trucks you also need the width and bed wall thickness.
What About Bed Liners?
Bed liners might have an impact on the amount of space that your tonneau needs to cover. Make sure you measure the amount of space inside the liner, rather than measuring over it.
At Ute Covers Direct, we manufacture tonneau covers to suit the make and model of your truck, but a measurement is needed for soft tonneau covers for trucks fitted with trays. We can make you a truck bed cover to fit your aluminium or steel drop side tray but you need to provide us with the length and width of the internal tray, and the thickness of the tray wall.
Standardised Tonneau Covers
With a standard, top quality soft tonneau cover manufactured at our Ute Covers Direct factory in Bayswater, Victoria, you get a thorough set of fitting instructions so you can fit the cover on your own. We offer a fitting service if you prefer to have us do it for you at a cost.
However, to install your soft tonneau cover for you, it must be booked in and we will need information such as the measurements mentioned above, and photos of the inside of your tray, plus the make, model and year of manufacture of your truck.
Choosing The Right Cover For Your Truck
Now that your truck bed is measured you will want to shop for the right tonneau cover that’s best for your needs. We have plenty of styles to choose from at Ute Covers Direct to suit any truck model, but you should know a few things beforehand.
Your budget or what you want to spend is probably the first thing to consider. Soft tonneaus usually come in the range of $200 - $900. At Ute Covers Direct we offer the best aftermarket tonneaus for better [prices than those offered at car dealerships.
The most popular tonneaus are soft covers which are more affordable, come in different styles, are lightweight, easier to install and make getting items from your truck easier than some of the hard covers. Styles include Roll R covers, rolling, expandable and retractable. There are bunji styles, sail tracks and more.
The material we use for our soft covers at Ute Covers DIrect is high quality vinyl which is tough and durable but lightweight, water and UV resistant. If you’re unsure about the type of cover you want for your truck bed, contact us today to discuss your needs and ask for a quote.
Ute Covers Direct is an Australian, family-owned company that designs and manufactures handcrafted, high-quality aftermarket alternatives to the tonneau covers sold by car dealerships, and at much better prices. Contact us today for all your truck bed tonneau cover needs.
