Poor Bed design

[Tallrunrdude]

I have tried and failed to seal up my 2024 Platinum edition F-150. First, it was the 4 weep holes, which the dealership told me to use caulking to seal up. Then it was the gap here the bed meets the tailgate, which I used weatherstripping. Now I look down, again, where the bed meets the tailgate on both corners, there is a 1 and a quarter square gap on both sides of the truck. Why would Ford even sell a tonneau cover for their pickups when their design lets water into the bed no matter what? I can not keep the bed dry. Does anyone else have this problem or was mine shipped minus a few parts?

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[miniceptor86]

I never had the expectation that the three bed covers I had would be 100% waterproof. My expectation was that they would prevent loose items from blowing out, keep eyes off and provide cover for items keeping 99% of rain off. There are however kits to better seal the tail gate or you can do your own with a rubber bulb seal. Bulb referring the the shape not the electrical device. If the drain holes/cracks of the bed floor are a problem get a spray in bedliner and let them know you want those sealed.

 

[roadPilot]

I've never seen a single tonneau cover that claimed it was 100% waterproof. Futher, I've never seen a truck bed that was 100% waterproof.

Sounds like you need to trade it in on a minivan or SUV.

 

[scott011422]

No factory bed is intended to be waterproof. They can absolutely be made waterproof, Just going to take a little work as your doing.

Another water tip for you, The bed lights, Bed light switch, and propower panel will weep water.

To be honest, All I've done to my bed is put a diamondback cover on it and a spray in liner and that has been pretty amazing. Water wise i get a little seepage around the propanel, lights and switch. Other than that its pretty damn dry. Even after a touchless car wash.

 

[Dakar09]

I wonder if you have bad panel gaps on yours. Can you take pics of the offending areas? Just how much water is finding it's way in?

I have a simple WeatherTech soft cover on mine and aside from intensely heavy rain, I really don't get any water intrusion into the bed. There is a seal at the front where the bed meets the cab that had to go on in the right orientation or it would leak. They provide weatherstripping you have to cut to size for the tailgate seal. Not perfect but it definitely works. I wind up getting such a good seal the auto-release tailgate won't drop on it's own...and I'm okay with that!

 

[sporkfed]

If beds were waterproof, we'd all be carrying around mini swimming pools every time it rains. Then, besides draining, they need to allow air flow to prevent low pressure and sucking in excess dust and coating your tools and stuff. The gaps are a feature, not a bug. Enclosing it and making it waterproof is necessarily going to take some effort because it falls outside of the original design purpose.

 

[Larrymoe]

If beds were waterproof, we'd all be carrying around mini swimming pools every time it rains. Then, besides draining, they need to allow air flow to prevent low pressure and sucking in excess dust and coating your tools and stuff. The gaps are a feature, not a bug. Enclosing it and making it waterproof is necessarily going to take some effort because it falls outside of the original design purpose.

Don't forget the rust nightmare it would cause. My 05 had a bed mat that would trap water in and the bed floor was a rusted mess when I sold it.

 

[Parthery]

As others have said, the gaps between the panels are there to help drain water so it doesn't pool. Every truck I've ever owned has had them.

You can add the bed seal kits around the tailgate which help the water intrusion from that area.

A properly installed bed cover will keep 99% of the water out.

 

[roadPilot]

A properly installed bed cover will keep 99% of the water out.

73.6% of all statistics are made up on the spot ...



Seriously ... I've used a variable plethora of tonneau covers over the years. The only solution I've ever employed that has seemingly kept water out of my truck bed are my toppers. The current Leer 100XQ on my '21 F150 has been flawless thus far.

 

[Parthery]

Yep. And you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take ?

Agree a topper is the only way to keep it as dry as possible but the tailgate will still be an issue.

 

[roadPilot]

Yep. And you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take ?

True dat.

Agree a topper is the only way to keep it as dry as possible but the tailgate will still be an issue.

My topper has a molded piece that covers the entire top of the tailgate, folds over the outside/outer edge and then goes down several inches. No water comes in the top of the tailgate.

The only weak points are the sides and bottom -- and you'd have to have some hard sideways rain to come in there. Adding weatherstrip/bulb seal there would definitely make it close to waterproof.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

I have tried and failed to seal up my 2024 Platinum edition F-150. First, it was the 4 weep holes, which the dealership told me to use caulking to seal up. Then it was the gap here the bed meets the tailgate, which I used weatherstripping. Now I look down, again, where the bed meets the tailgate on both corners, there is a 1 and a quarter square gap on both sides of the truck. Why would Ford even sell a tonneau cover for their pickups when their design lets water into the bed no matter what? I can not keep the bed dry. Does anyone else have this problem or was mine shipped minus a few parts?

sounds like you should’ve bought a damn station wagon or a minivan.

What the hell do you want a truck or a hot tub?

 

[roadPilot]

sounds like you should’ve bought a damn station wagon or a minivan.

What the hell do you want a truck or a hot tub?

See post #3 ...

Mom used to drive a '74 Ford Country Squire. It was always a fight to see who got to ride in the "way back" ...

 

[azdub1]

My 21 Plati has the Ford branded retractable cover and it leaks a lot! I have had so many items get moldy and ruined due to how much water leaks through. Like puddles! However, on my 2011 XLT I had a vinyl tri-fold tonneau cover from American Tonneau Company off Amazon and it never let a single drop of rain down into my truck bed. Hmmm go figure! ?

 

[Tallrunrdude]

I have a spray-in bed liner. I also have a diamondback cover, which kept my 2018 F-150 very dry. The problem I have now is I can not figure out how to seal up the 2 huge gaps that exist where the bed meets the tailgate.

I've never seen a single tonneau cover that claimed it was 100% waterproof. Futher, I've never seen a truck bed that was 100% waterproof.

Sounds like you need to trade it in on a minivan or SUV.

I had a 2018 F 150 it was bone dry at all times. Diamondback cover spray in lining. What I have now is a swimming pool.

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