With my happy tax return, I'm throwing some money at my truck, and am throwing around the idea of perhaps a tonneau cover, I've looked at Summit and Jegs, and have gotten some ideas, but I'd like some input on what you guys think of different brands and types of tonneaus. I'd prefer a flush tonneau that hinges and is very budget minded (and if anyone is looking to sell theirs, let me know) and can be painted in the future to match the upcoming paint on the truck, also, most of the ones I've seen are vinyl, how well does it hold up? I would hate to have mine get slashed by some asshat while I'm at work (overnights). TIA!

Build one

sheetmetal your bed.

checkmate is by far the cheapest for flushmount tonneau covers. i have a gaylord overthe rail and it is solid fiberglass and heavy. i have some friends with the checkmate covers and they are a honeycomb internal structure so you just have to be carefull putting the locks in it. my one friend pulled them through while tightening the nuts down.

Well after looking at the options, I think I'm going to make one myself, it will be my first project after (or during) my welding classes next semester, should be fun... thanks for the advice people

I have a gaylord and i am satisfy with it

Not to hi-jake ghosthippos thread but anybody know if the tacoma or t-100 soft cover kits would fit the regular pickups?

Good luck on welding one. I'e seen some homemade covers and you could surf on those waves. Not saying you can't do it, but the key is a good structure under the metal, and slow, cool welding and grinding, Steel will be heavy, and that's why you should look into tig welding, and aluminum frame and skin.

you'll definitely need to build a frame for it, you could tig it but that would probably be very costly and time consuming. I would just mig weld it all and when it came to welding the sheetmetal just run short beads every few inches on a very low heat setting. I plan on doing this too myself and thats gonna be my approach to it.

SO they just don't make one of them vinyl type ones that you snap around the sides with the aluminum bars in the middle?? I've always liked those haha