Replacing Velcro On The Tonneau Cover In 3 Simple Steps

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Written By Waylon Joe

Hey, It’s Waylon “Joe” Kite here. I am a West Virginia native and a die-hard pickup truck fan. My story with trucks started with my dad’s 1989 Ford F-150, and it's still going on. I'll share all my trucking experiences (both great and gross ones) with you. I have a garage full of tools to fix and renovate trucks and a freezer full of ales. Do you want to join me?

What if a helper needs help?

Well, you know how a tonneau cover helps save your truck from damage. But it sometimes needs your help – your attention if it’s serving you for a long time. Unless it’s the same sturdy, you may face several issues.

For example, water leakage – no one wants to go with that. Or an expired velcro? Now, do you know how to fix the velcro on the tonneau cover?

Velcro is the elastic fastener that keeps the perfect placement of the tonneau cover on the bed cover. Now, you can’t fix it but replace it with some basic tools. Take out the old one, cut the new one into equal sizes, place it within the tailgate and the bed rail, and screw it through the bed rail.

Done! Isn’t it easy?

However, to do the task flawlessly, read the write-up covering everything about replacing velcro on the tonneau cover.

Why Is Velcro Important For Tonneau Cover?

Why Is Velcro Important For Tonneau Cover

If you didn’t use a tonneau cover before or skipped the installation process partially or entirely, you may not know velcro. But now is the chance to get along with it.

Velcro is an elastic fastener set on the rail bed by one side, and its other side attaches to the tonneau cover.

You may ask, what does it do to know it better? Well, it serves much for your precious truck.

  • It keeps the tonneau cover correctly placed on the bed cover.
  • Velcro saves the cargo from weather effects, especially water leakage during heavy rainfall.
  • It helps the cover to maintain a good fuel economy.
  • The cargo stays safe from theft and other damages by hitting or jerking.

However, after years of use, it faces wear and tears. But one thing you must comprehend is you can’t fix a velcro. Instead, you have to replace the old one with a new one.

But the task is not difficult if you know the process.

How To Fix Velcro On Tonneau Cover With 3 Easy Steps?

Velcro is not an item to repair. To be exact, you have to replace your tonneau cover’s old and faulty velcro with a new one.

All you need is some basic light tools and a new velcro.

Tools To replace Tonneau Cover Velcro.

You don’t need any heavy tools to replace the velcro, just some basic tools easily available at every toolshed.

  1. Side cutter
  2. A hand drill
  3. A screwdriver
  4. A velcro package, of course.

Now let’s see the steps.

Step One: Take off the old velcro

Velcro is placed on the bed rail. So, the first thing to do is remove the old one first.

You can keep the bed rail connected on the truck or separate. Dismantling will make the last part of the process more manageable when you fix the new velcro. We recommend going in that direction.

For both bed rails, the velcro is attached by 2 rivets or screws on the two ends. Take the hand drill and drill the back (top) part of the rivets. You may take the needle nose pilar’s support to hold it. After the drilling, press up that rivet’s part with the screwdriver, and it’s out.

The same goes for the second bed rail. Now, you can remove the velcros from the bed rails. We must mention that the bed rail and the velcro we’re discussing are attached by the sliding line on the outer side of the bed rail.

Once the old velcro is removed, don’t throw them away. Your old velcro is yet to serve you.

Step Two: Prepare The New Velcro

The velcro package has a long roll with four screws. You have to cut one piece into two equal parts, matching your cover.

To do that, unroll the new one, place the old velcro on it, and cut it with the side cutter using the exact measurement.

 In addition, don’t miss matching the edges. Remember, the velcro should fit within the tailgate and the bed rail. After trimming all the edges according to the previous one, your new velcro is ready to fix.

Step Three: Fix The Velcro On The Tonneau Cover

Take the bed rail and push the velcro all the way sliding in. Make sure both ends are at the exact sides.

You might find it tough because of jamming. Spraying a little bit of WD-40 will help. However, do that carefully, as dropping even a little on the velcro’s outer part can reduce its adhesive power.

In addition, soap water may also work well in it. You can apply or take support of anything convenient – it’s all about making the path clear and smooth enough.

Once they are leveled, take out the four screws. You need to drill two holes on the velcro through the bed rail and screw them in. It will stop the fastener device move its sides.

Remember? You’ve to make everything twice.

When you’re done, you can set the bed rail back on your truck and get a secured tonneau cover setup again.

Things To Consider While Replacing Velcro

However, replacing the velcro on the tonneau cover is not tough; you may need to regard some factors.

  • Don’t buy the velcro that is made for any different tonneau cover. Some velcros don’t need to slide through the bed rail to set. Those have another side with adhesive elements to fix with the rails.
  • As velcros come being rolled up, be careful while cutting and fixing. There’s no room for mistakes in measurement. The length would be larger than the actual need but not affordable if a shorter piece is cut or remained for any bed rail. Also, it might cause injury.
  • You shouldn’t hope that a single velcro will last forever.
  • During setting, using, and also removing, double-check if you’re buying a helpful thing, not something else that may cause any damage or trouble.
  • Any scratch or tearing on the velcro may result in sudden or unexpected folding. Don’t put any tension on it when pushing it through the rails. You may not notice the scar that prepares any surprise you don’t like.

FAQ

Is fixing velcro on the tonneau cover easy?

Yes, it’s pretty easy and doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. But you shouldn’t hurry while doing the task. That may cause injury.

Why is velcro on the tonneau cover important?

Velcro holds the tonneau cover fittingly on the bed rail, so the cargo is covered and secured. Saving the inside goods from dust and being wet is another major objective.

Is velcro a part of a tonneau cover?

Different tonneau covers have different ways to keep the cargo safe from water. Some have built-in velcro systems. Others have different safety settings. For some, you might need to fix custom velcro. So, the answer is Yes, No, and Maybe.

How sustainable is velcro?

Velcro stays unchanged and unaffected in quite extreme situations. High heat, sunlight, and water have hardly any impact on it. However, things have limits. Using them for a long time reduces effectiveness.

Last Words

The safety measure of tonneau cover is definitely a matter to review and act accordingly. It depends on the person, product to product, and different situations. Thinking additionally about velcro or wondering how to fix velcro on a tonneau cover can be a new thought for some people.

And it’s okay.

As a new user, you must grasp the main ideas. Take out the old velcro, cut the new one with the help of the old one and place it on the bed rail. After setting it completely on the cover, screw them with the bed rail to secure it.

Read also: How To Patch A Hole In A Tonneau Cover?

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