L - Learner Plates On
Registered: 30/10/14
Posts: 199
Loc: Oxfordshire UK
I drive a lot with my Tonneau cover fitted. The problem I have been having (as I suspect all Tonnuau covers have) is that at speeds above 25mph the airflow gets under the passenger side of the cover and it begins to balloon. Then as the speed increases the passenger side of the tonneau cover gets “into a right flap” which is annoying in that it’s noisy and is a constant distraction in the corner of the eye! So I decided to create a “Tonneau Cover Anti-Flap (TCAF) Strap” utilising the passenger seat belt anchor. The TCAF Strap costs less than a tenner, takes 40 mins to make and fits and removes in a second and works like a dream! The bits (see photo 1) a seat belt buckle (£2 ebay), 2 ft of seat belt strap (£2.50 for 5 metres off ebay) and a Tenax button fastener.(£5) . Fitting sequence:
1. Pick a spot on the Tonneau cover for the Male part of the Tenax. I did this by driving at speed and using a finger to create a “point load” on the top of the cover to stop the flap and “roughly” gauge the optimise anti-flap anchor spot on the passenger cover . I emphasis roughly because it is important to trial and error the strap position between the cover anchor and the seat belt anchor. On my cover this was approx. half way between the dash board edge and the point at which the zip remains closed (I have about 8” of zip closed) when driving and two and half inches from the zip edge.
2. Fit the male part of the Tenax pointing down. I reinforced the underside of the cover to cope with the spiked securing collar of the Tenax.
3. Fit the female Tenax button to a double thickness of seat belt strap. I used leather glue from the man-drawer to seal the double thickness seat belt)
4. Fit the Tenax female to the cover Tenax male and put the seat belt buckle into the seat belt anchor buckle.
5. Feed the loose end of the seat belt strap into the buckle and tension until its how you want it. ( I did it just enough to stop upward deflection by the air. Staple the strap using a basic stationary stapler ready for final fit of the strap.
6. Remove strap cut to length and glue/sew strap onto buckle. (see photo 2).
7. The TCAF strap is complete.
8. Install (See Photo 3.
Finally in terms of general use I leave the Tenax connected at all times and once I have stopped I release the seat belt letting the TCAF Strap hang ready for next drive. This allows the driver side Tonneau cover to be fully secured as per normal when leaving the vehicle. The Tonneau cover driving experience is now superb
