How to Remove a Hard Truck Bed Cover (Step-By-Step)

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Construction worker at a construction site next to a black pickup truck ready to work

Have you ever looked under your truck bed, wonder how it got there, and then promptly forgotten about it? If you live in a cold climate, you’ll know why it’s been there, because truck beds are a common place to store snow or other heavy supplies. In other areas, you may have had to store construction supplies, wood, or other materials in your truck bed. Either way, you’ve probably forgotten about the cover and now you need to get it out.

When you have a truck bed cover, it’s a good thing. It gives your truck a more finished look and protects it from the elements. However, it can also make it harder to access your truck bed. If you’re looking to remove your cover and you don’t know how; read on to learn how to remove a hard truck bed cover.

How to Remove a Hard Truck Bed Cover (Step-By-Step)

If you’re hauling lumber, frozen turkeys, or anything else that requires a hard, smooth surface, you’ll need to cover it with a truck bed cover. However, not all covers are created equally – some are practically impossible to get off, while others are so cheap that you can just replace them whenever they wear out.

Many pickup truck tonneau bed covers come with mounting hardware which makes it pretty straightforward to remove the pickup truck bed cover by either pulling on a lever or latching a cable to loosen the top cover. The guide below is for bed covers that are not so straightforward.

If you’re not sure how to remove a hard truck bed cover, follow these steps:

  1. Remove Any Old Screws That May Be Stuck in Your Cover.
  2. Pry Off Your Cover When You Remove All Screws From Your Cover
  3. Remove Your Cover Once It’s Off of Your Truck Bed
  4. Remove Any Rust or Rusted Screws
Pickup truck with a tonneau cover visible isolated against a white background
Pickup Truck with a Tonneau cover

1. Remove Any Old Screws That May Be Stuck in Your Cover.

The first thing you need to do is remove any screws that may be stuck in your bed cover. If you’re lucky, you may have only one or two screws left in it, but the more screws there are, the harder it will be to remove your cover.

You may need to take off a few of the screws and then use a screwdriver to pry them out. Once all of the screws are out of your cover, you can get ready for step

2. Pry Off Your Cover When You Remove All Screws From Your Cover

You should be able to see a few screws that you need to remove in order to pry your cover off. You can use a flathead screwdriver or pliers to pry the screw out of its hole. Once you’ve removed all the screws, you can carefully pull your cover off of your bed. ‍

Hand picking up a screwdriver from a red toolbox

3. Remove Your Cover Once It’s Off of Your Truck Bed

It’s time to take the cover off of your truck bed now! Just hold it by one side, and slide it over the edge of your truck bed until it comes completely off. Once it’s completely off, set it aside and move on to Step 4. ‍

4. Remove Any Rust or Rusted Screws

You may have rusty or rusted screws left in your truck bed cover that is preventing you from removing yours easily. If this is the case, you will need to get some WD-40 and spray some onto the screw head in order for it to loosen up. Once the screw is loose, you can remove it. ‍

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WD-40 - Multi-Use Product with SMART STRAW SPRAYS 2 WAYS - 14.4 oz. - 2-Pack

How to Install a New Truck Bed Cover After You Remove The Old One

After you remove the old truck bed cover, you will need to clean the area where the new cover will be installed. Make sure to remove any dirt, debris, or residue from the surface. Once the surface is clean, you can then begin to install the new truck bed cover.

Follow these instructions to install the new cover:

  1. Spray Some WD-40 On Your New Cover
  2. Put Your New Truck Bed Cover On
  3. Reinstall Your Screws
  4. Test Your New Cover

With these tips, installing a new truck bed cover should be easy as pie!

White pickup truck with a white bed cover visible

Spray Some WD-40 On Your New Cover

You’re ready to put your new truck bed cover on! Just spray some WD-40 onto the edge of your new bed cover and slide it all the way over the edge of your truck bed until it’s completely over it. Make sure that you keep the tailgate closed while you do this so that no water gets inside your truck bed. ‍

Put Your New Truck Bed Cover On

Place your new truck bed cover over your old one, and make sure that none of its edges are showing or hanging off the side of your truck bed. Then, carefully close up your tailgate, and lock it down using both levers on each side of the tailgate. ‍

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Tyger Auto T1 Soft Roll Up Truck Bed Tonneau Cover Compatible with 2019-2022 Chevy Silverado - GMC Sierra 1500 New Body Style - Fleetside 5ft. 8in. Bed - 69in - TG-BC1C9053 , Black
Tyger Auto T1 Soft Roll Up Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

Reinstall Your Screws

If you have any screws left over after removing them from your old cover, you can use them to reattach the new cover to your truck. ‍

Test Your New Cover

Make sure that your new truck bed cover is in good shape and that it’s not damaged in any way by taking it outside and looking at it from all angles. ‍

What are the Benefits of Buying a Hard Truck Bed Cover?

A hard cover protects your truck bed from dirt, mud, and other debris that might otherwise get into it while driving down the road. If you have an older truck with a metal bed, then you may also want to consider buying some sort of metal bed liner for added protection from rusting and corrosion.

A hard truck bed cover will keep your vehicle looking like new for much longer than any other type of covering would, especially in areas where there are heavy rainstorms or snowfall.

White pickup truck with a bed cover off-road in the snow with sunset

What are the Disadvantages?

Although a hardcover is one of the most durable types of truck bed covers, it does have some drawbacks. The most obvious is that it will make your truck bed much harder to access for things like loading and unloading cargo.

This can be a problem if you have a small pickup or SUV, as well as if you have any tall items or furniture that you need to move into your truck every day. Other than this, however, there are no major disadvantages to having a hardcover on your vehicle.

Which Cover Should I Get?

If you want to keep your truck bed protected from dirt and debris while also keeping it looking great, then we recommend getting a heavy-duty hard plastic bed cover instead of one made out of vinyl or canvas fabric.

These covers are extremely durable and will protect the inside of your vehicle from damage for many years to come. You can also get them in various colors so that they match the interior design of your truck perfectly.

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MOSTPLUS Quad Fold Hard Truck Bed Tonneau Cover Compatible Fits 2019-2022 Chevy Chevrolet Silverado GMC Sierra 1500 5.8 FT Bed Fleetside - 4-Fold Aluminum Bed-69.3 inch
MOSTPLUS Quad Fold Hard Truck Bed Tonneau Cover

Do Truck Bed Covers Help with Gas Mileage?

Pickup trucks by design don’t necessarily have the greatest aerodynamics due to the coefficient drag being affected by the open-top bed and tailgate. With a bed cover installed, the aerodynamics is improved by sealing the top off creating less coefficient drag.

If you want to save even more money, then we recommend getting a cover with a built-in liner that will keep dirt from getting into your engine in the first place. Our selection of truck bed covers offers many different options for this feature, so check them out and find the best one for you!

White Chevy Chevrolet pickup truck driving down a dusty road with leaves falling fall season

How Long do Truck Bed Covers Last?

While there is no way to know exactly how many years any given cover will last, most hard plastic covers should still be able to serve your needs for at least five years or more. Many of them are made from chemical-resistant plastic that is designed specifically to protect your vehicle against dirt and moisture.

If you have very active kids or pets, it is possible that your cover may wear out sooner than this, but you should still be able to get at least five years of use out of it.

How do I Clean a Truck Bed Cover?

If you are the type of person who likes to keep your vehicle looking nice, then you need to make sure that you clean your truck bed cover regularly. Dirt and debris can build up on the surface of some covers over time and cause them to look dirty or stained. If you don’t clean them regularly, they may start to become damaged or even rust over time.

You can use a little bit of soap and water on a sponge or rag to wipe down the cover if it is not too dirty, but if there are really a lot of dirt particles on it then we recommend using our spray-on truck bed liner cleaner instead. This will help remove all the dirt and grime without damaging the surface of the cover itself!

Man power washing a black pickup truck with a bed cover

Are Truck Bed Covers Universal?

Truck bed covers are made specifically to fit specific vehicle models. This is because each manufacturer has their own specifications for the size of the bed that their vehicles come in. So if you have a Ford pickup truck, then you will need a cover that is specific to it. Our covers are built to fit almost any vehicle on the road and are custom-made for each one of them!

What Does a Truck Bed Cover Do?

A truck bed cover is designed specifically to protect your vehicle against dirt and moisture. If you have very active kids or pets, it is possible that your cover may wear out sooner than this, but you should still be able to get at least five years of use out of it.

Are Truck Bed Covers Secure?

 A truck bed cover is designed to be secure to keep your vehicle safe. This means that the cover is not going to fall off of the bed of your truck if you open the tailgate. The fabric and straps will hold it in place, even if you bump into a speed bump or something.

However, there are some covers that are not as secure as others. You need to make sure that you look for a cover that has straps, buckles, and other features that are designed specifically for securing it on your truck.

Ford Ranger limited edition white pickup truck with a bed cover

Harmful Effects of Overheating a Truck Bed

Overheating your truck bed can lead to serious problems, such as damaging the bed’s surface, damaging the bumper, and even damaging the truck itself. In addition to damaging the bed and potentially damaging your vehicle, overheating can also lead to warped plastic, paint, and other materials on your bed. 

Your bed is a crucial part of your truck. It’s where you can store heavy cargo, such as building materials or even snow. As such, it’s especially important to protect it from damage and from overheating.

An old pickup truck on a mountain road along the sea in Rhodes, Greece

Don’t Overheat Your Truck Bed

One of the first things you should do if you know your bed is getting too hot is remove some of the cargo. If you have too much on your bed, you may not be able to move it because your bed’s too hot. This can be dangerous, as it may damage your truck. 

In addition to removing some of the cargo, you can also reduce your load. This may sound obvious, but you may not be able to tell how heavy your load is. Unless you’re comparing the weight of your load to something else, you may not realize how heavy it is.

Protect Your Truck Bed from the Elements

One of the best ways to protect your truck bed is by covering it. One of the best covers to protect your bed is a hard truck bed cover. Not only will it protect your bed from the elements, but it will also make it much easier to access the contents in your truck. 

A hard truck bed cover will protect your truck from the elements, such as rain, snow, or the sun. It will also make it much easier to access your cargo, as you won’t have to lift it up or move it.

Construction worker sitting on top of the bed of a black pickup truck at a construction work site

Conclusion

Truck beds aren’t just for storing cargo. They can also store other things, such as tools, gardening supplies, or even pets. They can also be used as a toolbox, by simply storing the contents inside. However, they can also be used to store other things, such as wood, bricks, and other materials. 

If you’re looking to store things on your truck bed, you may want to consider using a hard truck bed cover. These covers protect your bed from the elements and make it easy to access. They also make your bed a versatile place for storing things.

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References:

A.R.E. Accessories

Truck Upgrades Advisor

Are Tonneau Covers Universal – Can You Swap Them Out?

Ernest Martynyuk

An automotive enthusiast who's been tinkering with vehicles since I was 15-years old. Repairing automotive electronics has been my main job for over a decade now and have a passion for everything technical regarding cars.

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