Truck Bed Authority


August 23, 2025

Folding Tonneau Covers: Tri-Fold and Quad-Fold Options

Pickups earn their avoid when they handle work for the period of the week and kin responsibilities at the weekend. A folding tonneau cowl continues that versatility intact when protecting the bed from weather, wandering eyes, and wind drag. If you might be torn among tri-fold and quad-fold designs, you aren't by myself. I spend a considerable number of time round vehicles on activity web sites and in garages, and I actually have mounted, used, and now and again cursed with regards to every type: gentle tri-folds on a Ford Ranger I used as a portions runner, an aluminum tri-fold on a Chevy Silverado paintings truck, a quad-fold on a Ram 1500 that towed a camper, and a low-profile tough folding cover on a Tacoma that saw more forest roads than asphalt. The true determination relies upon on the way you load your bed, what you haul most often, and the way you really feel approximately daily convenience.

What a folding tonneau canopy in truth does for you

People occasionally start out with the obvious: a conceal keeps rain and snow off the shipment. What they become aware of later is how a whole lot a bed quilt calms highway buffeting and street dust. A folding tonneau disguise streamlines the tailgate cavity wherein air swirls and steals gas. You might see a five to ten percent dual carriageway enchancment, repeatedly extra on a good sized like a Toyota Tundra or a Super Duty truck mattress hide at stable interstate speeds. The precise range varies with tire option and roof racks. I may now not buy a hide simply to shop fuel, however the decreased drag is a authentic perk whenever you trip.

Security is the opposite motive. Hard folding covers with incorporated latches flip your mattress right into a trunk as soon as the tailgate locks. A locking tonneau hide does not make your truck impenetrable, but it stops the informal clutch. In busy parking so much when I go away a group of methods within my Chevy Silverado tonneau duvet or stash luggage for a weekend away, that peace of thoughts topics.

Finally, a disguise adjustments the method you utilize the mattress. With a tri-fold or quad-fold, which you could pop open the rear panel for small pieces, fold it two times for a motorcycle, or open it all of the means whenever you need to load mulch, a fridge, or a stack of 4x8 sheets. The flexibility is the intent folding tonneau duvet units stay the candy spot between roll-up tonneau hide alternatives and one-piece tonneau disguise lids.

Tri-fold versus quad-fold in practice

Both kinds hinge throughout the mattress from tailgate to cab. Tri-folds use three panels. Quad-folds add one greater. That more panel sounds minor, but it influences how the duvet stacks, how far it opens, and how you preserve it while fully folded.

A tri-fold opens the rear area first, then the heart, and in the end the front. When solely stacked, it customarily covers the entrance 0.33 of the mattress and rests towards the cab on rubber bumpers. On a Ford F-150 tonneau cowl, which means more or less 24 to 30 inches of stacked panels relying at the manufacturer. In maximum cases, you might stand them upright and protect them with straps so that you can power with the bed commonly open.

A quad-fold reduces the thickness of each panel and provides one other hinge. The stack will become somewhat taller however from time to time shorter front to to come back. Some quad-folds stand vertically on the cab and latch into uprights or right into a straightforward bracket. If you generally bring tall shipment that sits close to the cab, the talent to stand the panels nearly vertical enables.

A proper-international difference reveals up if you try to open simplest component to the mattress. With a tri-fold, you get two open segments: the rear third and the rear two-thirds. With a quad-fold, you can still peel lower back a quarter, 0.5, 3-quarters, or it all. I located that on hand whilst loading coolers and a stroller in a Tacoma bed duvet. I would open just sufficient round the cooler handles without letting mud onto the relaxation of the shipment. On a Ram 1500 tonneau quilt, the quad-fold also made it less difficult to direction straps with the aid of stake wallet with out locking pickup bed covers exposing the entire load.

If you might be identifying for a particular truck, ponder the loading trend. An F-a hundred and fifty bed hide hauling plywood? Either kind opens solely, yet some tri-fold onerous covers will block a small slice of the cab brake easy or rear digicam while upright. A quad-fold with a vertical prop can transparent that view better, exceptionally on taller cabs like the GMC Sierra mattress disguise and the Silverado truck mattress cover systems. For mid-length beds like a Chevy Colorado tonneau cowl or GMC Canyon bed hide, the additional incremental fold enables as a result of house is tight.

Soft, rough, aluminum, fiberglass, and what concerns in materials

Soft folding covers use a vinyl tonneau duvet pores and skin, always marine-grade, stretched over aluminum slats or frames. They are faded, they withstand UV with the accurate coating, and they rise up smartly to temperature swings. I ran a Ford F-a hundred and fifty cushy hide for 3 years in a 4-season local weather and found out two matters. First, prevent vinyl conditioned a couple of times a year. A UV protectant stops chalking and cracking. Second, in heavy snow, push aside the burden. Vinyl flexes, yet snow load can stretch the material while you treat it like a roof.

Hard folding covers are available two leading flavors: aluminum tonneau quilt panels or composite/fiberglass skins over a middle. Aluminum panels are the workhorses. They shrug off hail, withstand dings greater than you may anticipate, and elevate more level load if any one climbs onto the bed to attain a roof rack. Fiberglass tonneau duvet panels really feel top rate and paint-fit techniques exist, but they add weight. With composites, watch the panel edge sealing and hinge design. The biggest not easy tonneau duvet selections disguise the hinges lower than a continual seal and channel water away.

On my Silverado rough hide, I seen the powder-covered aluminum tolerated iciness salt better than painted composite. On a Tacoma exhausting tonneau cowl used off-road, the aluminum panels rattled much less than I feared, surprisingly with correct clamp torque and an incredible bed seal kit.

One-piece tonneau hide lids deserve a point out considering valued clientele typically examine. They offer a smooth, seamless seem and accurate waterproofing, yet they open like a clamshell and do no longer fold. If you by and large convey tall cargo, the folding styles are greater flexible. A one-piece is immense while you prioritize a comfortable paint-matched conclude and do now not generally haul great items.

Water leadership, not exact waterproofing

I haven't begun to satisfy a folding tonneau which is honestly water-proof in a drive-washer experience. The perfect term is water-proof with smart drainage. The supreme designs run a gutter along both facet that drains into the mattress rails and out by using factory bed holes. On vehicles just like the Ram 1500 and Ram 2500 tonneau cover structures, the drain tubes pop due to pre-scored plugs. On a Toyota Tundra tonneau canopy, you repeatedly drill small pilot holes within the bed cap to route the tubes cleanly.

Expect a few tablespoons after a motor vehicle wash if you happen to objective a nozzle at the hinge line. In regular rain and snow, a right mounted folding duvet stays genuinely dry, noticeably for those who upload a tailgate seal to dam dust from venturi consequence. On dusty woodland roads, a tailgate seal makes greater big difference than the folding form. I proved that to myself with returned-to-again runs in a Tundra truck mattress quilt and a Sierra gentle tonneau canopy. The truck with the seal had 1/2 the grime within after twenty miles of washboard.

If you stay where storms blow sideways, take into accounts a layout with continual side seals and a cab-edge bulkhead seal that sits proud, not flush. A small lip does rather a lot to block capillary creep. If you park uphill on steep driveways, angle concerns. Water runs toward the tailgate and reveals any gap. Test your possess setup with the aid of spraying low-attitude water throughout the rear seam and checking for ingress around the tailgate major part.

Security and locking behavior

Most hard tri-fold and quad-fold covers have internal latches that release if you pull a cable or lever beneath the panel. Once you lock the tailgate, the ones levers are inaccessible, so the total process turns into a locking tonneau conceal. Soft folding covers sometimes rely on the equal tailgate trick, however they use external buckles within the thoroughly folded role. A encouraged thief can defeat comfortable vinyl with a blade. Decide regardless of whether you are protecting towards opportunists or guarding prime-buck tools.

I carry cordless instruments, so on my work truck I selected an F-150 challenging tonneau duvet with metallic latches, and I swapped the manufacturing unit tailgate address for an included lock tied to the truck’s key fob. That pairing made the Ford pickup tonneau canopy believe like a good trunk. On the Ranger bed duvet, I generic the possibility with a cushy platform due to the fact the load became on a regular basis camping equipment, no longer valued clientele’ hardware.

Some quad-fold units add perimeter locks at every panel, that's relaxed but fiddly. If you open the bed ten times a day on a process website online, you possibly can resent excess steps. Balance defense opposed to day by day rhythm.

Weight capability, hauling, and proper loading habits

Manufacturers list distributed weight ratings on panel tops, mostly 300 to 400 pounds. Those numbers think even load spread and the duvet absolutely closed and supported alongside the rails. In the true world, any one will sit or crawl on the cover to succeed in a thing. Aluminum panel covers take care of that simply first-rate, notwithstanding top element lots can dent mushy foam cores below composite skins.

Hauling 4x8 plywood or drywall with the canopy on is commonly used. Fold the canopy ahead, strap it upright, and load sheets on edge or flat at the mattress rails. If you deliver sheets on the whole in a Super Duty truck bed hide or Silverado truck mattress cowl setup, remember adding budget friendly load stops or a mattress rack. Standing panels upright in opposition to the cab frees such a lot of the mattress size, but you still lose a couple of inches. If you need every inch, settle upon a layout with a vertical prop rod rather than straps. It helps to keep the stack tight to the cab and out of the mattress flooring.

I even have hauled a great refrigerator with a quad-fold on a Ram truck mattress quilt. The stack sat tight, the refrigerator cleared with an inch to spare, and straps anchored to the entrance tie-downs. That day trip taught me to check cab contact pads. Some covers send with small rubber toes that secure the paint. Missing or misaligned pads go away faint rub marks. Install the pads, then shut the quilt and adjust prior to your first considerable haul.

Compatibility by way of truck model

Fitment is each fundamental and tough. Bed lengths and rail shapes range throughout style years and trims.

Ford F-a hundred and fifty tonneau quilt customers desire to comprehend whether or not the truck has the Pro Access tailgate or a step outfitted into the gate, and even if it carries the BoxLink cleats. Most ultra-modern covers account for these points, however clamp placement can switch. The comparable goes for the Ford Ranger tonneau canopy, in which the mid-measurement rails typically sit down a bit lower than the cab line. On 2019 to existing Rangers, prefer low-profile rails so the cover sits flush and avoids the parachute influence in crosswinds.

On heavy accountability F-250 and F-350 items, the Super Duty truck bed cowl crowd has a tendency towards arduous tri-folds with top panel stiffness considering that toolboxes and bed racks mix into the build. If you run 2018 gmc sierra 1500 bed cover a ladder rack, look for folding covers that take a seat inside the rails. They will clear uprights more desirable and go away the stake pockets available.

For GM enormous vehicles, both the Chevy Silverado tonneau cover and the GMC Sierra bed duvet structures have deep mattress wallet and cameras in the 1/3 brake pale that look at the bed. Some folding covers, when stacked, partially block that view. If you depend on the shipment digicam whilst towing, decide upon a low-profile tri-fold that rests beneath the digicam cone while folded. The Silverado rough conceal ideas with vertical props quite often assistance.

On the Colorado folding cowl and GMC Canyon mattress quilt installations, mattress rail good thickness concerns. Aftermarket drop-in mattress liners can intrude with clamp chunk. I shimmed a clamp with a 1 millimeter strip of aluminum as soon as to preserve it sq.. Check that your clamps sit vertical and torque them to spec. Loose clamps are the supply of 90 percent of rattles.

Ram 1500 tonneau quilt and Ram 2500 tonneau quilt customers could eavesdrop on RamBox beds. Those garage compartments bulge the rails inward. You want covers designed for RamBox, or you settle sealing. If you propose to feature a Ram retractable hide later, be aware of that folding and retractable procedures more often than not use exclusive rails. Plan your construct sequence so that you do no longer buy twice.

Toyota Tacoma tonneau conceal fitment will get fascinating with bed software rails. Most folding covers incorporate brackets that drop onto the rail manner, retaining tie-down perform. On a Tacoma onerous tonneau canopy with a brief bed, I opt for quad-folds since the smaller panels stow cleanser and allow you to entry just the rear quarter for on a daily basis groceries. For a Toyota Tundra tonneau disguise, above all 2022 and more moderen with the composite mattress, assess clamp compatibility. The composite materials requires specified torque and at times a backing plate to preclude crushing.

Soft tri-fold or demanding tri-fold for on a daily basis life

Think about what rides below the cover. If your truck waterproof retractable tonneau cover hauls strollers, physical activities tools, camping boxes, and the occasional motorcycle, a gentle tri-fold is a can charge-high quality resolution. It is mild, fast to put off, and ordinary to live with. My neighbor runs a Dodge Ram smooth quilt on an older 1500 for farm errands. He pops the rear panel open to toss feed baggage, folds midway for a mower, and takes the finished cowl off in five mins all the way through hay season.

If you retain resources, digicam gear, or valuables in the bed, lean toward a onerous folding canopy. A Ram 1500 demanding duvet or a Silverado complicated cowl with metal latches and a solid perimeter seal makes the mattress consider like a lockable trunk. It also helps a gentle snow load more suitable and shrugs off hail. You can pay greater, and you will upload weight. Most complicated tri-folds weigh fifty five to 90 kilos based on truck size.

Quad-folds make delicate or exhausting choices greater granular. With rough quad-folds, you acquire finer get right of entry to and basically a relatively scale down stack top once folded. With delicate quad-folds, you get extra control whilst commencing in wind. On a Carolina seashore day out with a Sierra gentle tonneau conceal, the quad-fold stayed positioned and did no longer flap after I opened the rear region to tug a beach chair. Small change, genuine comfort.

Installation information that matter

Most covers set up with hassle-free hand gear. The customary time is 20 to forty five mins once you examine the guidance earlier you tighten some thing. The trick is persistence with alignment.

Set the folded stack near the cab, align rails loosely, clamp in a sample from the front to rear, and determine tailgate clearance previously remaining torque. Close the tailgate and the rear panel to peer if the rear seal kisses the gate with a small preload. Too an awful lot gap invites filth. Too an awful lot preload bends the panel and makes latching laborious.

Drain tubes deserve attention. On a Toyota pickup bed conceal or Ford platform the place the mattress has manufacturing facility drain factors, use them. If you should drill, degree two times and perspective the tube downward. Avoid sharp kinks that carry water. Add a small dab of silicone across the bulkhead hole for a further measure of mud management.

In iciness, a drop of silicone spray on the seals continues them supple. In summer time, a mild wash with motor vehicle cleaning soap and a microfiber towel is satisfactory. Avoid petroleum-based mostly cleaners on vinyl.

Day-to-day use on one-of-a-kind trucks

On an F-150 challenging tonneau disguise I maintained for a fleet, drivers asked for a workaround for the occasional tall load. We delivered quickly-free up entrance clamps so the overall hide lifts off in two mins. That small addition replaced attitudes from “the canopy is in the manner” to “the canopy is portion of the truck.” If you're on a process website online, rapid elimination is a godsend if you happen to all of sudden need to load a pallet.

My individual Tacoma with a tri-fold routinely carried two mountain motorcycles with the tailgate down. I used a smooth tailgate pad and folded the duvet to 2-thirds. The panel stack worked as a wind destroy for helmets and jackets. A quad-fold might have let me open just enough for the rear tire, however the tri-fold did the job for years.

A loved one’s Tundra took family road trips with a Tundra tender disguise. Luggage stayed dry by way of Gulf Coast storms. They additional a hassle-free LED mattress faded strip below the rails, a small quality-of-lifestyles improve that will pay dividends whilst digging for a backpack at 10 PM.

On a Ram 2500, we paired a arduous quad-fold with bed-rail crossbars to mount a rooftop tent. The cover stayed closed below the bars, and we folded the rear region to access the cooler and recovery tools. It turned the mattress into a weatherproof equipment drawer with no the weight of a full cover.

When retractable or roll-up may match better

Folding covers hit the center: flexible, budget friendly, reliable. But a roll-up tonneau hide, in particular a soft one, weighs much less and rolls definitely out of the approach, wonderful if you happen to ceaselessly haul tall cargo and desire the full mattress devoid of a stacked panel. A retractable tonneau cover rides in a canister near the cab. That canister steals eight to twelve inches of bed length, yet it can provide slick operation and sturdy protection. On quick beds like a Chevy Colorado, that misplaced period will be a dealbreaker. On lengthy beds for contractors, the convenience is exhausting to overcome.

If you utilize a fifth-wheel, a few arduous folding covers will not fold extraordinarily flat satisfactory to transparent the pin field at the same time driving, even when absolutely open. A retractable layout or a one of a kind low-profile tri-fold with an upright prop makes extra sense there.

Buying, worth, and what to check earlier than you click

There are invariably tonneau covers for sale, extraordinarily during spring and Black Friday promos. Use the cut price, but do no longer permit it opt for the canopy for you. Warranty length and carrier on the contrary topic more. A 3- to five-year warranty with quickly-send substitute parts beats a life-time promise that becomes a six-week anticipate a hinge. Ask how the brand handles substitute seals and misplaced clamps.

Color is oftentimes tutorial on folding designs when you consider that maximum are matte black. That finish hides airborne dirt and dust, minimizes glare, and blends with bed caps at the Ford F-150, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, Ram, Tacoma, and Tundra. If you want paint match, you are looking at composite exhausting panels or a one-piece lid, with a colossal cost soar.

Weight limit on major is related for those who plan to mount crossbars. Some laborious covers are rated for dynamic hundreds with special rail kits. If you plan a mild kayak or ski rack, pick out a cowl with released scores and well matched rails. If you intend a rooftop tent, count on to take advantage of a manner that mounts into the bed rails in place of on the duvet itself.

Finally, degree your mattress. Model years straddle updates. A 2018 F-150 and a 2020 F-150 might percentage bed lengths, but the rail geometry or stake pocket cutouts can change. If you have a twig-in liner, note that it provides a millimeter or two to rail thickness. Most clamp procedures tolerate that, however a rolled side on some liners can require an extended clamp bolt.

A swift determination guideline you could possibly trust

  • Choose a tri-fold if you need simplicity, short installation, fewer shifting areas, and you oftentimes open the bed halfway or each of the means.
  • Choose a quad-fold whenever you value finer entry keep an eye on, a tighter stack close the cab, and time-honored partial openings for small shipment.
  • Go delicate in case you prioritize expense, weight, and short removing, and you might be sporting low-probability presents.
  • Go laborious for those who desire safety, more advantageous snow and hail resistance, and a trunk-like experience with a locking tailgate.
  • Add a tailgate seal and align drain tubes in the event you care approximately a drier, grime-loose mattress on gravel or in sideways rain.

Living with a folding hide lengthy term

Covers age effectively once you deal with them like element of the truck rather then a hard and fast-and-forget accessory. Every oil modification, I investigate clamp torque, wipe the seals with a damp material, and peek on the drain tubes. After iciness, I add a pale protectant to vinyl and a immediate detailer to aluminum panels. Those ten minutes pay for themselves the primary time a spring typhoon dumps 3 inches of rain and nothing sneaks in.

Hinges and latches desire awareness for those who haul abrasive stuff like gravel. Dust works into pivot elements. A tiny drop of dry lube on the hinge fingers quiets squeaks and preserves the action. If a latch pulls inconsistently on one facet, loosen the rail a bit of, rectangular it to the bed, and retighten. Most latch complaints trace lower back to a rail that crept out of sq. after a heavy load shoved into it.

If you ever remove the canopy totally for a season, retailer it flat. Do not lean it on a panel edge. Panels can take a suite through the years if weight sits on a small enviornment. Keep the hardware bag mutually with a label so you do now not go looking for a exotic clamp bolt six months later.

The bottom line from the driveway and the job site

There is no unmarried correct resolution, simply a superior fit for how you operate your truck. For a on a daily basis-driven Ford F-one hundred fifty that shuttles little ones and every so often hauls a mower, a smooth tri-fold hits the mark. For a contractor operating a GMC Sierra with tools in the mattress, a hard tri-fold with potent latches pairs nicely with a locking tailgate. For a weekend warrior with a Tacoma or Colorado who needs granular entry and a compact stack for mountain motorcycles and tenting boxes, a laborious quad-fold feels simply excellent. Ram house owners juggling a 5th-wheel hitch and cargo may well opt a quad-fold with upright props or take note a retractable tonneau duvet if the hitch clearance calls for it.

Whatever you determine, install it carefully, seal the tailgate, and deal with the quilt as component of your truck’s components, not an afterthought. Done excellent, a folding tonneau hide turns a pickup into a quieter, cleanser, extra stable better half with out stealing the bed’s soul. That is the explanation why I hold working them, even after wanting each and every other vogue.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Tonneau Covers

What is a tonneau cover?

A tonneau cover is a hard or soft cover that fits over your truck bed to protect cargo from weather, theft, and UV damage. Unlike truck caps, tonneau covers are flush with your pickup bed and designed to fit perfectly, transforming your truck bed into a secure, trunk-like storage space.

How much do tonneau covers cost?

Tonneau cover prices range from $160 to $4,200 depending on the type and features. Soft roll-up covers start around $250-$500, hard folding covers range from $800-$1,500, and premium retractable covers can cost $2,000-$4,200. The price varies based on materials, security features, and brand quality.

Are tonneau covers easy to install?

Yes, most tonneau covers are very easy to install and require no drilling. They typically come fully assembled with clamp-on mechanisms that attach to your truck bed rails. Installation usually takes 10-30 minutes with basic hand tools and can be done by one person following the included instructions.

What's the difference between hard and soft tonneau covers?

Hard tonneau covers are made of aluminum, fiberglass, or composite materials, offering superior security, weather resistance, and durability but cost more. Soft covers are made of vinyl or cloth, are more affordable and lightweight, but provide less security and weather protection. Hard covers are better for valuable cargo, while soft covers are ideal for basic weather protection.

Do tonneau covers improve gas mileage?

Yes, tonneau covers can improve gas mileage by up to 10% by reducing aerodynamic drag. They prevent air from flowing into your truck bed, which creates turbulence and resistance. Roll-up covers provide the best fuel economy benefits due to their lighter weight and streamlined design.

Are tonneau covers waterproof?

Most tonneau covers are water-resistant rather than completely waterproof. Premium models with quality seals minimize water intrusion significantly, but some moisture may still enter during heavy rain, especially around the tailgate area. Hard covers with overlapping designs typically offer better water resistance than soft covers.

How do I measure my truck bed for a tonneau cover?

Measure from the bulkhead (against the cab) to the inside of the tailgate. Tonneau covers are sized in feet, so a 62.7-inch measurement would be a 5'3" cover. There's typically 1-2 inches of wiggle room, so round to the nearest manufacturer size. Most covers are model-specific for the best fit.

Can I use my tailgate normally with a tonneau cover?

Yes, tonneau covers allow for normal tailgate operation when both open and closed. Quality covers are designed to accommodate tailgate movement without interference. Some electronic tailgates may require slightly higher rail mounting to eliminate interference, but functionality remains intact.

Do tonneau covers work with toolboxes?

Some tonneau covers are compatible with over-the-rail toolboxes (19-21 inches), while others are not. Toolbox edition covers are specifically designed to work with most standard toolboxes. Under-the-rail and in-bed toolboxes generally don't interfere with tonneau cover installation.

What's the best tonneau cover for security?

Hard covers offer the best security, especially one-piece hinged and retractable styles with locking mechanisms. Aluminum and fiberglass covers with integrated locks provide maximum protection for valuable tools and equipment. Soft vinyl covers can be cut and offer minimal security against theft.

How do I clean and maintain my tonneau cover?

Clean tonneau covers with mild liquid soap and water. For vinyl covers, use UV protectant products periodically to prevent fading and cracking. Avoid citrus or petroleum-based products. Lubricate hinges and moving parts with manufacturer-recommended lubricants, and inspect seals regularly for wear.

Can tonneau covers handle snow and cold weather?

Yes, quality tonneau covers can endure heavy snowfall and extreme cold. UV-protected vinyl stays flexible to -40°F, and covers are tested under all weather conditions. Remove snow loads carefully and avoid forcing mechanisms when frozen. Aluminum and fiberglass covers handle weather extremes particularly well.

What's the difference between tri-fold and quad-fold covers?

Tri-fold covers have 3 panels and when fully open, take up one-third of your truck bed space. Quad-fold covers have 4 panels, are more expensive, but provide more cargo space when opened since each panel is smaller. Quad-fold covers offer better access for larger items.

Are retractable tonneau covers worth the extra cost?

Retractable tonneau covers offer maximum convenience with quick bed access but cost significantly more ($2,000-$4,200). They're worth it for frequent users who need easy cargo access. The canister takes up bed space near the cab, and manual versions require more maintenance than folding covers.

Do I need professional installation for a tonneau cover?

Professional installation isn't necessary for most tonneau covers as they're designed for DIY installation. However, professional installation ensures proper fit, prevents damage, and may be required for warranty coverage on premium models. Complex retractable covers might benefit from professional installation.