If you have a truck, adding a tonneau cover is a necessity. Why? Because they provide you with an organized storage for whatever you transport. It also provides coverage from weather conditions, like rain, snow and extreme sun. 1. What are Tonneau Covers? Your pick-up truck has a bed that is used to transport items.
These beds are usually exposed to the weather. Tonneau covers provide shelter for the items stored in your truck bed. They turn your truck bed into a sheltered compartment.
They are different, however, from camper shells that turn the truck bed into a camp-like compartment. 2. History of Tonneau Covers Tonneau covers are also known as truck bed covers. They have evolved from a number of versions that have been designed for different uses, and because of this, no one person can claim to have invented the tonneau cover. Soft covers gained became popular on major speedways.
Sport truck racers used soft tonneau covesr to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag. Hard top tonneau covers rose in prominence as an alternative to camper shells. These highly-customized truck bed lids evolved to suit the various needs of truck drivers. 3. Tone - what? The name tonneau comes from the French word that means rear seating compartment of a vehicle. While your truck bed isn't a seating compartment, the term is still appropriate.
Sometimes tonneau is spelled tonno. Even though this is the case, tonneau is still the best known variation of the cover's name. 4. Tonneau Cover Storage Basics When you need to transport items ranging from groceries, to heavy furniture, the tonneau cover does the trick. The cover shield your items from view, from the weather and from damage.
Even simple covers can sufficiently protect your stuff. In some instances, tonneau covers employ strategically-placed weather seals that channel the moisture away from the covers. With such equipment, truck owners have a greater peace of mind when transporting items sensitive to such. 5. Added Security If you can't see it, you can't steal it. Since tonneau covers hide your items from sight, thieves would most likely pass over your truck when considering which to victimize.
Some models of the tonneau provide added security: locks, alarms, and designs that make stealing from them hard. 6. Tonneau Styles - Heavy-Duty Soft Tonneau - Hard Tonneau - Retractable Tonneau - Toolbox Tonneau 7. It Saves Gas! Believe it or not, tonneau covers save gas! Closed air truck beds lower air resistance (this is why they are in high demand in racecars). Less drag means you will be driving a faster, more energy efficient truck! As air flows over the front end of your vehicle, it careens into the hollow bowl of your bed and produces opposite force to your truck. This could easily provide you with several miles of additional gas every single trip! Using a well-designed tonneau cover could extend gas mileage by about 10%.
In essence, purchasing a tonneau cover today would be a great investment since these covers pays for themselves in the long run.
For more great tonneau related articles and resources check out http://www.only-covers.com