Access Cover

Access Roll-Up Cover

I've been thinking about getting a Tonneau cover for awhile, but was torn between the OEM, Access Retrax or Roll-Up cover due to pricing. All of the covers look nice on the Ridgeline and I had to ask myself why I needed one. Maybe it was to increase gas mileage a little, or overall appearance, or just keeping golf clubs out of sight during outings. After seeing photos of the Access Roll-Up cover online, I decided to go with the Access Roll-Up cover--can't beat the price! On 12 Oct 05, I received a call from Cape Truck Toppers letting me know that my cover had arrived. I had just come home from a retirement ceremony and decided to take the rest of the day off (anniversary), so I took my truck in to have it installed. Bill immediately took our truck in and originally thought it would take maybe 30 minutes. He read the instructions which stated to allow for up to 2 hours for installation. We decided to wait it out in the lobby.

About 1 hour and 15 minutes later it was complete. Bill explained everything about the cover; how to open/close, lock/unlock, adjust tension knobs and suggestions for cleaning (303 Protectant). This was their first Access cover install on the Ridgeline and Bill stated that the price would go up from $459 to $499 with free installation. Being the first saved me $40. I really think the cost would increase because Bill mentioned that the bolt holes on the front bar of the cover needed to be re-drilled. I believe the manufactured holes were slightly offset.

I also picked up the TrailSeal Tailgate Gasket (10' kit) by Agri-Cover, Inc. for $29. I figured I'd install this one myself :) It was quite easy to put on and creates a good seal. I don't get much flapping of the cover when exceeding 50+ mph but it's still audible at higher speeds.

I had to cut a notch at the keyhole so I can unlock the truck with the key. Since the seal is a little thick, it's kind of tight when closing the tailgate so you really have to slam it shut. Also, the seal gets pulled down when trying to close the tailgate upward due to the handle at the bottom of the gate. I'm hoping that keeping the tailgate closed will mold the seal and alleviate the issues with closing the gate.

Update: Now that the tailgate seal has been on my truck for some time now, it has molded well and I really don't have any problems closing the gate. The access cover isn't 100% watertight and I believe the little water that gets into the bed is leaking from the corners of the front bar. I haven't decided to put any silicone in the gaps as of yet. If I decide to add another accessory such as backup sensors, I would have to take the access cover apart. I'm not hauling anything in the bed at the moment so I'll hold off on the silicone.