Bed Rails and Tonneau & Bed Extenders

anvil · Post by **anvil** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 7:01 pm

Because I have the ZR5, with the bed rails, I bought a tonneau cover that would fit between the rails, an Access Cover.

Now I want to add a Bed Extender, and I need to know if the Bed Extender will fit.If you have a Truxedo, or a Access cover you know what I mean.

Conman · Post by **Conman** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 8:44 am

I'm not sure but I think they are low enough to fit with your bed cover. I was thinking about one also, but it seems to be a nusiance to use. Another reason I did not get it is cause my dirt bike is too long to fit with one(tire sticks out just a tad with the tailgate down).

It would be nice to have the extender though cause you could put small stuff inbetween it and the tailgate when closed. 200bucks and drilling were also what put me off to get it also. I don't use my bed much either so your milage will vary.

Cheers,

Con

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 9:59 am

i dont like the bed extender cuz if you want to put stuff inside the bed and close the tail gate, the bed extender is in the way

if i put the tail gate down, i just use some bunjee cords...beside, most stuff doesnt go flying out the back with the tail gate down cuz there is no wind turbulance with it down

anvil · Post by **anvil** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 5:33 pm

I do like having a tonneau cover, and I think with the bed extender, I will be able to place items in the back of the bed without it sliding toward the cab.

I also use bungee cords to tie some light stuff toward the tailgate.

I only hope that I will be able to swivel the bed liner open and closed, without disconnecting it each time.

The Truxedo, and access cover takes up three inches on each side of the bed.

Conman · Post by **Conman** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 8:59 pm

anvil wrote:I do like having a tonneau cover, and I think with the bed extender, I will be able to place items in the back of the bed without it sliding toward the cab.

I also use bungee cords to tie some light stuff toward the tailgate.

I only hope that I will be able to swivel the bed liner open and closed, without disconnecting it each time.

The Truxedo, and access cover takes up three inches on each side of the bed.

There is a black GMC ZR5 Owner here with the GM Bed Extender. There are pic:

If you use your bed more than me, you would probably have some use for the extender. If the bed cover hits it, I would not get it either as you would have to disconnect it and that would be a pain. But I think they do look cool though and do serve a function. I met a ZR5 owner with a truxedo and I think he did order a bed extender, I'll email him and see if he ever installed it. Will let you know.

Another option I was looking into was a bed box but none are short enough to fit under the bed cover, or the ones that could are so small they are useless. Plus if I could find one that would fit under, it would take up so much more space of the small bed already. Truxedo has a bedcover with a built in bed box in the front, but it was just released and even though it's small, it would have been too big that I would not have been able to carry my dirtbike. But if you don't have a dirtbike, a great idea.

these are more expensive than the normal bed cover though.

www.truxedo.com

Truxedo did appear to raise their prices so it's not very cheap anymore. I bought mine for 320 shipped and they sell for over 400 now so that's into hard bed cover area at that point.

Cheers,

Con

P.S. nice Yellow ZR5 you got!

anvil · Post by **anvil** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 7:27 am

Thanks for the compliment Con, as I really do like the looks of all the Crews out there. I'd take one in every color!

The Truxedo covers, and Access covers were comparable in price in my area. I ended up paying $350 for the Access Roll up.

The other day, I washed the truck, and at night it went well below freezing, I couldn't get the cover to open. I was afraid to break it, so I left it, and I'm sure it was from me washing it earlier.

No, they're not as water tight as other covers I had. I'm not sure why yet. It is to cold for me to look into it right now.

The dealer actually ordered two bed extenders for me, one for the fleetside bed, and one for the stepside bed. The narrower one for the stepside, may fit between the Access Cover frame, but than I would need spacers to attach the extender to the bed.

I'll have to see how both the extenders look in the bed.

I'll write about it here later for those that have an interest, and in the mean time, if anyone else knows if the bed extender, and the Access Cover, or Truxedo cover can work together, please let me know.

Conman · Post by **Conman** » Sat Dec 28, 2002 9:16 pm

Does not look like it will fit with our style of bed cover:

http://www.geocities.com/rd3504_2/Pics/ZR2/

But it does appear the GM version is a bolt on version. If you look at the pic, it appears there are two brackets that seem to mount to the tailgate latch.

Cheers,

Con

Conman · Post by **Conman** » Sat Dec 28, 2002 9:29 pm

There is a product called the bed bar or something like that. it's a cargo bar but with a separator that makes it so you can partition the bed for smaller stuff. I did a seach and I don't remember who makes it.

I'll have to look through my mags and see if I can find it again. I'm thinking about this for myself, or I might get a cargo net.

Cheers,

Con

anvil · Post by **anvil** » Sun Dec 29, 2002 4:53 pm

Thanks for the added info Conman.

I had one of those bed bars you are talking about back in my 91 Sonoma. It worked well, however, with a bed liner in place, the bar would slide around a bit. It is basicaly an adjustable pole. It would work for stuff not sliding toward the cab, but isn't going to extend the bed.

The cargo net is a good choice. I hope you can get one in Yellow