dkd114

I installed my BAK Roll-X on my 2013 Screw (5.5' bed) two weeks ago. Two storms with light rain produced a bed full of water. It appears as though it is coming in the two front corners. Something just doesn't look right, the water seal doesn't sit flat and even with the weather strip on the front of the box there is still a little daylight on one side. Has anyone had issues like this? I'm wondering if my rails are bent. I have attached a few photos... Thanks! Dan

RDFTS

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, that crap rubber strip with white tape is a joke. I went and got some strong 3M tape and another piece of weather strip that was an L angle to it and used that in addition to the one provided.

dkd114

Where'd you get a decent weather strip?

RLXXI

Hmm, .. comparing mine to yours I'd say you don't have it installed properly, look at the edges how yours are wavy and pushed up, I have the longer 6.5 bed and you can see it lays perfectly flat and flush with bed side.







I have the original version as noted by the rear seal across the tailgate. The only time I get any water in mine is when it rains really hard or I go to the car wash and then it only dribbles a little at the bulkhead and t-gate, nothing much to speak of.

When I installed mine I did have a helluva time getting the clamps locked down to the bed sides that hold the side rails in place, I would start there and make sure they are all flush, they tend to bind up at an angle when tightening and could be the source of your issue. It helps if you have someone pushing down while you tighten them.

Good luck.

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dkd114

I agree. I reinstalled them three times and they still look like this. That's why I'm wondering if there's a manufacturing defect.

major8

dkd114,

A month ago I also installed a Bak RollX on a 5.5' bed super crew my wife drives. I had previuosly purchased the BakFlip G2 for my STX, but wanted something lighter and easier to retract than the G2 panels for my wife so I bought the RollX.

When I installed my RollX I had problems getting a seal on the tailgate end. The instructions videos I watched posted by the vendor before buying the RollX were for the first version that has the rubber flap covering the top edge of the tailgate (see Rnlcomp pics'), like my BakFlip G2 had. The version I received was the second version w/o the flap, like yours.

When I tried to install the new version of the RollX I had a problem getting a seal at the cab end. After many conversations with the vendor and Bak in California we discovered I had the second version of the RollX. I had to readjust my installation technique to get it to lay flatter on the sides and seal better at the tailgate.

The main problem with the RollX is that it has to be pulled tighter to the rear (tailagte) before tightening everything down at the front end. I still had to reengineer the front attachment method as the springs at the front underside would rub against the mounting screw threads. I shortened the front most screw shaft to reduce the contact of the springs against the screw threads and moved the included rubber seal to the very back edge of the cargo box front cross piece.

Since the RollX V2 has to be pulled back against the closed tailgate to get a meaningful seal, the front of the RoolX will not completely cover the cross member at the front of the cargo box. I had to tighten the front clamps down real well to get a good seal against the included rubber strip after I had made sure the RollX was pulled back far enough toward the tailgate. If I had it to do over again I would look at getting a thicker and wider rubber seal for the front of the box to get a better seal w/o cranking down on the mounting screws.

Also make sure the round rubber bumper seal for the tailgate end is mounted so it is tight against the tailgate top inside lip when the gate is closed.

I still had a water leak problem at the tail gate end since, as your pictures show, the revised (improved) version does not have the rubber flap over the tailgate top piece. I got a strip of black door & window rubber weatherseal strip at Lowes, (m-d brand, size: 5/16" x 19/32" x 10') with an adhesive backing to place in the "L" recess on the top inside of the tailgate that goes against the factory round rubber seal tube. It is now sealed against water leaks. I now close the RollX with the tailgate open, then close the tailgate so the two rubber seals are tight against each other and then reaffirm the locking ends are down and fastened.

My side rail top rubber edges were wavy like yours, but not as bad as in your pictures.The side rubber waves smoothed out after getting it mounted properly and with the heat of the sun heating the rubber after a couple of days in the sun.

I like the lighter weight of the RollX as compared to the BakFLip G2, but I would have like the first version better. The vendor and Bak factory people said changes were made because previous customers were complaining about the rubber flap of the first version ending up inside the tailgate after the tailgate was closed. Well, it seems those customer were not following the instructions of closing tha tailgate first then closing the RollX so the flap would seal over the top of the tailgate. I guess V2 is what one gets when people can't follow instructions.

The only reason I kept the RollX was for the weight issue for my wife. If it weren't for that consideration, I would have gotten a BakFlip G2 again. The G2 seals completely without any reengineering. In my opinion Bak needs to redo the RollX version2 so it seals as well as the BakFlip G2.

major8

dkd114,

I forgot to mention that I also removed one of the two thick plastic spacers at the two front corners so the front would pull down tighter and seal properly. I remembered after reviewing your picture of the front corners showing a good space between the RollX and the bed rail pastic.

There are two hard black plastic spacers glued together at each front corner. Seperate the two pieces glued together and just use one spacer on each corner, then clamp it down tight from underneath. It greatly improved the front seal when I did that. Good luck.

dkd114

Major8,

Thank you for the great reply. I have reinstalled the rails three times with someone basically sitting on them to make sure they are down enough. Still no Luck. The cover still won't sit right on the front of the track. I think the cover itself might be bent in the middle causing it not to seed itself in the track under the locking bar. Emailed bak photos and a video four days ago and haven't received a response. Cc'ed Julian, bak's coo from this board and he hasn't responded either.

major8

One never knows how the whole assembly was handled when shipped. Something could have bent it causing your problem.You're right to try to contact Bak.

By the way, looking at your posted picture again, did you pull the laid out RollX cover back against the closed tailgate before tightening it down underneath at the front? I see the front edge is pretty flush with the front crossmember of the box. After talking with my vendor installation guy when I had problems, I pulled the laid out cover back against the closed tailgate, which in turn left a .5"-.75" of exposed box edge at the front that was not covered completely by the RollX leading edge.

Fortunately, I had mounted the front rubber seal toward the rear edge of the box front cross piece. Then when I removed 1/2 the thickness ( split the two pieces and used just one one either side) of the black hard plastic spacers under the front lip and tightened the mounting screws underneath, the front of the RollX sealed.

I think the black spacer material is Kydex. Pry apart the two rectangular Kydex pieces, they are double face taped together, so just one thickness remains before putting the bolts thru the front side rail mounting holes and tighten the nuts from underneath. I tried removing both small rectangular spacer blocks first time around, but the front edge pulled down too far and left a hump in the RollX edges behind the bolt mounting brackets. I used one spacer in place of the two together and found it sealed properly on my F150 box front rail.

The RollX is a different design and if I had to do it over again, I think I would go with the G2 or the lighter fiber one. I am pleased with my two BakFlip G2's, but the RollX, I believe, needs some design rework. We shouldn't have to reengineer and fiddle with the RollX so much to get it to work properly.

Keep this thread advised on how it turns out for you.

Give Bak a phone call and ask them what they would suggest to do about this problem. They are in California and I was able to talk with two people at Bak when I called. They also sent out replacement straps when their riveted ones pulled out the first time I tried to secure the rolled up RollX.
Come to think of it now, I had to redo the strap attachment points, too by using large washers to anchor the ends so they would not pull through the nylon webing when used to secure the rolled up RollX.

Come on Bak, help a customer out with the problems with the RollX.

RLXXI

For every one person having problems with the roll x there are probably a thousand that don't. No idea on the stats but I'm told BAK has pretty good customer service.

I love mine.

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