Okay, after reading the various threads regarding tonneau covers, I'm considering the Extang Trifecta trifold. I've noticed that many Internet stores sell these with a "free" tailgate seal. Obviously this is to keep water out, but is it necessary to get one of these when adding a bed cover? Do they work? Does a lot of water really come up through the tailgate when the bed is covered? I really don't want this, unless there is some compelling reason for it. Thanks.

 

I have a canopy on the truck I'm currently driving and the reason I put the seal around the tailgate was to keep dust out!!!! We do miles of off road driving in southern Utah and the dust used to get inside and coat everything. Now it doesn't.

It's been on for 5 years and it still looks and works great.

 

I think the main reason why most people use them is like what 11FX4 said just to keep the dust out.
I have no issues with water for the most part and I don't have one but I do know that when I go down a couple dusty gravel roads then open up my truck box it's full of dust.

 

damn, dont you know????? its so you can fill your bed up with water and make a jacuzzi!!! i bought an extang, and got the free seal but i never put it on. truly i dont see a need. i dont live in the desert and dont get much dust!!

 

im getting one as soon as it will stick on when it warms up, my bed gets full of dust in the summer and snow in the winter, lol!

 

At least on my truck, if I get in the bed and close the tailgate, I can see straight through to the ground through the gap right there.

 

Its for water. If you drive down the highway in the rain without a seal, the rear half of your bed will be wet along with anything in it. With a seal hardly any gets in. It will not keep dust out, actually it will keep more in. When driving gravel you will want to drive with the cover open or you will have a thick layer of dust on everything in the bed no matter how good its sealed up. I have a access cover and a tailgate seal, a seal under the front mount point, and all cracks in the bottom of the bed sealed up with silicone (the bed mat hides it anyways). I get no water in at all unless its a huge downpour on the highway, but still get a ton of dust if I leave my cover closed on gravel. Of course the downfall is, when washing out the bed it holds all the water in so I have to put a jack under the front diff and raise the front end.

 

I have driven my 2010 F-150 Screw with 5.5 bed and BakFlip tonneau for hundreds of miles in heavy rain with no leaks and no water in the bed. I find that rain does not leak in through the tailgate.

Snow is a different story.



On a trip to New Jersey, I left my truck parked outside with the back to the wind during the 2010 Winter Storm (20" of snow) that shut down NYC and vicinity for a couple of days. Lots of snow blew in through the tailgate. I suppose the same thing could happen with dust but I have no personal experience that way. Dust and snow are the only reasons I can think of for installing a tailgate seal.

 

Sailor Don, what do you sail & where? mono-hull, cat?

 

While it's unfortunate that on your truck it keeps more dust in with the seal, on my truck it works extremely well at keeping dust out.