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Chevrolet and GMC have a larger number of Cab Styles than most other brand of truck. This gives you more options when purchasing a truck, but makes getting the right accessories more difficult. In this article, we will help you navigate the cab types so you can correctly identify your vehicle and get the right accessories the first time.
Chevrolet/GMC Pickup Truck Cab Styles
1. Regular Cab
A regular cab has two doors (one on the passenger side and one on the drivers side). There are no back seats.
2. Double Cab
A double cab has 4 full doors that all open in the same direction. Each door has a handle located on the outside of the truck. The back doors are noticeably smaller in width than the front doors.
3. Extended Cab
An extended cab has 4 doors. The front doors have to be open in order to open the back doors, and the handles are usually located on the inside of the door and not visible from the outside.
4. Crew Cab
A crew cab has 4 full doors that all open in the same direction. The door handles are all located on the outside of the truck, and both the front and back doors are the same width.
Truck Covers USA is a company that manufactures top-of-the-line truck bed covers. What makes them so unique is the amount of available customization. Truck Covers USA offers a wide variety of add-ons and styles that come directly from the manufacturer, which creates their seamless appearance and functionality. In this blog post, I will explore these options and give you the information you need to start shopping for your own custom Truck Covers USA tonneau cover system.
The Basic - American Roll Cover
The base model, the American Roll Cover is the same Retractable Tonneau Cover that you will get with every upgraded and modified unit. Don't underestimate this workhorse though. This superior cover is constructed from double walled aluminum, for which there are two key reasons.
The first is that aluminum is extremely lightweight, which makes installing and operating the cover much easier. It can also help increase your fuel economy, both due to it's lightweight and aerodynamic design, by up to 10%. The second reason aluminum is an ideal material is that it doesn't react with oxygen. This means that unlike steel, it won't rust. The aluminum is then finished with a black powder coat to help prevent scratching and minimize the visibility of grime buildup. To top it all off, the cover can support up to 500 pounds of evenly distributed weight. With security at the top of their list of priorities, the American Roll Cover comes standard with OEM style key locks that will secure your cover at the tailgate. The interlinking pattern that holds the aluminum panels together secures the cover against nearly any penetration whatsoever.
The American Roll Cover is constructed in the style of a retractable tonneau cover, which means that when it isn't in use, it retracts into a canister for compact, easy storage. Truck Covers USA pride themselves in making one of the smallest and strongest canisters on the market. At 8 inches tall by 8 inches wide, and constructed from galvanized sheet metal finished with the same black powder coating as the cover, they're likely right. The lid on the canister is constructed from aluminum for its lightweight, rustproof qualities to help extend the durability and lifespan of your cover. They even manufacture their own clamp mount system, so they can be sure it is as strong as possible.
When retracting into the canister, a torsion spring and a long pull strap ensure smooth operation without having to climb into the truck bed. The cover can lock every 12 inches along the tracks, allowing maximum versatility when it comes to hauling a combination of large and small cargo. It's perfect for fifth wheel hitches as well. When fully closed, the extra wide side rail seals and a four way Flex Tube drainage system funnels water away from your cover and your truck bed to keep your gear as dry as possible.
The American Roll Cover installs in an hour or less, and requires minimum servicing. As long as you keep it clean and clear out the canister occasionally, it will last the life of your truck.
The Add Ons
Now for the part that you've all come to this blog for. The American Roll Cover can play host to a ton of cool features manufactured by Truck Covers USA itself.
The Keyless Entry Quick Release is an option that was added by Truck Covers USA at the request of their customers. The standard lock system that comes with the cover must be activated to unlock and open the cover. Now, with this keyless entry, you can open your cover for cargo loading and unloading without needing the key. It's great to have as a backup in case you lose the key and need to open the cover, or if you are only travelling a short distance, or will be opening the cover frequently. The custom made, molded plastic handle is durable and comes pre-installed when you order it with your American Roll Cover. It's located right by the pull strap for convenience of use – just drop your tailgate to gain access to it.
Another awesome add on available for the American Roll Cover is their American Rack System. For this, they teamed up with Yakima, one of the major manufacturers of bike, board, and ski racks for vehicles. This add on can be ordered pre-installed with your new American Roll Cover, or it can be order Pre-Cut for your specific vehicle application so you can install it on an existing American Roll Cover. These tracks are installed into the side rail mounts of the American Roll Cover, allowing you full use of your tonneau cover and giving you a mount with a large number of cargo carrying possibilities. The next step is the Full Add On Kit. This kit gives you all of the components of the risers and crossbars, including landing pads, control towers, locking cores, and the bars themselves. This kit installs quickly and easily. Once it's on, this system will Plug and Play with virtually every Yakima rack. This means you will be able to haul your bikes, boards, or skis out to your favourite trails and still pack your truck bed with more cargo while keeping it covered.
The American Truck Rack is another available option from Truck Covers USA. This system is designed to work in complement with your tonneau cover, just like the Rack System. The Truck Rack offers the working truck a covered truck bed that can also haul long items like lumber and ladders to the job site. It's quick and easy to install, and extremely durable. The American Truck Rack is an add on that no working truck should go without.
The Big Upgrade
The small add ons for the American Roll Cover are pretty sweet, but there's one upgrade that trumps them all; the American Work Cover. This unit is purchased in place of the base Roll Cover model. It comes with the same quality tonneau cover and has all of same capacity for add ons, and so much more.
The obvious benefit here is the full sized toolbox. Built directly into the canister that stores the tonneau cover, the upper half of the container becomes home for two powder coated black steel tool trays that are included. This upgrade allows you to store your tools and other important equipment somewhere easier to reach and in a more organized manner. Other than that, you're getting exactly the same product as the American Roll Cover. The toolbox comes standard with matching, OEM style handles and locks. The lock itself features a molded rubber flange for the housing to provide protection from water and dust infiltration, and the whole lid is weather sealed.
Just like the canister on the Roll Cover, the entire toolbox is constructed from black powder coated galvanized steel for durability and protection from damage, with a dual-stage powder coat process for rust resistance.
The Little Upgrade
If you're after a tonneau cover toolbox combo but need to conserve truck bed space, Truck Covers USA has your answer. The American Work Cover Jris a purchasable upgrade that can be added on to your existing American Roll Cover or purchased with a new cover as a combo. The great benefit of this cover is that it offers you a toolbox tonneau combo which takes up no more bed space than a standard Retractable Tonneau Cover would, giving you the maximum use of your space. It installs directly on top of the canister. Keep your tools organised and close at hand, while secured by the same OEM handle and lock as the standard Work Cover.
The X Upgrade
An upgrade available for the American Work Cover and Work Cover Jr., the American X-boxis a must have on any hard working truck. Constructed and finished with Line-X Premium, this version of either Work Cover toolbox has all of the same features and benefits, but it's been beefed up. Line-X Premium offers you the most long lasting, durable option for those that really work their trucks hard. Top of line abrasion and high impact resistance are two features that have been improved upon. On top of that, the X-box features UV protection that gives the toolbox a long lasting luster, and high end fade resistance. Line-X Premium is VOC free, environmentally friendly, and even adds protection from stains caused by harsh chemicals.
The Add Ons
The addition of the toolbox opens up a whole new world of customization for your Truck Covers USA product. It is important to note that, on top of the add ons listed below, all of the products available for the American Roll Cover are available for the Work Covers as well except for the American Truck Rack.
The most obvious add on available on the full size Work Cover, and one that should never be overlooked, is the LED Light Strip. If ever you find yourself out in the wild at night missing a flashlight, or just need both hands to use your toolbox, these lights will save your life. Built into the lid of the toolbox and protected by a black powder coated shield to prevent them from being smashed, they offer a bright, low energy light that will allow you to find what you need in your toolbox. The benefits to LEDs, of course, are their low energy requirement that will be easy on your vehicle's battery, their surprisingly bright light, and their capability to run for a very long time.
Another great add on that allows you to customize your toolbox and truck bed access is the Power Locking Actuator Set. Pre-installed on your new American Work Cover and ready to be wired, this set of 2 power actuators link up with your toolbox locks and allow you to use them remotely from your truck's existing key fob. They have a high power output, which ensures they will successfully lock and unlock in even the harshest climates, and they even have thermal protectors to prevent overheating. They are engineered to work with your key locks, so that you never have to worry about losing the key to your toolbox again.
Truck Covers USA also offers aesthetic upgrades that allow you to enhance your cover's style. The Chrome Handle upgrade swaps out the classic black handles for stylish chrome ones. They keep to the OEM look and key lock, leaving you with the same great quality and a look that better suits your taste. Chrome Handles are available on both the full size Work Cover and Work Cover Jr.
In a similar fashion, you can also purchase an upgrade that will replace your powder coated black toolbox trays with stainless steel ones. This option serves an aesthetic purpose, offering you the mirror-like lustre and classy style of stainless steel, as well as some practical ones. These high quality, stainless steel trays feature a high nickel content, which means that they are extremely resistant to rust. This is quite important when you are likely to put wet tools in the tray. Stainless steel is longer lasting, and offers a distinct look that could be better suited for your vehicle.
In Summary
Truck Covers USA offers some of the best products on the market for upgrading and personalising your truck bed storage space. From the base model American Roll Cover to the American Work cover, you will be sure to get the cover that suits your lifestyle perfectly. Then you can customise it as much as you want to add racks, save space, increase the ease of use, and mark your truck with your signature style. The best part of this set up is it is compatible with many other aftermarket truck bed accessories.
Hopefully this article has given you enough information that you can begin building your own Truck Covers USA product. With all parts available pre-installed and many available later for self installation, and a 2 year warranty to help you rest easy, you can be sure you'll be happy with the choice.
Be sure to check this video from SEMA that demonstrates the features of the Truck Covers USA Tonneau Cover!
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