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couch
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11/10/2003
23:35:31

Subject: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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I found this out after too many frustrating attempts to putting my tonneau cover on in the cold. I have a cheap snap style cover (dont know the name of it, came with the truck), and I live in Ottawa, Canada. About the only time the cover goes on easy is on a sunny day in July.

Here's the tip - stretch the cover out and connect a few of the snaps so the cover mostly covers the bed. Keep the rib supports off for now. Then place a small space heater in the box, and let it heat up the box for about 15 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it, but there should not be a fire hazard as long as you keep the heater away from the cover and anything else in the box.

After about 15 minutes the cover should snap on like it was July (I did it at 0 deg C this weekend). Then slide the rib supports in (have to crawl in the box for this, but easier to install snaps w/o them). Hopes this helps..





EBL
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11/11/2003
12:41:56

RE: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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Wouldn't storing your tonneau inside your house(room temperature) do the same thing and use less electricity? (assuming you used a portable electric heater) As you noted, there is less chance of fire also.



couch
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11/11/2003
13:14:16

RE: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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Good question, but no. I have tried this, it seems to 'shrink' in a few minutes. Even parked in the garage to try to install it (almost room temperature), no luck. Even two people stretching and snapping doesnt work. Only the hot sun, or the heater has done it for me.

I'm not sure if all snap softcovers are as difficult as this, I was at the point of throwing it out and getting a hard cover. I would guess that the cover is about 3 years old (I have had it for two years since I bought the truck used)

BTW - a 1000 watt heater running full blast for an hour costs about 5 cents to operate.



Brad
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11/11/2003
14:53:56

RE: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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Or throw lots of really hot water on it a bunch of times. What i did



JES
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11/11/2003
15:01:39

RE: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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I used to use a hair dryer to put mine on ... now I have a Peragon cover on my truck ... :o)

Eric -- http://photos.yahoo.com/jes_96




hmmm
Dodge Dakota
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11/11/2003
16:25:02

RE: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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Doesn't this fall into the, "no shlt, Sherlock" category? It's kinda like saying, " to keep your hands warm on cold days, wear gloves or put them in your pocket".

In other words, duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.



lol
Dodge Dakota
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11/11/2003
20:19:56

RE: Tip for installing soft cover in cold
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Yeah, well YOU didn't think of it or else it would be just so cool.



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