DiamondBack Covers | General Thread

[DiamondBack Covers]

I'm hoping someone from Diamondback can answer this post. Does the cover fit better/more securely with a bedrail system or without one?

Hey, @Pookie! Thanks for the question. In short, neither clamp is superior to the other. One is simply tailored to clamp into the track vs. under your bed rail caps. You can expect the same safe, secure cover regardless of if your Gladiator is equipped with the in-bed tracks or not.

Hope this helped!

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[Levi.Butler]

Absolutely love my Diamondback. It was definitely a bit stressful to start drilling into it but it sure is worth it when you're done.

Took the rack/tent off to go wheeling this past weekend. Super convenient and still looks great with the base rails attached to the cover.

Very happy customer. Highly recommended product!

 

[Sarge502]

Cant wait to order mine soon. Not sure if i'll get the front runners, at least not right away, but I can see how drilling in something that nice and expensive would be hesitant.

 

[Sarge502]

Absolutely love my Diamondback. It was definitely a bit stressful to start drilling into it but it sure is worth it when you're done.

Took the rack/tent off to go wheeling this past weekend. Super convenient and still looks great with the base rails attached to the cover.

Very happy customer. Highly recommended product!

Install the shims? If so how was that process heard its a pain.

 

[kd1yt]

Install the shims? If so how was that process heard its a pain.

Buy a spare pair of rails so that you can take the old ones off without worrying about damaging them in the process of removal (because even if you are painstaking, you will probably snap a few of the rails' underside clips, so you might as well just gain the speed of not caring about the old rails, and know that your rails, once reinstalled, are fully well-attached). If you shop around, cost of new rails is nominal, compared to buying the cover.

Once you have those new rails, pretty much all you need to do is remove the taillights (two screws each and each light then pops out) to access a few of the rails' rearward clips "get things started" in pulling up the back end of the rails without needing to do any prying along painted surfaces, and just "heave ho" the rest of the way - and the old rails are off in moments. Clean surfaces that shims need to adhere to (takes only moments)(but be sure you put them in the right locations. Install adhesive shims (takes only moments). Pop new rails into place, which takes only seconds with your palm or a light touch with a light rubber mallet. Reinstall taillights (takes only moments). Done.

 

[kd1yt]

Some comments on my Diamondback HD- took a long time to decide on a purchase this substantial, and then save up towards it.

Totally pleased with the product - well designed and well made. Bed clamps have been improved since earliest models for Gladiators, for more overlap of the flat aluminum portions, making them extra secure.

Minor tip- if you swap out the original full-length-threaded bolts in the clamps for some Grade 8 bolts, the smooth surfaces near the head of the Grade 8 bolts torque down and tension more smoothly and consistently than the all-thread bolts- and seem to stay more consistently snugged down. And there's no observable twist of any kind in the Grade 8 bolts as you tighten them up. Grade 5 bolts would probably yield the same results, but buying four bolts out of the bulk bins at Tractor supply the 5 vs 8 cost difference is ignore-able, and I figured no downside in 'strong as possible." This is overkill, the stock bolts are perfectly OK. But it's a fast, easy, cheap upgrade.

 

[Pookie]

Buy a spare pair of rails so that you can take the old ones off without worrying about damaging them in the process of removal (because even if you are painstaking, you will probably snap a few of the rails' underside clips, so you might as well just gain the speed of not caring about the old rails, and know that your rails, once reinstalled, are fully well-attached). If you shop around, cost of new rails is nominal, compared to buying the cover.

Once you have those new rails, pretty much all you need to do is remove the taillights (two screws each and each light then pops out) to access a few of the rails' rearward clips "get things started" in pulling up the back end of the rails without needing to do any prying along painted surfaces, and just "heave ho" the rest of the way - and the old rails are off in moments. Clean surfaces that shims need to adhere to (takes only moments)(but be sure you put them in the right locations. Install adhesive shims (takes only moments). Pop new rails into place, which takes only seconds with your palm or a light touch with a light rubber mallet. Reinstall taillights (takes only moments). Done.

Just wondering why it's necessary to buy a spare pair of rails. If the underside clips are what might break, why don't you just purchase those?

 

[Sarge502]

Just wondering why it's necessary to buy a spare pair of rails. If the underside clips are what might break, why don't you just purchase those?

The clips are built in plastic pieces. Once they break they break.

 

[Pookie]

The clips are built in plastic pieces. Once they break they break.

The clips are built in plastic pieces. Once they break they break.

Thanks for the response. I see now. Is it possible to remove without even breaking one?

 

[stingrey]

Thanks for the response. I see now. Is it possible to remove without even breaking one?

I took mine off without any breaking. Do it when they are warm ( a warm day or heat gun) and they shouldn't break.

 

[clubmanager]

Buy a spare pair of rails so that you can take the old ones off without worrying about damaging them in the process of removal (because even if you are painstaking, you will probably snap a few of the rails' underside clips, so you might as well just gain the speed of not caring about the old rails, and know that your rails, once reinstalled, are fully well-attached). If you shop around, cost of new rails is nominal, compared to buying the cover.

Once you have those new rails, pretty much all you need to do is remove the taillights (two screws each and each light then pops out) to access a few of the rails' rearward clips "get things started" in pulling up the back end of the rails without needing to do any prying along painted surfaces, and just "heave ho" the rest of the way - and the old rails are off in moments. Clean surfaces that shims need to adhere to (takes only moments)(but be sure you put them in the right locations. Install adhesive shims (takes only moments). Pop new rails into place, which takes only seconds with your palm or a light touch with a light rubber mallet. Reinstall taillights (takes only moments). Done.

How do you ‘pinch’ the clips effectively? I can barely reach the damned things

 

[Sarge502]

How do you ‘pinch’ the clips effectively? I can barely reach the damned things

been told a pry tool or butter knife works. There’s downloadable instruction DB has online that recommends that.

 

[clubmanager]

been told a pry tool or butter knife works. There’s downloadable instruction DB has online that recommends that.

Glad it worked for y’all….me? Not so much

 

[Sarge502]

Glad it worked for y’all….me? Not so much

I haven’t tried it yet. I still haven’t purchased yet personally. I will be very soon. And I’ve done a bunch of research on the shim install. I’m hoping to not have problems myself. But I’ve got a general idea. I haven’t heard many people not at least breaking off 1 clip.

 

[clubmanager]

I haven’t tried it yet. I still haven’t purchased yet personally. I will be very soon. And I’ve done a bunch of research on the shim install. I’m hoping to not have problems myself. But I’ve got a general idea. I haven’t heard many people not at least breaking off 1 clip.

Broke a few but got the DB on; ran out of time and will finish and fine tune in morning. Looks awesome.

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