For pickup trucks, headache racks can be a lifesaver in various situations. The same goes for tonneau covers as well. But can both of them work together?
Can you use a tonneau cover with a headache rack? Yes, you can use a tonneau cover with headache rack. You might have to opt for a tonneau cover adaptor for some trucks.
Fortunately, there aren’t any compatibility issues if you are using a tonneau cover and headache racks together.
That being said, there are a lot of factors and situations that you will need to consider before you start to pair your tonneau cover with a headache.
Don’t worry, in this article, I will go through all of them and provide you with all the necessary information.
What Is a Headache Rack?
Now, you may already know what a headache rack is. For those who don’t, headache rack is a fancy term for a truck rack that you fit in your truck bed on the rear windows.
It is a safety feature that ensures your head is protected while driving. This is especially useful if you are carrying moveable heavy objects on the back of your truck and going through a bumpy road.
Some racks also come with brake lightning attached to them, which can be helpful for other drivers to locate your vehicle through misty & cloudy areas.
And last but not the least, the headache rack gives you protection from potential break-ins from the read window.
Many drivers often ignore to lock the rear sliders and end up paying the price, but with a headache rack, you don’t have to worry.
Can You Use Tonneau Cover with Headache Racks?
If you want to ensure maximum protection in your truck, then you should pair your tonneau cover with a good headache rack. But how can you do that?
Well, the process is simple. You just need to use put the headache rack over your tonneau cover.
To do that, you just need to clamp the bolt or screws that come with your headache rack to your tonneau cover. They are located towards the rear sliders. Just clamp them up together and your headache rack should be ready to go.
But this is mainly for the newer models of pickups. For older versions, you might need to use a BackRack tonneau cover adapter. They are quite cheap, and they should come with your headache rack.
Installing the tonneau cover adapter is quite simple. First, you need to install your tonneau cover.
Then, you need to install the adapter by placing it on top of the tonneau cover close to the rear window.
At the end of the tonneau cover, there are screw/bolt openings. This is where you will have to place the adapter’s screw/bolt holes and put the bolts in there, and your headache rack will be ready to use.
The screws or bolts should come with the headache rack as well. So, you don’t need to worry about purchasing aftermarket ones for this one.
Do All Tonneau Cover Work With a Headache Rack?
Now, you might be wondering, if you can use a headache with any tonneau cover out there.
No, you can’t. Because there are a few factors that you need to keep in mind when picking tonneau covers & headache racks, they are:
Size: This is the most important factor. The size of your tonneau cover and headache rack should match the size of your truck’s bed.
They should also match each other’s size too. Otherwise, there will be complications during installation.
Weight: The next thing that you need to consider is the weight of the headache rack & tonneau cover. One thing that you should keep in mind is that your headache rack shouldn’t weigh over your tonneau cover.
This is because, if any unfortunate event occurs and the headache rack falls on your tonneau cover, the goods inside will be severely damaged if the headache rack is heavier & sturdier than the tonneau cover.
Also, don’t try to overweight your truck, as this will affect your gas mileage negatively. You don’t want to pay extra gas bills now, do you?
Can You Use a Tonneau Cover With BackRack Headache Rack?
Of course. Almost all tonneau cover works just fine with BackRack headache racks.
This is due to the fact that there are a lot of options and size variants that BackRack offers. Just make sure that the rack you are getting matches the specification of the tonneau cover you are using.
Can You Use a Tonneau Cover With Magnum Headache Rack?
Magnum headache racks are also compatible with most of the tonneau covers out there. This is because all of their truck racks have bolt-on clamp installation.
But there can be size compatibility issues as the variations you can get with Magnum is quite limited.
