Pace Edwards JackRabbit Retractable Truck Bed Cover – F-150 EcoBoost Project

We love our trucks just as much as we love our tools, so when it comes to protection and security a locking bed cover is a logical choice.  There are many choices from fiberglass caps to fabric snap covers.  I wanted something that locks and protects my cargo from the elements, but I did not want it to stick out and look gaudy.  Pace-Edwards has been making tonneau covers for over 20 years and the JackRabbit had the sleek look I was going for,  from the side you cannot even tell that there is a cover even there.  They also have a Full Metal JackRabbit.

When you order your JackRabbit, you have to choose mounting rails that fit your truck.  They also have rails that allow you to put on over the cover accessories, like a ladder rack.  The rails are powder coated and extremely tough.  The cover itself is made from rigid aluminum panels with a polymer laminated to it.  It is light weight, rolls well and overall I like the look.  Unlike most retractable covers the JackRabbit has a low profile and the entire unit fits below the rails.  The canister takes up about a foot of space in the bed, but is designed with space in mind.  It takes up only what it needs and has plenty of space underneath.

Installation –

The JackRabbit comes in 2 boxes, the canister/cover and the rails.  All of the necessary hardware is included in the box, even the 303 lubricant needed to lube the rail seals.  The product is packaged well to avoid shipping damage.  The canister has 2 disposable plywood shipping legs that you remove and throw away.  Per the instructions it says lay the canister on the box in the bed then attach the rails.  But since I had an extra hand I decided to put it together on the ground then lift it into position.

Basically we slid the rails into the box hardware, the drivers side was a breeze, but the passenger side was a bit temperamental.  What I learned here is to remain cool, take your time and it will slide in.  Once the 2 rails are installed, we carefully lifted the cover into the bed of the truck.  It fit like a glove.  At this point we checked to make sure we were square and used the 4 included clamps to secure the rails to the bed.  There is nothing more painful than having to drill holes in the bed of your brand new truck, the clamps are great.

Next we ran the drain hoses from the canister to the 2 plastic plugs in the front of the bed.  You do have to drill 2 3/4″ holes here, but its though plastic replaceable parts.  I recommend you pull the plugs out to drill them so you don’t accidentally over-drill into the back of your cab.  Attach the pull strap to the rail, add a foam strip, some velcro for the strap and 2 screws for the front canister cover and your done.  The install really is simple and the unit is engineered to fit perfect.  Make sure you read the owners manual and install it exactly how they tell you to install it.

Security –

The Jackrabbit combined with a tailgate lock will provide more than adequate security.  The rails fit tight to the bed and do not allow for a lot of leverage if a thief decided to pry on it.  Since the cover has an aluminum backbone a thief will not be able to cut into it .  The lock comes with 2 keys and has a metal protective cover to keep the elements out.

Operation

The Jackrabbit is simple to operate and includes lock points at 12″ increments, as you close it you can stop at these points in-case you only want the cover partially open.  To retract it, simply turn the latch fully open and a moderate push will retract the unit in one motion.   It fits really nice and needed no adjustments.  I did not notice any rattles on this unit, it was silent.  We had some rain and the bed remained dry except for around the tailgate area, because there is no seal there.  We even took it though a touch-less carwash and while the tailgate area was wet, the bed remained relatively dry.  When we hit the dryer, the cover took a beating and came out gleaming!  That rhymes!   You can buy a WeatherGate kit to seal your tailgate and make it watertight.

Pace-Edwards gives the Jackrabbit a 3 year warranty and it is made in the U.S.A.  I am impressed with the quality and ease of installation of this product.  Its stealth look blends into the lines of the truck making it look OEM. It operates as advertised and I would recommend you check out Pace-Edwards.