The MultiPro Trap: How to Avoid Ruining Your New Tonneau Cover's Weather Seals
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You just equipped your GMC Sierra 1500 with a stunning, flush-mount BAKFlip MX4 hard folding tonneau cover. It looks incredibly sleek, the matte black panels perfectly match your bed caps, and your expensive tools are finally locked away safely.
You finish unloading some gear, leave the tonneau cover fully closed, and violently slam your massive 6-way MultiPro tailgate shut.
CRUNCH.
You inspect the back of the truck and realize you just permanently crushed and tore the heavy-duty EPDM rubber weather seal running along the rear panel of your brand-new cover.
You just fell directly into the MultiPro Tailgate Trap.
The MultiPro tailgate is an engineering marvel, but the integrated inner drop-step has a plastic grab-handle that sits exceptionally high on the tailgate lip. Premium hard folding covers are designed to sit incredibly low and flush. If the cover is already closed when you slam the tailgate, that step handle acts like a blunt knife, smashing directly into the cover's weather stripping.
You don't need to choose between a premium cover and your fancy tailgate; you just need to learn the proper closing sequence.
In this guide, we explain exactly how to safely operate flush-mount covers like the BAKFlip and UnderCover ArmorFlex with a MultiPro tailgate. We'll show you how to maintain your 100% bed access, properly route your water drain tubes, and ensure your gear stays completely dry for the lifespan of your truck.
Compare Premium Hard Folding Covers
Matte Aluminum, FRP Composite, or Line-X Coated?
|
Cover Style |
Top Brands |
Panel Material |
Best For |
|
BAKFlip MX4 |
BAK Industries |
Matte Aluminum. |
The Industry Standard. Heavy-duty aluminum panels with a premium matte black finish. Folds entirely to the cab, allowing 100% bed access without blocking the third brake light. |
|
BAKFlip F1 |
BAK Industries |
FRP Composite. |
Dent Resistance. Replaces the aluminum top skin with Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP). Runs slightly cooler to the touch in extreme heat and is highly resistant to hail dents. |
|
ArmorFlex |
UnderCover |
Line-X Coated. |
Extreme Abuse. Aluminum panels coated in genuine, rugged Line-X polyurea. Designed to take an absolute beating from heavy tools or cargo placed on top of it. |
|
Ultra Flex |
UnderCover |
Matte Aluminum. |
Luxury Finish. Features carpeted under-panels for an upscale look inside the bed, dual LED bed lights, and a saddlebag storage box included in the kit. |
Frequently Asked Questions (Hard Folding Covers)
Do hard folding covers eat up my bed space like retractable covers do?
No, they give you 100% bed access.
This is exactly why hard folding covers are so popular on the 5'8" Short Bed Sierra. A retractable cover requires a massive 10-inch by 10-inch metal canister mounted at the front of the bed to house the rolled-up slats. A premium BAKFlip MX4 has no canister. When you need to haul a dirt bike or a refrigerator, you simply fold the panels all the way up against the rear window and secure them with the integrated prop rods, leaving your entire truck bed completely open.
Can I open the cover from the passenger side of the truck?
Yes, easily.
Premium hard folding covers from BAK Industries and UnderCover feature a dual-action pull cable hidden securely underneath the panels. As long as your Sierra's tailgate is unlocked and open, you can reach under the rear panel from either the driver or passenger side, pull the cable to release the heavy-duty slam latches, and fold the cover forward.
Will a BAKFlip keep my truck bed 100% waterproof?
Not 100%, but incredibly close.
Hard folding covers feature heavy-duty EPDM rubber hinges and side seals. They also include integrated aluminum rain gutters that catch water and channel it down through drain tubes and out of your truck bed. While a high-pressure car wash might push a few drops past the tailgate gaps, your tools, luggage, and groceries will remain completely safe and dry during heavy highway rainstorms.
Lock it down. Fold it up.
Secure your gear without permanently losing a single inch of bed space. Shop our verified collection of premium 2019–2026 GMC Sierra 1500 Hard Folding Bed Covers.