How to Install a Tonneau Cover on a Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra

Working out how to install a tonneau cover on a Chevy Silverado is mostly a matter of knowing which Silverado you own. The install itself is a clamp-on job: 30 to 60 minutes with hand tools, and no holes in the truck.

GM has built the 1500 in four generations since 1999, sold two of them side by side in 2019, and gave the GMC Sierra a carbon-fibre box that the Chevy never got. So this guide starts with what to confirm before you cut the tape on the carton, then goes through the install for the soft and hard folding covers we sell for these trucks. Sierra 1500 owners can follow the same steps.

Short answer: To install a tonneau cover on a Chevy Silverado, confirm the truck's generation, box length and tailgate type, then wash the bed rails. Set the cover or its side rails tight against the bulkhead, hand-tighten the clamps under the bed rail, close the tailgate to square everything up, and tighten evenly. Allow 30 to 60 minutes. Nothing gets drilled.

Before You Install a Tonneau Cover on a Chevy Silverado: Four Checks

A cover that's wrong for the truck can't be fixed with a wrench. These four questions catch nearly all of the wrong ones.

1. Which generation is it?

The current body arrived for 2019. Before it came the 2014–2018 truck, the 2007–2013 truck and the 1999–2006 original. GM changed the box with each one, so a cover from a 2017 won't clamp to a 2020 even though both are sold as a 5'8" short box. Our listings split the years the same way.

One model year needs a second look. For 2019, Chevrolet kept building the outgoing truck and sold it next to the new one as the Silverado 1500 LD, a Double Cab with the standard box. GMC did the same with the Sierra 1500 Limited. If your 2019 is an LD or a Limited, it has the 2014–2018 body and takes a 2014–2018 cover. From our range that means the manual retractable, because our folding covers for the 6'6" box start at 2019. Call us if you aren't sure which truck you're looking at.

2. Which box?

The 1500 comes with a 5'8" short box (about 69.9 inches inside), a 6'6" standard box (about 79.4 inches) or an 8' long box. Most Crew Cabs in Canada have the short box and Double Cabs nearly always have the standard. The two are nine and a half inches apart, which is too much to eyeball from the driver's seat and plenty to ruin a Saturday. Our guide to Chevy Silverado bed sizes shows where to put the tape.

We don't list a cover for the 8' box on the 1500. The 2500HD and 3500HD have their own boxes and their own covers, so don't order a 1500 cover for an HD truck.

3. Does it have the Multi-Flex tailgate?

Chevrolet's Multi-Flex tailgate has a second, smaller gate built into the main one. It folds into a step, a load stop or a work surface, six configurations in all. GMC calls its version MultiPro. A clamp-on cover fastens to the bed sides and never touches the tailgate, so the install steps don't change. What can differ is how the cover's rear seal sits on top of the gate. Tell us you have it when you order and we'll confirm the combination.

4. Is it a Sierra with the CarbonPro bed?

This one is GMC only. From 2019, the Sierra 1500 could be ordered as an AT4 or Denali CarbonPro Edition with a carbon-fibre composite box in place of the steel one. GM Authority reports the option is no longer available to order on the 2026 Sierra, but there are plenty of them on the road. Cover makers build separate versions for the composite box, because it doesn't take the same rails as the steel one. Our manual retractable is listed as not compatible with it, and for our folding covers you should call before you order.

Which TruckTon Cover Fits Which Truck

This is what our product pages list today. Stock and fitments change, so treat the product page as the final word.

Still deciding between them? The Silverado tonneau cover buyer's guide and the Sierra version compare the styles. From here on we'll assume the right carton is already in your garage.

Tools and Prep

• Everything in the carton, laid out. Count the clamps against the parts list before you lift anything onto the truck.
• A socket set, or the wrench that came with the cover. Soft tri-fold clamps are hand levers. The rail clamps on a hard cover need a wrench.
• A rag and a bucket of mild soapy water.
• A second person for a hard cover. It's only for the two minutes it takes to lift the folded cover over the bed side without dragging it across the paint.
• Warmth. GM's own instruction sheet for one of its soft tonneau covers says to install it at 21°C (70°F) or higher, because warm fabric is more pliable and stretches to a tighter fit. You won't get 21°C on an Ontario driveway in late October. Leave the cover in the house overnight and do the job in a garage if you have one.

Then wash the tops of both bed rails, the rail across the bulkhead behind the cab, and the top edge of the tailgate. Every seal on the cover lands on one of those surfaces. A film of road salt or a line of grit under a seal is where small leaks start.

Installing a Soft Tri-Fold (About 30 Minutes)

The soft tri-fold comes out of the carton folded, with its clamps already on the frame. If the sheet in your carton says something different from the steps below, go with the sheet.

1. Drop the tailgate and set the folded cover on the bed rails behind the cab. Slide it forward until the front bar is hard against the bulkhead, then centre it so the same amount of cover hangs over each rail.
2. Close the front clamps. Swing each one down so its jaw catches under the bed rail, and turn the threaded rod until the lever snaps shut under firm hand pressure. If you need two hands and a grunt, it's too tight.
3. Unfold the cover toward the tailgate. Sight down each side. The edge of the cover should run parallel to the bed rail the whole way back.
4. Close the rear clamps the same way, reaching in over the open tailgate.
5. Shut the tailgate. The rear seal should lie flat along the top of the gate, with no gap at either corner.
6. Pull up on each corner. If one lifts, give that clamp's rod another turn.

GM's sheet has a line that applies to every clamp-on cover on these trucks: make sure there is no gap between the clamp pad and the bed rail cap. A clamp sitting half on the edge of the plastic cap won't stay tight.

Installing a Hard Folding Cover (30 to 60 Minutes)

Our hard flip-back and low-profile tri-fold both ride on a pair of side rails that clamp to the truck first. Aluminum panels won't stretch to hide a crooked rail the way vinyl does, so take the steps in order.

1. Set the side rails. Lay one on top of each bed rail with its front end tight to the bulkhead. Fit the clamps from underneath so they grip the lip of the bed rail, and snug them by hand. Leave the wrench alone for now.
2. Lift the folded cover onto the rails at the cab end. Your helper earns their coffee here.
3. Unfold it all the way and close the tailgate. Look at the gap along each side and at how the last panel meets the gate. If one side is tighter than the other, nudge that rail until they match.
4. Tighten the clamps, working from the cab back and switching sides as you go. If you tighten one side fully first, it pulls the cover out of square and the other side won't seal.
5. Check the seal and the latches. With everything closed, run your hand around the edge. The seal should touch all the way around. Then open and close each panel a few times and listen for both latches catching.

On the flip-back, finish by folding the whole cover upright against the cab and making sure the support rods hold it there. Do that in the driveway, before you try it at the lumber yard.

What about the retractable?

The manual retractable is a longer job. A canister mounts at the bulkhead, a rail runs down each side, and drain tubes carry water out of the canister. We list it at about 90 minutes with basic hand tools, and the drain tubes may need minor drilling depending on the bed. If drilling a small hole in your truck makes you uneasy, this is the one to hand to a shop.

Test It Before You Trust It

Hose it. Close everything, run a garden hose over the cover for two minutes, then drop the tailgate and look inside with a flashlight. No clamp-on cover is watertight, and a few drops at the tailgate corners after a soaking are normal. A steady drip along one rail means the cover isn't square. Our guide on how to adjust a tonneau cover covers the fix.

Drive it. Go around the block with the radio off. A rattle is nearly always a clamp that isn't tight or a rail that isn't seated.

Check it again in a week. Seals compress and clamps settle. Go around every clamp once more after the first week of driving, and again after the first hard frost.

Common Silverado Install Mistakes

• A 2014–2018 cover on a 2019-and-newer truck, or the other way round. Both are sold as a 5'8" box, and the covers still don't interchange.
• Guessing the box from the cab. Most Crew Cabs have the 5'8", but not all of them. Measure.
• Not mentioning CarbonPro. If your Sierra is a CarbonPro Edition, say so before anything ships.
• Leaving a gap at the bulkhead. Our covers are located from the cab end, so push the cover or the rails fully forward before any clamp goes on. Some other brands locate from the tailgate instead, which is one more reason to read the sheet in the carton.
• Clamping onto a drop-in liner. A liner that wraps over the bed rail can hold the clamp off the steel. See our guide to using a tonneau cover with a bed liner or bed mat.
• Installing it cold. Stiff seals don't seat, and you'll be chasing a leak in November.

There are more in our list of common installation mistakes.

Common Questions

How long does it take to install a tonneau cover on a Silverado?

About 30 minutes for a soft tri-fold or a hard flip-back, up to an hour for a low-profile hard tri-fold, and around 90 minutes for a retractable. Add 15 minutes to wash the bed rails first.

Do I have to drill my Silverado to install a tonneau cover?

Not for a folding cover. Soft and hard folding covers clamp under the bed rail and leave no holes. The exception in our range is the retractable, where the canister drain tubes may need minor drilling depending on the bed.

Will a Silverado tonneau cover fit a GMC Sierra?

The Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 are sister trucks with the same box lengths, and the install is identical. We list covers under each truck, so order the one for your badge. The exception is a Sierra with the CarbonPro composite bed, which needs a cover made for it.

Will a 2018 Silverado tonneau cover fit a 2019?

Only if the 2019 is a Silverado 1500 LD, which kept the 2014–2018 body. The redesigned 2019 truck has a different box, and covers for it run 2019 to 2026.

Does a tonneau cover work with the Multi-Flex tailgate?

A clamp-on cover mounts to the bed sides, so the tailgate doesn't change the install. Mention Multi-Flex or MultiPro when you order so the rear seal can be confirmed for your gate.

Can I install a tonneau cover over a spray-on bedliner?

Yes. A spray-on liner adds very little thickness at the rail and clamps grip over it. Drop-in liners that wrap over the rail are the ones that sometimes need trimming where the clamps sit.

Rather Not Do It Yourself?

Order online, choose pickup at our Burlington showroom at 1220 Corporate Dr, and we'll install your cover free. Otherwise it ships free within Canada (Yukon and the Northwest Territories excepted) with the mounting hardware in the carton, carries a 2-year limited warranty, and can be returned within 30 days as long as it hasn't been installed. Not sure about an LD, a CarbonPro bed or a Multi-Flex gate? Call 1-888-651-3091 before you order.

Explore More from TruckTon

• Chevy Truck Accessories — covers, caps, bed mats and running boards for the Silverado and Colorado
• GMC Truck Accessories
• Hard Folding Tonneau Covers
• Soft Folding Tonneau Covers
• Retractable Tonneau Covers