How to Install a Tonneau Cover on a RAM 1500 (No Drilling)

Working out how to install a tonneau cover on a RAM 1500 takes about as long as reading the instruction sheet twice. Most clamp-on covers go on in 30 to 60 minutes with hand tools, and nothing gets drilled. The RAM does have a few quirks the other half-tons don't, though, and they're worth knowing before you open the box.

Two different trucks have worn the 1500 badge at the same time, RamBox bed rails change the fitment completely, and the split tailgate raises a fair question. This guide covers the checks to make first, then the install itself for soft and hard folding covers, based on the clamp-on covers we sell and install.

Short answer: To install a tonneau cover on a RAM 1500, first confirm your bed length, body style (2019-and-newer or Classic) and whether the truck has RamBox. Then clean the bed rails, set the cover square against the bulkhead, hand-tighten the clamps under the bed rail flange, close the tailgate to check alignment, and tighten evenly. Allow 30 to 60 minutes.

Before You Install a Tonneau Cover on a RAM 1500: Three Checks

Most RAM install problems start at the order page, well before anyone picks up a wrench. Sort these three out first.

1. New body style or Classic?

RAM launched a redesigned 1500 for 2019 and kept selling the previous-generation truck beside it as the RAM 1500 Classic. The two have different bed rails, so covers don't interchange even when the bed length matches. That's why our variants carry labels like "5'7" / 2019–2026 (New Style)" and "5'7" / 2009–2018 (Classic)".

If your truck is a 2019 or newer model badged Classic, it has the older body, so order the 2009–2018 (Classic) variant, and call us if you're in any doubt. Not sure which bed you have? Our guide to RAM 1500 bed sizes sorts out the 5'7", 6'4" and 8' boxes.

2. Does your truck have RamBox?

RamBox is RAM's set of lockable, drainable storage bins built into the bed sides (Ram Canada describes the system here). The bins make the bed opening narrower and change the shape of the rail, so a cover made for a conventional bed won't mount. RAM itself sells separate factory covers for RamBox and conventional beds for the same reason.

From our own range, only the RAM 1500 manual retractable cover comes in RamBox versions, and those are for the 5'7" bed. Our folding covers are made for the conventional bed. If you have RamBox and want a folding cover, call us before you order anything, and we'll tell you honestly whether we have one that fits.

3. Do you have the multifunction tailgate?

RAM's optional multifunction tailgate splits 60/40 into two swing-away doors that each open 88 degrees, and it still drops down like a regular tailgate. A clamp-on cover mounts to the bed sides and not to the tailgate, so the install steps don't change. What can change is how the cover's rear seal meets the split gate, and whether the doors will swing with the cover closed. Tell us you have it when you order so we can confirm the combination.

Which TruckTon Cover Fits Which RAM 1500

This is what our product pages list today. Availability changes, so treat the product page as the final word.

Still choosing between them? The RAM 1500 tonneau cover buyer's guide compares the styles. The rest of this article assumes the right box is already sitting in your garage.

Tools and Prep

• The hardware in the box. Lay it all out and check it against the parts list before you start.
• A socket set or the wrench supplied with the cover. Soft tri-fold clamps are hand-operated levers. Hard cover rail clamps need a wrench.
• A clean rag and mild soapy water for the bed rails.
• A helper for hard covers. You can do it alone, but lifting a folded hard cover onto the rails without scuffing the cab is much easier with two people.
• A mild day. Rubber seals are stiff in the cold and don't seat as well. In Canada that means late September is a far better install date than late November.

Start by washing the tops of both bed rails, the bulkhead rail behind the cab and the top edge of the tailgate. Every seal on the cover presses against one of those surfaces, and grit trapped under a seal is the most common cause of small leaks later.

Installing a Soft Tri-Fold Cover (About 30 Minutes)

A soft tri-fold arrives assembled and folded, with its clamps already attached to the frame. It's the simplest tonneau install there is. Where the instruction sheet in your box differs from the outline below, follow the sheet.

1. Lower the tailgate and set the folded cover on the bed rails at the cab end. Push it all the way forward against the bulkhead and centre it side to side. A cover that isn't fully forward won't clamp properly.
2. Attach the front clamps. Swing each front clamp down so its jaw hooks under the bed rail flange. Adjust the threaded rod until the lever closes with firm hand pressure. If you have to force it, back it off a turn.
3. Unfold the cover toward the tailgate. Check that the overhang is even on both sides. If it isn't, release the front clamps, shift the cover and re-clamp.
4. Attach the rear clamps the same way, from inside the bed or reaching in over the open tailgate.
5. Close the tailgate and look at the rear seal. It should sit evenly along the top of the tailgate with no gaps at the corners.
6. Tug each corner upward. Nothing should lift or shift. If a corner moves, that clamp needs another turn on its adjuster.

Installing a Hard Folding Cover (30 to 60 Minutes)

Our hard flip-back and low-profile tri-fold covers mount on a pair of side rails that clamp to the bed first. The sequence matters more here, because hard panels won't flex to hide a crooked rail.

1. Position the side rails. Set each rail on top of the bed rail, snug against the bulkhead end. Fit the clamps underneath so they grip the underside of the bed rail lip, and tighten them by hand only.
2. Lift the folded cover onto the rails at the cab end. This is the step where a second person helps.
3. Unfold it fully and close the tailgate. Check that the gap down each side is even and that the rear panel meets the tailgate squarely. Nudge the rails until it does.
4. Tighten the clamps evenly, working front to back and alternating sides. Tightening one clamp fully before the cover is square is the classic way to build in a permanent twist.
5. Check the seal and the latches. With the cover closed, run a hand around the perimeter seal. It should touch all the way around. Then open and close each panel a few times to confirm the latches engage on both sides.

On the flip-back cover, also fold the panels fully upright against the cab once and make sure the prop rods hold it there before you drive anywhere with it open.

What About the Retractable?

The manual retractable is a bigger job: a canister at the bulkhead, a rail down each side, and drain tubes that 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 your bed. It's the one RAM cover we'd suggest handing to a shop if you aren't comfortable with that. Order it for pickup in Burlington, Ontario and we'll install it free.

Check Your Work: The Five-Minute Test

Hose test. Close everything up, run a garden hose over the cover for a couple of minutes, then open the tailgate and look inside with a flashlight. No clamp-on cover is a submarine hatch, and a few drops at the tailgate corners after a soaking is normal. A steady drip along one rail is not. That's an alignment problem, and our guide on how to adjust a tonneau cover walks through the fix.

Drive test. Take it around the block with the radio off. A rattle almost always means a loose clamp or a rail that isn't seated.

One-week re-check. Seals compress and clamps settle, so go around every clamp again after the first week or 100 km of driving. RAM's own owner's manual is blunt about why this matters. For its factory tri-fold cover it warns that an unsecured tonneau cover can fly off the vehicle while in motion. That applies to any brand.

Common RAM 1500 Install Mistakes

• Ordering a new-body cover for a Classic (or the reverse). Same bed length, different rails.
• Ignoring RamBox. A conventional-bed cover will not mount on RamBox rails.
• Leaving a gap at the bulkhead. Everything is positioned from the cab end. Start there, fully forward.
• Clamping over an untrimmed drop-in liner. An over-the-rail liner can keep a clamp from gripping the steel flange. We cover the fixes in our guide to using a tonneau cover with a bed liner or bed mat.
• Installing in the cold. If it has to be a winter install, get the cover and the truck into a heated space for a few hours first.

There are more in our list of common installation mistakes to avoid.

Common Questions

How long does it take to install a tonneau cover on a RAM 1500?

About 30 minutes for a soft tri-fold, 30 to 60 minutes for a hard folding cover, and around 90 minutes for a retractable. Add 15 minutes to clean the bed rails properly first. It's the step most people skip and the one that prevents leaks.

Do I have to drill my RAM's bed to install a tonneau cover?

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

Will a tonneau cover fit a RAM 1500 with RamBox?

Only one made for RamBox. The storage bins change the width and shape of the bed opening, so conventional-bed covers don't mount. Of our RAM 1500 covers, the manual retractable is offered in RamBox versions for the 5'7" bed.

Can I install a tonneau cover by myself?

A soft tri-fold, yes. It's light and comes assembled. A hard folding cover is possible alone, but lifting it onto the rails without touching the cab paint is much easier with a second person for those two minutes.

How tight should tonneau cover clamps be?

Firm, not forced. Lever clamps should close with solid hand pressure. Bolt-style clamps should be snug and even from one to the next. Over-tightening can distort the rail and cause the leaks you were trying to prevent. Re-check them all after a week.

Can I install a tonneau cover over a spray-in bed liner?

Yes. A spray-in liner adds very little thickness at the rail and clamps grip over it without trouble. Drop-in liners that wrap over the bed rail are the ones that sometimes need trimming at the clamp points.

Rather Not Do It Yourself?

Order online, choose pickup at our Burlington, Ontario location, and we'll install your cover free. Otherwise our covers ship free within Canada (Yukon and the Northwest Territories excepted) with the mounting hardware in the box, carry a 2-year limited warranty, and can be returned within 30 days if uninstalled. Fitment questions about RamBox, a Classic or the multifunction tailgate? Call 1-888-651-3091 before you order.

Explore More from TruckTon

• RAM Truck Accessories — covers, caps, bed mats and running boards for the 1500, 2500 and 3500
• Hard Folding Tonneau Covers
• Soft Folding Tonneau Covers
• Retractable Tonneau Covers
• Bed Mats