ADJUST THE LOCK RODS
Press the plastic bushings until they snap
into place in each of the factory holes in
the bed walls under the panel. (See
step 10 illustration for location.)
With the lock handle in the closed
position, position the lock rods
tight against the top rims of the
factory holes in the bed wall so that
they’ll draw the panels down and
compress the weatherstrip. Tight-
en the rod guide brackets with a
7/16" socket.
There may be plastic plugs in the
factory holes. Remove them.
9
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DiamondBackCovers.com MARCH 2022
ADJUST THE LOCK RODS
ATTACH THE SAFETY CATCH & GAS SPRINGS
10 With the lock handle in the open position, adjust the length of the lock
rods so that their tips stop about 1/4" short of the factory holes.
11
For best weather
protection, have a
second person press
down on the cover while
you adjust the lock rods.
Using the access panels is easiest when you
press down as you open or close them.
12 Repeat steps 8 through 11 for
the cab panel.
Your panels should be hard to operate
at first. After finishing install below,
leave the panels closed as much as possible for 3–4 days
to break in the weatherstrip. After that period, you should
find that the panels open and close without diculty.
If you are also installing a Cross Bin, do so now. Refer to
the Cross Bin Installation Guide for details.
If the lock rods are still dicult to operate after the break-in
period, rub a small amount of petroleum jelly on the top of their
rubber end caps.
1/8"hex key
Attach the two remaining gas springs—barrel up, shaft
down—to the ball studs on the tail panel.
17
If your truck has bed rail caps, ax the included bulkhead
weatherstrip if you haven’t already. Refer to the Bulkhead
Prep Kit Installation Guide for details.
18
Adhesive cure time
24 hours
Leave the cover closed and locked for 24
hours to allow the weatherstrip adhesive,
which is pressure-sensitive, to fully cure.
19
Slip the looped ends
of the cable tethers
attached to the
underside of the cab
panel around the
center-panel ball stud
arms, well past the
ball studs and nuts.
Attach a gas spring—barrel up, shaft down—to each of
the pairs of ball studs on the cab panel.
15
14
Open the cab panel. Have a second person support it
in the open position.
13
THIS END
UP
Push the keyhole at the bottom of the
safety catch hanging from the cab
panel’s driver side around the nut
protruding from the outboard side
of the ball stud arm, flexing the
spring clip so the nut can pass
through, then allowing the panel
to open fully so the nut can slide
into the narrower part
of the keyhole and
spring clip come
back into place
behind the nut.
16
If two of your gas springs have heavier poundage printed on the
side of their barrels than the others, use them here. If just one of
the springs is stronger, use it on the driver side.
Loosen the set screws on the
tail-panel lock-rod linkages.
7/16" socket
