Recommended Tonneau Cover and Ladder Rack for 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 Crew Cab Short Bed

Published 09/21/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Erickson Over-The-Cab Truck Bed Ladder Rack - Steel - 1,000 lbs

(46)

$789.11

Pace Edwards Switchblade Retractable Hard Tonneau Cover - Aluminum and Vinyl - Black

(386)

$1191.19

Adarac Pro Series Custom Truck Bed Ladder Rack - Aluminum - Silver - 500 lbs

(49)

$683.10

Question:

I am a newbie pickup truck owner with a 2016 Dodge Ram crew cab short bed. I need to have the ability to put a tonneau cover of some sort on the bed but I also need to have racks installed so I can carry my kayaks any recommendations please. by the way I want that tunnel cover to be strong enough to handle the weight of snow and ice.

asked by: Bob S

Expert Reply:

The primary problem that's ran into when you want to use ladder racks and a tonneau cover at the same time is that most ladder racks will clamp to the inside of the bed rail, which is right where the tonneau cover would mount as well. There are a few exceptions to this, though.

Assuming that by 'short bed' you're speaking of the 5-1/2 foot long bed, Adarack has a couple of good options for you. Part # A4000965 is an all-aluminum rack or # A70450 is a steel and aluminum rack. These racks carry a maximum of 500 lbs, and mount using the stake pockets.

Given your description of what you're looking for in a tonneau cover, you'll want to steer away from a typical vinyl tonneau cover that wouldn't do such a great job of handling a heavy snow load. The Leer # 311-SWD77A01 hard retractable cover would be a great choice for you. The sturdy aluminum and vinyl cover will stand up to a snow load, and features a tension spring that makes opening and closing the cover simple from either side of the truck. This cover clamps to the inside of the bed rails with no drilling required, leaving the top of the bed sides free for mounting your ladder rack.

I've linked you to a product description video featuring one of the ladder racks I've recommended.

expert reply by: Mike L