Diamondback Switchback - "Rugged Tri-Fold Tonneau"

***UPDATE*** — I bought it. Review and pictures below in Post #19.

Does anyone have this cover and have any experience with it?

Diamondback Switchback — the price is showing $1,899.00 right now on their website.

Here it is for the Toyota Tacoma: https://diamondbackcovers.com/produ...iant=40349801775203&chosenFinish=Rugged_Black




There isn't a ton of consumer review information yet like some other covers and hardly anything when I use the search function here.

Thoughts? Opinions? Experiences?

 

@Shellshock - some of your posts about having a Diamondback Switchback show up when I use the search function. Are you able to weigh in at all?

Any regrets? How does it hold up? Is it decently water-tight?

 

Yeah ive got one, ive also had an SE

I’ve been pretty happy with it and much prefer the trifold design to that of the SE. My only real complaint is the latches on the rear (which I didnt think i was going to like based on some of the things I’d seen but confirmed that once I received it) but i figured out a better solution for that. I think the latch would work fine for a truck without the track system but with the angle of the clamp, it doesnt really work very well with the track in my opinion. As you try to tension it, it wants to fold over due to the angle of the clamp. I picked up a couple U bolts I put in the mounting plate and use a ratchet to the tie down hooks in the corner of my bed. It’s a lot easier to hook and unhook and you can get a lot more tension on it. I’ve been running like this for a while now and its been great.





I liked my SE for the security, weather resistance, etc but didnt like the bar mounted across the middle of the bed as it made it hard to use your bed if you needed to. This has all the same pros and eliminated my primary complaint with the SE.

I bought mine from the outlet store so saved a few hundred going that route and it shipped immediately instead of a 45 day wait.

I’d recommend the switchback, I’d just be prepared to change out the rear clamps cuz I think they suck. Otherwise its very well built and zero complaints.

 

Awesome! Thank you for the reply.

I've seen the clamp modification elsewhere too, so I'd probably do the same. That's clever.

I had a soft tri-folding Gator tonneau and liked the general design a lot, but it was vinyl and I'd like something more solid and secure. So I narrowed my hard-folding choices down to the Diamondback Switchback and the Bakflip MX4, but I was already leaning towards Diamondback considering the durability and water leakage shortcomings of the Bakflip.

I appreciate the insight. After hearing from someone who has lived with it directly I am sold and I'll place my order now.

I'll check back here with my own overall impressions and assessment too once I get it to help others trying to decide!

 

Does anyone know if the cross bins work with the Switchback as well?

 

Hello I'll be ordering the same one here in another 2 months, but what kind of clamps did you use instead of the ones provided on the switchback? Also are those dents on the inside of your cover on the first picture?

 

Bought these from Menards. 2x of each, to assemble into the second picture.



These are the straps I’m using. Wanted something that was a loop. Needs to be a ratchet so you can get enough tension. Also with this, it clamps down much tighter than the factory clamp ever could.

$25 Boat Tie Down Straps to Trailer (Pack of 2) - 2400lbs Break - 1" x 2.5’ Heavy Duty Ratchet Boat Straps - UV Treated Boat Transom Tie Down Straps - Jet Ski Tie Down Straps - Made in New Zealand

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XSTH9WZ

 

No denta, just some gunk

 

for some reason i dont under stand how you have this set up, the picture is way to close up, Do like the Switchback better then the S.E? I was going to get the S.E but after thinking it over & over, i would not be able to haul big stuff in the back of my truck bed, so in another 2 months I'll be placing my order for the switchback

 

I had a regular diamondback on my 3rd Gen for many years and then when I sold the truck I had to have another one. I think I was one of the first to get a switchback right when they came out about 6-7 months ago and put it on my Ram 1500. It is absolutely amazing. If you use your truck like an actual truck I don’t see a way to beat it. You can flip the top up and secure it in less than a minute to load the bed with lumber, etc. My only gripe is the hinges can be finicky at first as you learn to flip it correctly. There’s a specific way you need to kick the bottom out so you don’t warp the hinge. Other than that I don’t see how a regular diamondback is even a consideration after owning this one.

 

Looks good on your truck this is the same one I will be buying smooth surface, i did have some concerns about the hinges the ones on top cause they do move and over time I hope the screws that hold them in place dont come strip out of the aluminum that Holds them in place.

 

There’s a piece of aluminum track on the bottom side it slots into. Same thing the clamp slots into.

I had an SE back in 2017 but made the bed pretty worthless for larger items. The switchback gives you a lot more flexibility being an trifold. Also if you want to take it off, you can just fold it to the front and take it off as one piece. The SE, you had to remove the front and back panels then unbolt the center.

I think the switchback is definitely the best model and I’ve always liked the security and durability of the diamondback.

 

I have a switchback and pretty thrilled i didn’t buy something else first before i learned of it. And i found a factory second, i would really have to look to find the worst weld that i guess made it a second.

Usually this cover is the first thing people compliment on my truck if they say anything.

Genuinely fast and easy to install, or remove for one person. You can walk on it without any concern that it will deform.

There isn’t really a reason to remove though, because if something does not fit inside covered, obviously you just fold and strap it, and i have never needed more than that.

If there are any faults:
perhaps it ought to be like 1/2” longer, but once you get it positioned it’s still pretty good. I have it on a double cab short bed, obviously since mt only comes on that combo in my model year.

it leaks slightly, but i never installed the supplied waterproofing stuff.

when it is super cold, it can be frozen shut by moisture at the gasket to the truck. I had to spray with an improvised mix of deicing fluids to get it open one time (windshield washer, antifreeze, alcohol).

I could see how the latches could get bent or damaged if you rush or do something clumsy, but has not happened to me. I try to be careful to have them either latched, or folded up all the way.

 

I’m also intrigued by your alternative strapping closed method. I think i get part of thec idea, but i’m not sure where you put the connection points, or how the whole thing works better than the stock clamps. Did you just attach the Us to the bottom/interior side of the diamondback, and use the built in bed D rings?
Would like to see a full picture or sketch of what you did, with strap installed and tight, but tailgate open.

 

The U is slotted in the track where the factory clamp is. I’ve been using this setup since December and it’s been great. This is on a tundra but you could do the same thing on the Tacoma with the rear tie downs or hook something off bed stiffeners everyone seems to have.

with the stock clamps, when I tried to get any force on them to compress the gasket, they wanted to twist due to the angle of the clamp meeting the met rail. With this, I’m able to get a much better seal and at least on my truck, works significantly better than the clamps did

 

OK this picture makes more since I see you removed the original clamps it comes with and replaced them with those U bolts, was the ubolts same diameter when you remove the bolts to to add this set up? no drilling the whole bigger right? Got a link for them U bolts?

 

Correct. Just slid right in, no drilling

I got them from Menards, should be able to find them with the info on the sticker I posted. I bought them in the store but I’m sure you can get them online too from tons of places.

I got 2 different sizes to piece together into one that worked perfectly. It was only like $5 for all the hardware plus whatever you use for straps.

If you’ve got some washers or scrap metal around, you’d really only need one but I wanted the second flat piece of metal so I could have one on each side and a couple extra nuts.

 

Well, my Diamondback Switchback is supposed to arrive on Tuesday.

After I install it, I'll add my own thoughts and first impressions here!

Thank you for that and the follow-up clarification(s), because I'm definitely going to be implementing this.

Looks great. And yeah... the HD was tempting, but I'm partial to the tri-fold design for the same reasons.

That's reassuring since I ended up ordering it. The two biggest reasons I went with the Diamondback Switchback over the Bakflip MX4 is the (better) water proofing and the surface strength.

I'll do all the waterproofing stuff on install and report back I guess, but even with my old Gator soft vinyl tri-fold the very slight leaking through a car wash wasn't anything unreasonable or alarming. The Bakflip on the other hand apparently involves gutters, tubes, and drain holes... if it wasn't for all that I might have more heavily considered it to save some money.

I wonder if there is a lubricant or something you can treat the gasket with for the freezing thing?

In any case, I'm looking forward to getting it installed this week and testing it out.

 

Diamondback Switchback Review Post:

My Diamondback Switchback arrived yesterday and I installed it myself right away. (Order placed on 02/10/2024 and arrived on 03/21/2024.)

Since there's so little information on it, here's some thoughts and pictures...






















Installation:
Installation was easy and straightforward. It's a little heavy and awkward - two people is probably ideal to lift it on. Otherwise it's as easy as setting it on and centering it. There are (4) clamps for the frontmost panel (two on each side), which are basically friction-based but they seem to do the job.




Weatherproofing:
The gasket(s) seems to form a good weatherproof seal all around. Silicone gasket maker is provided to fill in the gaps at the bulkhead - I was hoping for a solid insert, so I'll get around to this if it leaks too much.


Overall Thoughts & Impressions:
I like it a lot. The finish is just like bed liner and seems extremely durable. The entire unit feels very study, hefty, and high quality. You can indeed walk and stand on it - I weigh 200 lbs and am not at all concerned being on top of it. (The instructions say the Switchback is rated for 400 lbs dynamic load or 900 lbs static load.)

First impressions are good and no complaints so far.

Here's another picture from the Toyota Tacoma model - there's two screws on the cap so you can remove it and slide something else into the slot, such as those u-bolts.

Mine came too long and can't be adjusted short enough, so I have to hook them under the rails for now. Diamondback is sending me replacements, but I think I'll just do the u-bolt method regardless.

 

Well I guess that answers that...

I will be buying an "automotive silicone spray" for the gaskets.