Retrax Pro Fail - Diamondback HD Advice

[RaptorRnr]

I had a Retrax Pro on my Gen2 Raptor. It was great. I appreciate the ability to close the bed to the exact position, occasionally pinching 2x4s, plywood or a surfboard out the back. I also appreciate that you don't lose visibility from a tonneau cover obstructing the view behind the truck when it may be propped up. With my Ranger Raptor I can't keep the Retrax Pro wheels in the track. It has failed me multiple times, typically when I'm off-roading. It's really frustrating. Adjusting it to keep the channels tight towards the center hasn't addressed the problem.

I'm considering a Diamondback HD. I'm curious if anyone, with a Diamondback HD, who regularly off-roads through whoops, mild jumps or sliding through an occasional wash, with this setup. All of my gear is secured to the base of the bed or to the Builtright molle panels. I need something that will stay secured to the bed without shifting or coming loose as I have experienced recently.

I drove 1000 miles and enjoyed sliding through a wash in Johnson Valley on the way to the Raptor Rally in Lake Havasu. After jumping the R Raptor it popped up on one side and was completely out of the rails on the other. getting it back in to the track requires taking the bed out, disassembling it and reassembling it back in to the bed. Eventually, I'm going to strip a screw continuing to have to use this process.

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[jorosz0309]

I had a Retrax Pro on my Gen2 Raptor. It was great. I appreciate the ability to close the bed to the exact position, occasionally pinching 2x4s, plywood or a surfboard out the back. I also appreciate that you don't lose visibility from a tonneau cover obstructing the view behind the truck when it may be propped up. With my Ranger Raptor I can't keep the Retrax Pro wheels in the track. It has failed me multiple times, typically when I'm off-roading. It's really frustrating. Adjusting it to keep the channels tight towards the center hasn't addressed the problem.

I'm considering a Diamondback HD. I'm curious if anyone, with a Diamondback HD, who regularly off-roads through whoops, mild jumps or sliding through an occasional wash, with this setup. All of my gear is secured to the base of the bed or to the Builtright molle panels. I need something that will stay secured to the bed without shifting or coming loose as I have experienced recently.

I drove 1000 miles and enjoyed sliding through a wash in Johnson Valley on the way to the Raptor Rally in Lake Havasu. After jumping the R Raptor it popped up on one side and was completely out of the rails on the other. getting it back in to the track requires taking the bed out, disassembling it and reassembling it back in to the bed. Eventually, I'm going to strip a screw continuing to have to use this process.

I haven't looked lately, but when I bought my Diamondback, they only had the SE and they said they had no intention on making the HD for the Ranger. I was a bit disappointed, but went ahead and bought the SE anyway. Only difference really is 400 lb load vs 1600 lb. Doesn't matter all that much with our limited ~1,110 lb payload capacity anyway. I had the SE on my Raptor for about a year. While I didn't do any jumping, I did take my truck off the road while hunting and on several small forest service roads throughout the Black Hills of South Dakota (some of which were VERY rough when washed out) and I never had any problems with the Diamondback. The middle portion is rock solid with 4 clamps, and the "opening ends" are held down with rods that are as tight as you want them to be. The giant bulb seal around the outside also prevents any possibility of shifting around. I found it to be rock solid. As a millworker, I also haul lumber and sheet goods regularly, and it was pretty easy to leave them propped on the tailgate and just bungy the Diamondback down. I have switched to a Leer topper just to be able to fit the dog kennels in the back and I have my Diamondback SE for sale.

 

[jrRaptor]

Do you have J-braces installed? Just curious, I don't know that it would have helped. I wonder if some type of brace using the T-slots would support it enough to keep it from separating.

The Diamondback HD looks pretty stout. It looks more rigid so should provide a more secure fit when off-roading though I don;t have any personal experience with it.

Nice jump pic!

 

[RaptorRnr]

I do not have the j-braces installed. I don't plan to haul a lot on top. I went ahead and ordered the Diamondback SE per Jeff's comment, "no intention of making an HD for the Ranger". I just figured for a few hundred more I would get the extra protection in the event someone climbs on the bedcover, like my son's friends doin' something stupid again.

 

[live_discover]

I have a Retrax but havent jumped my RR yet or done any high speed offroading yet. I do know my installer said it took them a bit longer as they had to install some extra braces that the RR requires when installing vs a normal ranger. I asked if it was jbraces as i already have them from factory, they said no they dont know anything about jbraces. Hopefully with my jbraces and whatever else they installed I wont have this issue.

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