2-Hour Tonneau
The Truxedo Pro X15 TS Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Cover comes with full printed instructions, including a one-page addendum for Multifunction Tailgate applications. The track is modified to fit around the corner gussets, but they complicate attachment of the tonneau roll to the side rails. (Basically, you have to loosen the mounting clamps, slide the rail back a bit, tighten the bolts, then slide it forward again and retighten the clamps.) There was also a foam block that had to be modified slightly for the front of the rail. But even with notetaking and photography, the tonneau was installed in just under two hours. It looks dressy, seals tightly, and latches securely. The instructions suggested we’d need to pull the hook-and-loop fasteners tight on either side, but so far, just rolling the tonneau out seems to result in a drum-tight fit. We’ll be interested to see how water-tight it is.
Our $83K Ram 1500 Can’t Use Most Tonneau Covers (But We Hacked It)
We can now seal our Ram’s bed against the elements, and we’re ready to carry long items like canoes, kayaks, or rooftop tents.Frank MarkusWriter
Jim FetsPhotographerOct 09, 2025
Practically no long-term test vehicle genre offers more abundant opportunity for accessorizing than pickup trucks (except maybe Jeep Wranglers). A whole cottage industry has developed to help owners customize these beasts to handle different burdens and leisure pursuits. This time around we decided to look further afield than the abundant Mopar catalog offerings. And pretty soon, we began to question our choice of the 60/40 multifunction tailgate.
“Not Compatible with Multifunction Tailgate”
We kept encountering that warning as we shopped for tonneau covers. Apparently, the engineers had to protect for every eventuality—even that of an idiot opening the 60/40 doors and swinging from them. To resist the twisting force such lunacy might put on the pickup-box side walls, there is a beefy gusset connecting each side wall to the bulkhead at the front of the box. These are not removable, and they absolutely preclude any of those roll-top-desk-type tonneaus that roll into and stow at the front of the box. They also stymie a wide range of tonneaus that involve clamping a track to the inside edge of the box. Further complicating matters was our desire to carry things that overhang the roof, requiring a rack system. Such racks can interfere with the folding of rigid-panel tonneaus.
RealTruck Heroes
We reached out to the folks at RealTruck (formerly Truck Hero, when they helped outfit our 2014 GMC Sierra Denali). After a little digging, they proposed the Truxedo Elevate FS Rack ($850), which mounts to the same truck bed side rails that secure the Truxedo Pro X15 TS Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Cover ($700). Both arrived a week or so later, and we dug into the installation.
2-Hour Tonneau
The Truxedo Pro X15 TS Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Cover comes with full printed instructions, including a one-page addendum for Multifunction Tailgate applications. The track is modified to fit around the corner gussets, but they complicate attachment of the tonneau roll to the side rails. (Basically, you have to loosen the mounting clamps, slide the rail back a bit, tighten the bolts, then slide it forward again and retighten the clamps.) There was also a foam block that had to be modified slightly for the front of the rail. But even with notetaking and photography, the tonneau was installed in just under two hours. It looks dressy, seals tightly, and latches securely. The instructions suggested we’d need to pull the hook-and-loop fasteners tight on either side, but so far, just rolling the tonneau out seems to result in a drum-tight fit. We’ll be interested to see how water-tight it is.
Intuitive Rack Install
This one was more intimidating to unpack, as there was no instruction sheet. Just a QR code to a site where you type in the product number to watch a short video explaining the install that made it look intuitively obvious how everything went together. Our kit came with two sets of track mounts and eight extra track bolts for some tie down cleats that weren’t included, and we had to review that section of the video again to determine which parts not to use. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of sliding bolts onto the tracks, bolting uprights to them, bolting crossbars to those, and setting them to the desired height. It’s a breeze to adjust the crossbar height or slide the rack bars off the bed when not in use: just loosen a few cap nuts and remove end caps on the tracks (with an Allen-head screw), and off they slide.
The crossbars can stand 18, 23, or 28 inches above the bed rail, but only the top position allows long items to clear the shark-fin antenna. We certainly appreciated the ease with which the 60/40 door and bumper steps made climbing in and out during the process.
DIMO LTE R1
One more accessory item we’re trying out is a telecom device that plugs into our OBDII port. Because of the location of said port, we had to get a low-profile OBD-port extender and tuck it all up under the dash. This gizmo promises to turn our Ram into a smartphone on wheels. For all the claims that modern cars make for being just that, most cars are functionally stuck in the flip-phone era, unable to completely and safely connect to the internet. This device, which includes its own LTE cellular link, promises to allow owners to connect to the web—at their discretion and only when it’s truly advantageous to them. These data can be shared with companies that promise something in return, with all data-use permissions secured on the blockchain. This promises to unlock new capabilities like asking ChatGPT questions about your vehicle’s past performance and future maintenance needs. The AI bots are said to be able to answer more intelligently when they can probe the car’s history. We’ll have lots more to say about DIMO elsewhere; for now we’re earning $DIMO cryptocurrency—currently trading at $0.0603 USD as of press time—just for being connected. Stay tuned as we figure out what to spend it on.
For More On Our Long-Term 2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4×4:
| 2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4×4 Specifications | |
| BASE PRICE | $65,975 |
| PRICE AS TESTED | $82,795 |
| OPTIONS | Advanced Safety Group II, $3,315; Laramie Level 2 Equipment Group, $2,745; Hands-Free Active Driving Assist System, $2,495; air suspension, $1,995; Trailer Tow Group, $1,695; leather-trimmed bucket seats, $1,295; multi-function tailgate, $1,095; power running boards, $995; Bed Utility Group, $945; Delmonico Red Pearl-Coat paint, $245 |
| VEHICLE LAYOUT | Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door internal combustion truck |
| POWERTRAIN | 3.0L twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve I-6 |
| POWER | 420 hp @ 5,200 rpm |
| TORQUE | 469 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm |
| TRANSMISSION | 8-speed automatic |
| CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) | 5,674 lb (56/44%) |
| WHEELBASE | 144.6 in |
| LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT | 232.4 x 81.2 x 75.8-79.6 in |
| TIRES | Nexen Rodian HTX RH5 275/55R20 113T M+S |
| EPA FUEL ECONOMY, CITY/HWY/COMBINED | 17/24/19 mpg |
| EPA RANGE | 494 mi |
| MotorTrend Test Results | |
| 0-60 MPH | 5.3 sec |
| QUARTER MILE | 14.0 sec @ 95.1 mph |
| BRAKING, 60-0 MPH | 122 ft |
| LATERAL ACCELERATION | 0.76 g |
| FIGURE-EIGHT LAP | 28.2 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) |
| Ownership Experience | |
| SERVICE LIFE | 3 mo/3,957 mi |
| REAL-WORLD FUEL ECONOMY | 17.1 mpg |
| ENERGY COST PER MILE | $0.19 |
| DAYS OUT OF SERVICE | 7 (bumper/grille repair), 1 (dead battery) |
| MAINTENANCE AND WEAR | None |
| DAMAGE | 369 mi: Plywood strike to bumper, grille on highway $1,789 |
| RECALLS | None |
