Updated Powered Tonneau Cover In Action! [Video]

[HJP1]

I've had my truck since August of 2022, put in a ticket for tonneau cover the day it was delivered and still waiting for the call to get it replaced. It still works but I hardly open/close it as I expect it will give out at any time. Looking forward to the new design that I can use.

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[PappaBolt]

@Ohm Boy Surely someone here will add a meme showing that soon

 

[AYAYRON]

That is very disappointing IMO. It just as loud and stuttery as the original. What happened to the "improved" powered tonneau RJ showed off on instagram back in may that was quiet and smooth?

I'll be honest, if this is what folks with original, broken tonneaus get but folks with new R1Ts delivered with powered tonneau in 2024 get something different (like the one shown in RJ's video) that is going to be messed up.

Edit; adding instagram post from May:

She’s talking over the sound, the mic isn’t near the slats, that’s why It gives the appearance of being quiet (in my opinion)

 

[bike123.com]

Just picked up my truck from getting the new updated powered tonneau cover installed at the Denver service center. They said they went to normal to watch them test the cover and that engineers poured sand into and on top of the cover and it ran with no problem.

They said it was the 2nd ever updated install and they ran it 20 times with no issues or weird noises before calling me to pick it up. I think it works and sounds much better now! The slats don’t sound like they are bending and fighting each other and the motor isn’t getting as bogged down.

Updates:
Still just One motor
Updated spring system to prevent panels from getting out of alignment
Updated bottom panel system
Reinforced interior and gearing
Something internally to help keep slats/gears clean

Ours worked 300% more times than the one in the video. That’s 3 times in the first 9 days of owning Sept ‘22 before jamming halfway.
With the amount of daily commercial work use and heavy abuse we dish out so cannot see a tonneau in our future.
The only use we see is way road trip aerodynamics, but since road trips usually have a load of bikes and gear, it’s unneeded. Our pleas to get a credit , even at lower value, are fruitless.
Too bad we can’t sell our future cover and installation slot!
EVERYTHING else takes all our abuse and neglect save for pesky things like cup tray and door pockets.
Best , most useful piece of machinery we’ve ever owned - underpriced too!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

That is very disappointing IMO. It just as loud and stuttery as the original. What happened to the "improved" powered tonneau RJ showed off on instagram back in may that was quiet and smooth?

I'll be honest, if this is what folks with original, broken tonneaus get but folks with new R1Ts delivered with powered tonneau in 2024 get something different like the one shown in RJ's video) that is going to be messed up.

Edit; adding instagram post from May:

If you’ve handled cookie sheets or sheet metal you’d understand why it’s loud. Has nothing to do with whether a cover is good or bad. Plug ears with fingers. It’s free.

 

[DaveA]

If you’ve handled cookie sheets or sheet metal you’d understand why it’s loud. Has nothing to do with whether a cover is good or bad. Plug ears with fingers. It’s free.

Its the motor strain as each panel come up that is cringe inducing.

 

[Marchin_MTB]

Ours worked 300% more times than the one in the video. That’s 3 times in the first 9 days of owning Sept ‘22 before jamming halfway.
With the amount of daily commercial work use and heavy abuse we dish out so cannot see a tonneau in our future.
The only use we see is way road trip aerodynamics, but since road trips usually have a load of bikes and gear, it’s unneeded. Our pleas to get a credit , even at lower value, are fruitless.
Too bad we can’t sell our future cover and installation slot!
EVERYTHING else takes all our abuse and neglect save for pesky things like cup tray and door pockets.
Best , most useful piece of machinery we’ve ever owned - underpriced too!

I have also started pleading with the guides to no avail. $1500 gear shop credit or whatever you think is right vs. What is probably >$2000 fully loaded cost for them to replace one and maintain it under warranty.

 

[ColoradoAdventure]

Its the motor strain as each panel come up that is cringe inducing.

Compared to the original design this is at least 3 times a quiet and it isn’t fighting to get the panels moving like the old version. The previous version on my R1T would make loud popping noises at each joint and struggle to get them out. I have good feelings about the updated one.

 

[Marchin_MTB]

She’s talking over the sound, the mic isn’t near the slats, that’s why It gives the appearance of being quiet (in my opinion)

I agree. Too many variables (in both videos) to make any meaningful conclusions. They said it was quieter and smoother but that’s all qualitative.

 

[Marchin_MTB]

The previous version on my R1T would make loud pooping noises

Embarrassing.

 

[bike123.com]

I have also started pleading with the guides to no avail. $1500 gear shop credit or whatever you think is right vs. What is probably >$2000 fully loaded cost for them to replace one and maintain it under warranty.

Right on
$1500 is very fair to them but as a company with growing pains it would require breaking with ‘policy’ and require an actual non ai human to actually think and make a decision.
At one point I said just gimme a wall charger but after replacing the fried NEMA 30 dryer plug on our 12 year old EVSE we’re back in gear -
That eBay item from China has survived 5 vehicles in daily use
Show us the money keep your cover

 

[R1Tom]

Did they happen to say if they added a second motor? The panel revision makes sense.

OP said it is still single motor.

I thought at least someone posted they had inside info it was going to be two...but maybe I just recall all the arguments why a single won't ever work adequately.

Makes me wonder then if Rivian will have multiple designs. Repaired style for all trucks in field...with one motor and a drive shaft and then new builds with the twin motors and indexers, etc...

 

[Sgt Beavis]

A few weeks ago, I busted my passenger mirror when backing into the garage. I’m gonna see if I can get them to tack on the tonneau repair when I take it in on the 26th.

 

[Jnz]

Do you know if they replaced the panels with new ones? Or are those the original panels? Mine have been scratched from when some debris got caught while retracting.

Just picked up my truck from getting the new updated powered tonneau cover installed at the Denver service center. They said they went to normal to watch them test the cover and that engineers poured sand into and on top of the cover and it ran with no problem.

They said it was the 2nd ever updated install and they ran it 20 times with no issues or weird noises before calling me to pick it up. I think it works and sounds much better now! The slats don’t sound like they are bending and fighting each other and the motor isn’t getting as bogged down.

Updates:
Still just One motor
Updated spring system to prevent panels from getting out of alignment
Updated bottom panel system
Reinforced interior and gearing
Something internally to help keep slats/gears clean

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Its the motor strain as each panel come up that is cringe inducing.

Drag a cookie sheet across your counter top. Friction creates vibration and resonance out of thin diaphragm-like material. That resonance produces sound that registers in another diaphragm-like material: your ear drums. Similar to how audio speakers work. The difference with speakers is that vibration is not caused by friction, but fluctuation of magnetic field in the speakers voice coil (coils of wire and magnet). As the cover deploys or retracts, those panels are dragging along the track: friction.

To mitigate the mechanical noise, Rivian could have coated the metal panels with a sound dampening material. But that would increase thickness, surface friction and a whole different design [and encroachment of Gear Tunnel space] for how the panels are stacked and sprung/lifted from below as the cover deploys.

Again, the way it sounds is merely a product of materials chosen and how the stacking system must be engineered in order to deploy, contract and store/stack panels in the space available... without a complete redesign of body structure and compromise to the Gear Tunnel (a key product differentiator). Nothing to do with whether the cover works or doesn't.

Despite being noisy when dragged/knocked, a cookie sheet still bake cookies just as well as intended.

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