Decoding The Core Technology of Pickup Truck Rear Cover

Abstract

The rear cover of a pickup truck is not only a protective cover for the cargo box, but also a fusion carrier of material science, structural mechanics and manufacturing technology. This article analyzes the multi-layer composite material technology, flat-bottom cargo box design innovation, six types of mainstream modification solutions and vacuum forming process of the rear cover, and combines patented technology with industry cases to reveal how to achieve a breakthrough of more than 16% increase in loading efficiency and 3 times longer service life through the balance of lightweight and high strength.

1. Material Revolution: Physical Properties of Nano-scale Composite Structures

The core performance of the rear cover depends on the material layering design:

1. 7-layer composite structure: surface felt (30g/㎡ anti-corrosion layer) + strong core felt (30g/㎡ impact-resistant layer) + axial cloth (600g/㎡ fiber reinforcement layer) + polyurethane foam layer (energy-absorbing and rebounding structure), forming a “rigid and flexible” protection system. Its bending strength is three times that of traditional steel plates, and its weight is reduced by 20%.
2. Key material breakthrough:
3. FRP fiberglass: Huanghai N3 high cover adopts this material, which has a toughness 300% higher than that of iron cover and a salt spray corrosion resistance life of more than 10 years.
4. Manganese steel frame: Jiangling Yuhu 9 three-door high cover has a built-in manganese steel frame, which can bear 500kg without deformation and is suitable for the transportation of engineering machinery.

Physical property notes: The rebound modulus of the polyurethane foam layer reaches 8MPa, which can absorb 80% of the bump impact energy and protect the safety of precision instrument transportation.

2. Production process: vacuum forming technology and precision control

The patented production process (CN201811256758) achieves millimeter-level precision:

1. Seven-step hand-layup vacuum method:
2. Gel-state layered lamination (surface felt → strong core felt → axial cloth)
3. 80 mesh polyurethane foam infusion
4. Vacuum membrane closed pumping (-0.1MPa) to eliminate bubbles and improve interlayer bonding.
5. Anti-deformation process: Tesla Cybertruck uses “Air Bending” technology to bend stainless steel with high-pressure gas suspension to avoid deformation recovery problems caused by traditional stamping.

3. Evolution of cargo box design: flat bottom and three-fold railings

The utilization rate of traditional bulging cargo boxes is only 70%, and the flat bottom design subverts the space limitations:

1. Pure flat cargo box technology:
2. Chassis adjustment: JAC T6 reduces the fuel pipeline + optimizes the arc height of the leaf spring, and achieves a 1830×1595mm pure flat floor with a volume of 1342.7L (increased by 16%) without changing the height of the cargo box from the ground.
3. Loading measurement: 6 200L oil drums can be placed side by side (only 4 for ordinary pickup trucks), and the transportation efficiency of the double bed frame is increased by 50%.
4. Three-fold railing design: BAIC Warrior 3695 version supports 270° folding of three railings, and the 2264mm ultra-long cargo box is suitable for ATV all-terrain vehicle transportation, setting a domestic size record.

Four and six types of rear cover modification solutions and adaptation scenarios

V. Installation technology: punch-free structure and dynamic adaptation

1. Modular installation:
2. Jiangling Yuhu 7 manganese steel high cover adopts “snap-on fixing”, no drilling is required, avoiding the risk of rust on the vehicle body.
3. The hydraulic support rod of the inclined cover is equipped with stainless steel screws to withstand the extremely cold environment of -30℃.
4. Dynamic sealing solution: The rolling door track is embedded with EPDM rubber strips, and the waterproof level reaches IPX6 (anti-rain washing).

VI. Market verification: performance improvement in wealth creation scenarios

1. Commercial efficiency data:
2. The user’s actual annual income of the Great Wall Fengjun 5 flat-trough version long cargo box (1820mm) increased by ￥12,000 (102L more cargo/trip).
3. The diesel version of Jiangling Dadao Almighty consumes 7.8L/100km, which is 15% lower than that of competing products, and saves ￥24/300km in single-trip transportation costs.
4. Adaptation to extreme environments:
5. Heilongjiang users use the extremely cold version of Dadao pickup trucks. The polyurethane foam layer does not crack in an environment of -35℃, and the hydraulic struts operate normally.

Summary

The technological evolution of the rear cover of pickup trucks is essentially a triangular breakthrough in materials science, structural science and manufacturing technology: from the weather-resistant layer of 30g/㎡ nano-level surface felt to the vacuum-formed tens of thousands of stress distribution; from the spatial revolution of the flat-bottom cargo box to the scene adaptation of the three-flip railing – each link directly hits the core pain point of users: “load more and run faster, durable and worry-free”. In the future, with the popularization of 48V electronic architecture (such as Cybertruck), the integration of intelligent electronic rear cover and aerodynamic components will usher in a new round of performance revolution.

Industry authoritative links:

• Composite material patent: CN201811256758
• Flat-bottom cargo box loading test report (Jiangling Avenue)
• FRP material corrosion resistance standard (SAE J2523)