Pace Edwards UltraGroove Review: Buy It for the Rails, in Metal

Buy the Pace Edwards UltraGroove if a rack, bike mounts or a cargo basket will ride over your bed and you still want a cover you can open, close and lock under them, and buy it in Metal. It's a manual retractable with Pace Edwards' RES (Rail Expansion System) T-slots built into both side rails, so Pace Edwards, Thule, Yakima and Rhino Rack T-slot gear bolts straight on, and the cover still rolls into its canister at the front of the bed. It's made in the USA, and the Metal version carries a limited lifetime warranty. The catch is a big one for a cover sold to carry racks: Pace Edwards publishes no load rating for the cover or its rails. Plan on some water too, as with every slatted retractable we cover.

Pace Edwards sells the UltraGroove in three versions. The UltraGroove Metal has aluminum panels with a matte black powder coat. The plain UltraGroove lays an ArmorTek overlay, a padded polymer laminated to the aluminum, over the panels, with a 5-year warranty instead of lifetime coverage. The UltraGroove Electric adds a motor and key fobs; this review is about the two manual covers. Pace Edwards is now part of the RealTruck family, some Amazon listings are sold by a seller named LEER Tonneau Covers, and you may see it called the LEER UltraGroove. Every listing we link carries the Pace Edwards brand.

The short version

What works:

• Rack rails built in: the RES T-slots run the length of both side rails, so crossbars ride above a cover you can still open, close and lock.
• Partial covering: lock positions every 12 in along the rail let you haul something tall at the tailgate and keep the front of the bed covered.
• All-aluminum Metal deck: no overlay to delaminate, and the same limited lifetime warranty Pace Edwards gives the Full Metal JackRabbit.
• Open bed: the cover rolls into a tapered canister at the front of the bed, so nothing stacks up against the rear window.

What to watch:

• No load rating: Pace Edwards publishes no rated load for the cover or the rails, and no weight, canister size or install time either.
• Water: expect some, and the front of the bed is where to look first. Pace Edwards calls the design weather resistant and excludes water intrusion from the warranty.
• Drains: the drain tubes clog with debris and the hoses can slip off their fittings, and Pace Edwards says some vehicles need drilling to fit them.
• No key on the cover: the lock knob sits under the cover, so the bed is only as secure as your tailgate lock.
• The spring: a five-year-old UltraGroove can stop retracting all the way. Call Pace Edwards before you take it apart to re-tension it.
• Warranty: the Metal's lifetime coverage is for the original owner on the original vehicle. A used cover, or one moved to your next truck, has none.

How it differs from the JackRabbit

Under the rails, the UltraGroove shares most of its working parts with the JackRabbit. Both use Pace Edwards' Continuous Tension Spring to pull the cover into the canister and a strap to pull it closed, both lock every 12 in, both drain through tubes and clamp on with no drilling for the cover itself on most trucks, and both come in a powder-coated all-aluminum version and an ArmorTek version. The warranties match too: the UltraGroove Metal shares the Full Metal JackRabbit's limited lifetime terms, and the ArmorTek UltraGroove shares the ArmorTek JackRabbit's 5-year terms. Four things separate them.

• The rails: the UltraGroove's T-slots are part of its side rails, on every version. The Full Metal JackRabbit has no rails on the cover; RealTruck offers optional Explorer Rails for the ArmorTek JackRabbit, and Amazon lists Full Metal kits with Explorer rails for some trucks. Yakima lists its Tonneau Kit 1 for the UltraGroove except on the 2004-on F-150, so check that before you plan a Yakima setup on an F-150.
• The lock: the JackRabbit has a key-lockable twist lock. The UltraGroove has a lock knob under the cover that releases the rear latches, and RealTruck says cargo is secure with the tailgate locked. No extra key to carry, and no lock of its own if your tailgate doesn't lock.
• The mounting: the UltraGroove's hardware has leveling arms to hold the rails in line, turn-knob clamps that hand-tighten on most trucks, and specialty rear end caps that RealTruck says make rack installs easier.
• The price: the UltraGroove Metal cost more than the Full Metal JackRabbit on two of the three same-bed listings we compared. You're paying for the rails.

If no rack will ever ride on the cover, buy the JackRabbit. The UltraGroove only earns its premium when the rails get used.

Which trucks and beds it fits

Pace Edwards makes one UltraGroove kit per truck and bed, and Amazon lists them the same way. The rows below are the ones we confirmed on each listing's own page; the fitment table under the score panel carries the part numbers. Several listings name bed lengths differently from RealTruck (6 ft 5 in for the F-150 long bed RealTruck calls 6 ft 7 in, 5 ft 6 in for the F-150 and Tundra short beds it calls 5 ft 7 in), so match the part to your truck, not the decimal.

• F-150: the 14th-generation F-150 (Gen14) has Metal listings for the long bed, which Amazon calls the 6 ft 5 in F-Series LightDuty bed, and for the SuperCrew and SuperCab 5 ft 6 in bed, a part RealTruck lists for the F-150, Raptor and Lightning. The ArmorTek version has a 5 ft 6 in listing. We didn't confirm an UltraGroove listing for the Gen13 (2015-2020).
• Silverado and Sierra 1500 (T1XX): Metal and ArmorTek listings for the 5 ft 8 in and 6 ft 6 in beds, titled 2019-2026 Crew Cab. RealTruck lists the same parts for 2019-2024 and says the 5 ft 8 in parts don't work with GM Accessory side storage boxes. None of the listings mentions the MultiPro or Multi-Flex tailgate or the CarbonPro bed, so ask the seller if your truck has either.
• Ram 1500 (DT): a Metal listing for the 6 ft 4 in bed that excludes trucks with the 60/40 (multifunction) tailgate and doesn't name the body style, so confirm it's for the DT and not the Classic. RealTruck lists a Metal part for the 5 ft 7 in bed that doesn't work with the multifunction tailgate and needs the TRX bed bar removed; we didn't confirm it on Amazon. We found no UltraGroove listing for RamBox trucks.
• Tundra (3rd gen): an ArmorTek listing for the 2022-2026 CrewMax 5 ft 6 in bed. RealTruck says that part won't work with factory bed storage boxes and will get in the way of the optional factory deck rail system. RealTruck lists Metal parts for the 5 ft 7 in, 6 ft 7 in and 8 ft beds, unconfirmed on Amazon.
• Colorado and Canyon (3rd gen): an ArmorTek listing for the 5 ft 2 in Crew Cab bed. Its title says 2023-2026 and its fitment bullet says 2023-2024, and RealTruck says the part impedes the factory deck rail system if your truck has one.

RealTruck lists UltraGroove Metal parts for the 2024-2025 Ranger and the 2022-2025 Maverick, but we didn't find them on Amazon, so those rows link to a search and say check fit for your truck. The same goes for the 3rd and 4th gen Tacoma, where we couldn't confirm a part at all, though UltraGrooves do run on Tacomas. Neither UltraGroove page says anything about fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitches; if you run one, ask Pace Edwards before you order.

The specs that matter

The UltraGroove's spec sheet lists construction, lock, drains, a no-drill clamp install and the warranty, and stops there: no rated load, no weight, no canister dimensions, no install time. Here's how the two manual versions line up against the Full Metal JackRabbit and the RetraxPRO XR, from the makers' own pages:

Both UltraGrooves share the RES rails, the Continuous Tension Spring, the pull strap, perimeter seals and specialty end caps, the leveling-arm mounting hardware and a no-drill clamp install on most vehicles. The difference is the deck: aluminum panels with interlocking silicone hinge seals and a matte black powder coat on the Metal, the ArmorTek overlay on the other.

The missing load rating matters more on the UltraGroove than on any cover without rails, because the rails are the reason to buy it. The RetraxPRO XR gives you 500 lb evenly distributed to plan around; the UltraGroove gives you nothing for the cover or the T-slots. The one Pace Edwards number in the picture belongs to a rack: its EL200 rack, which mounts to the RES rails on UltraGroove covers, is listed to support up to 200 lb, without saying whether that's static or on the move. Don't read it as a rating for the cover or the rails, because Pace Edwards doesn't give one. Keep the rack load light, keep heavy gear like water and firewood in the bed, and before a rooftop tent goes up, get a rail rating from Pace Edwards in writing. Whatever rack you use, the lowest rating in the chain governs. Never stand on the cover.

The canister costs some bed space, as every retractable's does, and Pace Edwards only calls it low-profile and tapered. On a Tacoma with the ArmorTek UltraGroove, the owner measured about 10.5 in of clearance under the canister without a bed mat, and about 13 in from the front of the bed to the cover's lip when it's open. Measure your own bed against what you haul before you order.

The UltraGroove Electric is a different buy that we haven't reviewed. Pace Edwards says its motor wires to the truck battery, it ships with two key fobs, an electro-magnetic brake locks the cover in any position, and a release lever overrides the brake if the power goes out; switches and a Bluetooth module are extras. Its 7-year limited warranty covers the drive system and electrical components and is prorated after five years. RealTruck's page describes powder-coated aluminum slats while the Amazon Electric listings describe ArmorTek construction, so confirm which deck you're getting. Wiring follows Pace Edwards' install guide, not ours.

Weather sealing and leaks

Plan on some water. The UltraGroove's rails work as gutters that carry water to drain tubes at the front and rear, perimeter seals and end caps close the edges, and Pace Edwards calls the design weather resistant, not waterproof. Its warranty excludes water intrusion at any location on every version. Most owners who describe water call it minor: a little in heavy rain, most of it kept out. The bad case is at the header rail, the cab end of the cover where it meets the front of the bed, and that's the usual leak point on any retractable. When it leaks there, sealing it can take a long round of foam and butyl tape. Water reports on this cover are few, and only one says where the water gets in, so we've left the leak-risk gauge empty rather than guess.

The drains are the maintenance item. Debris clogs the drain holes, and in hot sun the rear drain hose can soften and slip off its fitting by the tailgate. The fix we'd copy is a clip-on wiper seal along the canister lip to keep debris out of the canister, plus wider drain connectors and tubing if yours keep clogging. Ask Pace Edwards before you add either: its warranty is void if you install parts that may interfere with the cover without its written permission. Route the rear hoses so they empty outside the bed, because water that drains at the tailgate end can still end up inside. Pace Edwards says some vehicles need drilling to fit the drain tubes; plan the route before the rails go on, and ask the seller what your truck's kit needs if you'd rather not drill.

Check the tailgate seal after the first long drive, because a new cover can drift back from the tailgate on one side and leave a gap. Square the rails, confirm both sides seat, and keep anything that can't get wet in sealed bins.

Build quality and living with it

We'd buy the Metal. The aluminum deck has no overlay to look after, and its lifetime warranty covers failure of materials and workmanship as well as separation of the deck panels. One Amazon Metal listing shows a 3-year warranty line next to a lifetime bullet; go by RealTruck's warranty page for your version. The trade is weight: Pace Edwards doesn't publish it, but the Metal is heavy enough to make the install awkward and to take a bite out of your payload. In the sun the deck gets very hot, though the heat doesn't come through into the bed much.

• The ArmorTek deck: it wants a vinyl protectant such as 303 every so often to keep the vinyl and the wipers clean. The vinyl can chatter at highway speed, enough to hear with the rear window open, though not every cover does. Pace Edwards' 5-year warranty covers delamination of the ArmorTek deck but excludes fading or discoloration.
• The spring: a five-year-old UltraGroove on a Tundra stopped rolling all the way into its canister, and its owner couldn't see a way to re-tension the spring short of taking the cover apart. The ArmorTek warranty names spring failure for five years. Call Pace Edwards before you start pulling it down.
• The small parts: the plastic is the weak link. Handle the cab-end end caps and the drain hose connectors with care, because both have broken on install.
• Rack hardware: T-bolts in the rails can work loose from vibration. Check them at least once a year and consider a medium-strength thread locker.

What we can't tell you is how an UltraGroove does past five years. The cover's record is shorter than the JackRabbit's, which has eight and ten-year owners, so read the shared Continuous Tension Spring and strap as the JackRabbit's track record, and the rails, lock and mounting hardware as the newer, less proven parts. Keep the tracks clean and use only the lubricant Pace Edwards' manual prescribes, because anything else voids the warranty.

How it compares

• Versus the Full Metal JackRabbit: the same spring, strap, 12 in lock points and lifetime warranty, with a key-lockable twist lock and no rails on the cover. It cost less than the UltraGroove Metal on two of the three matching listings we checked. Buy the JackRabbit unless a rack is going on the cover.
• Versus the RetraxPRO XR: aluminum slats, full-length T-slot rails, a 500 lb evenly distributed rating and a lock that holds the cover at any position along the track, with a limited lifetime warranty. It cost more than the UltraGroove Metal on four of the five same-bed listings we compared. If you want a published number to plan around, that's worth the extra, though it's a rating for the closed cover, not for the rails or for a load on the move.
• Versus the RetraxONE XR: T-slot rails and a latch that locks anywhere along the track, on a one-piece polycarbonate cover rated 200 lb evenly distributed with a 1-year warranty. It usually costs less than the UltraGroove Metal. It's the cheaper way to get rails; the UltraGroove Metal is the stronger deck with the longer warranty.
• Versus the ArmorTek UltraGroove: the same rails, spring, lock and seals with the ArmorTek overlay on top, for noticeably less money. The step down costs you the all-aluminum deck and lifetime coverage, and buys you a 5-year warranty and vinyl to look after.

Installing it

The UltraGroove clamps to the bed rails with turn-knob clamps that hand-tighten on most trucks, and its leveling arms keep the rails aligned. RealTruck says no drilling is needed for the cover on most vehicles; the drain tubes are the exception on some. Follow the install sheet for your part number; it governs. Plan on a helper, especially for the Metal.

• Don't over-torque the brackets: the brackets that clamp the cover to the bed rails are aluminum, and too much torque means replacing them. Tighten to the install sheet, not by feel.
• Spray-in liners: on an F-150 Lightning with Ford's factory spray-in liner, you may need to take the black shims out of the rear clamp extensions so the rail spacing comes out exact and the cover rolls freely.
• Drop-in liners: if you have an over-the-rail drop-in bed liner, Pace Edwards' bedliner sheet says the part covering the sill will usually need to be trimmed or removed, and a notch may need to come out at the front for the canister.

Then square the rails, hose-test the cover, and check that both sides seat against the tailgate before you load anything that can't get wet.

Who should buy the UltraGroove

Buy the UltraGroove Metal if a rack, bike mounts or a basket will ride on the cover and you want the bed covered and locked underneath. It cost less than the RetraxPRO XR on most listings we compared, its warranty covers the deck for life, and the rails take the major T-slot brands. Keep the rack load modest, because nobody publishes a rating for the rails, and get the drains routed and protected on day one.

If no rack is in the plan, the Full Metal JackRabbit does the same job with a keyed lock, usually for less. If the rails will carry a tent or heavy gear, the RetraxPRO XR at least publishes a figure, 500 lb evenly distributed on the closed cover, but no rail or on-the-move rating, so get that limit in writing too. Skip the ArmorTek UltraGroove unless the price gap decides it, and if you're buying any UltraGroove used, assume there's no warranty and check that the cover still rolls all the way into its canister before you pay.