“Free” DIY tie down options for tailgate assist and XL sportfish tie downs

[Lambretta]

Thanks for all the ideas on tie downs, I used some of the previous ideas with some mods. With tailgate assist, I modified bottle opener to work and be low profile. Compromises are you need to feed ratchet strap webbing through and only one bolt. Gate closes fine and does not rub or bind in anything.

I purchased 4 pack of sportfish tie downs on Amazon like others recommended for my upper rear in the XL. With the two extras I cut the “wings” off, drilled a hole, and mounted in the mid-bed M8 hole.

Some compromises but it gives options with only investing a little time and using some left over spray paint (wish I had semigloss on hand though).

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[JP4AZ]

Thanks for all the ideas on tie downs, I used some of the previous ideas with some mods. With tailgate assist, I modified bottle opener to work and be low profile. Compromises are you need to feed ratchet strap webbing through and only one bolt. Gate closes fine and does not rub or bind in anything.

I purchased 4 pack of sportfish tie downs on Amazon like others recommended for my upper rear in the XL. With the two extras I cut the “wings” off, drilled a hole, and mounted in the mid-bed M8 hole.

Some compromises but it gives options with only investing a little time and using some left over spray paint (wish I had semigloss on hand though).

Be careful not to put too much pressure/torque on this mid-bed (M8) tie down. Others have reported to have distorted the inner metal bed panel. These holes are designed to have a rail to distribute the stress over the 4 holes (not all on one single hole)...... Just use caution

 

[Lambretta]

Be careful not to put too much pressure/torque on this mid-bed (M8) tie down. Others have reported to have distorted the inner metal bed panel. These holes are designed to have a rail to distribute the stress over the 4 holes (not all on one single hole)...... Just use caution

Thanks for the heads up…hadn’t read that before!

 

[Skulls Road]

Nice work! I think drilling a hole in the leg and putting a rivnut in the tailgate would make that super strong.

 

[REMUB40]

My solution is to install and remove the factory tie down when I need to use it, which will not be often.

 

[raymaines]

Not to be a total dork exactly, but my solution is to not install the damper. The two-bolt tie-down is more important to me than the damper. If the damper made it easier to lift the tailgate I'd be all over it, but it only helps on the way down and it's really not needed.

 

[Maverickman74]

Are putting anything under that tab. You can get a sheet of rubber floor mat off the roll at the big hardware stores for $10 or reuse something you have to make rubber gaskets. It will help keep things in place and protect paint preventing rust.

 

[Glen Geller]

If the damper made it easier to lift the tailgate I'd be all over it, but it only helps on the way down and it's really not needed.

My wife uses the truck occasionally, but didn't like how fast the gate came down until we added the damper. Now she is more comfortable with operating it. Not everyone is a "big strong man", so soft opening is nice.
Also, little kids might get in the way, or open the gate and get flattened - the damper adds a margin of safety for a lot of people.

 

[Edward8369]

I agree! Safety first.

 

[Bodageta]

I grew up with a 1950 Ford truck that had latches that would pinch your finger when hooking the chain in. It also had chains to hold up the tailgate and if not connected if I recall correctly it would fall. It made me what I am today. I don’t think I need a damper. As a counterpoint though my wife opened my Maverick tailgate and dropped it like it was heavy. I’m mixed. Sometimes I feel like we are becoming a nation of wusses. Sometimes I don’t want lesser experienced folks to get injured. I’m rambling so I’ll move on.

 

[Scot LX]

I added an extra tie down I had from a set of ten I picked up off of amazon for about $10. The tie down was a small hole for the bolt a 45 degree angle and a large hole for tying to. I had to bend it to about 90 degrees for it to not hit the bed when closed. I am sure that it isn't nearly as strong as the original one, but I don't plan to tie anything down that tight from this point. I will most likely use it to keep the back end of my motorcycle centered, as the other tie downs will be used for the forks and frame. I did have to trim a little off of the bedrug. As far as the damper goes, I purchased it after a short drive where I needed the tailgate down, I hated the bounce I got from the tailgate when going over speed bumps. After installing the damper, I don't think it will solve the bounce problem. It needs to be dropped from higher than the bounce height for the air pressure to slow the drop. My wife likes the drop from closed, and I don't want to go though the hassle to return, so I will just keep it.

 

[Gschaef]

Thanks for all the ideas on tie downs, I used some of the previous ideas with some mods. With tailgate assist, I modified bottle opener to work and be low profile. Compromises are you need to feed ratchet strap webbing through and only one bolt. Gate closes fine and does not rub or bind in anything.

I purchased 4 pack of sportfish tie downs on Amazon like others recommended for my upper rear in the XL. With the two extras I cut the “wings” off, drilled a hole, and mounted in the mid-bed M8 hole.

Some compromises but it gives options with only investing a little time and using some left over spray paint (wish I had semigloss on hand though).

Looks very nice and it appears this is an XL. One photo shows you installed a tie down on the side of the bed. Were the holes in your side bed already threaded? I have an XL with a spray in liner and was trying to add some tie downs to the sides but none of the hole seems to be threaded. Now I’m trying to find if any of the holes in the XL are threaded.

 

[Lambretta]

Yes the holes where threaded on mine, there are four along each side used for an optional track system. The are about 8 inches above the wheel well hump. There are some a few inches down from the top of the bed that are not tapped. As someone noted, as I installed, be careful to not stress that tie down or it may deform panel.

I think on mine I had to work off some of the spray in beadliner to get the bolt started. Don’t remember if I used a utility knife or tap to clean them up, or just forced the bolt in with an impact driver.

 

[Gschaef]

Yes the holes where threaded on mine, there are four along each side used for an optional track system. The are about 8 inches above the wheel well hump. There are some a few inches down from the top of the bed that are not tapped. As someone noted, as I installed, be careful to not stress that tie down or it may deform panel.

I think on mine I had to work off some of the spray in beadliner to get the bolt started. Don’t remember if I used a utility knife or tap to clean them up, or just forced the bolt in with an impact driver.

Thanks a lot for the reply. Good to know those are tapped. Those are the same holes I was having no luck with and I also tried filing down the spray in a bit. I am using M8 1.25 x 25mm flanged screws. Do you recall if that’s what you used? Maybe I’m using the wrong size. Thanks again and I’ll try again.

 

[BLDDONR]

Thanks a lot for the reply. Good to know those are tapped. Those are the same holes I was having no luck with and I also tried filing down the spray in a bit. I am using M8 1.25 x 25mm flanged screws. Do you recall if that’s what you used? Maybe I’m using the wrong size. Thanks again and I’ll try again.

Get an 8m x 1.25 tap at the hardware store and carefully clean out all of them. Either the spray in people aren’t very careful, or the original tap job left debris inside. Every one of mine benefited from a re-tapping.

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