I need some opinions or ideas for tailgate straps for my new bed. I'm using inside latches and want to use something that stays inside of the bed and will not scrape the paint. I only plan dropping the gate just to load a show box or very light items. There will be no sitting on the gate so heavy duty is not what I am after. I am leaning towards some type of a webbing strap or possibly a material like the belts that were worn in the military with the push through buckle and slider that secured the belt to the desired position. I fiqured that someone here has dealt woth this before. Thanks.

There are a few new pics in the gallery.

 

Dan Carpenter has a set i'm thinking of using. They're 30$ for the pair, Look about mid page heres the link.

http://www.dancarpenters.com/tailgate.html

 

Bobbytnm made his own straps: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25568

I have seen kits for sale that use the webbing and standard screw attachments for the light duty you are talking about, but I don't remember where I saw them.

 

Check out the latches and cables iI put on my '49. I made the cables and bought the latches from McMaster Carr. They have a safety catch on them so they don't vibrate open. Most of the latches I have seen the truck vendors selling vibrate open.

 

do yo have a part # for those latches??

 

Dog leash , comes in various lengths and multipe colors. Comes in handy for all sorts of situations, trim details, sewn into carpet as borders,hood to cowl seal ..heck you can even tie the family pet to the bumper...

 

The McMaster number is 6200A34.
I really like them becuase they are adjustable. I put a rubber bumper on the bed and then adjusted the latch to compress the rubber slightly to eliminate the rattle.
I made the catch that is mounted on the tailgate. I will post a close up picture of it in the next couple of days.

 

I prefer the Turn Handle Latches & Inside Covered Chains that were on those South African F-series trucks that our S.A. FTE member showed us Pix of & it's in the Ford Blue Book of Options & Accessaries.

 

I made these from Bimini top straps purchased at a local boating store, ( i'm in Florida) along with the mounts and buckles. I don't sit on mine either. I think I've got about 12$ in the whole deal..
Happy New Year.

 

Just be careful of the straps flapping in the breeze as you crusie down the road. We had a tarp cloth edge strip the paint from the outside of a pickup bed flapping in the wind for 100 miles.

Sam

 

Thanks guys, a man cannot go wrong asking ya'll for help.

 

Wow, Randy is fast! I stole the idea for the webbing straps and boat hardware from rearjim awhile back. I bought some bulk 1" webbing from a local surplus store but you can get it at most any fabric store or hardware store. I sewed them to length myself on a standard seweng machine. If you looked at my pics you can see all I had was blue thread, I since went back with a black sharpie marker and colored the thread black to match the webbing.

I have sat on my gate and it feels sturdy enough.

I'd love to see what you come up with
Good luck
Bobby

 

Here is what a set from Pros Pick looks like.

 

Here are the close up pic of my tailgate latch setup that I promised.

 

[QUOTE=Randy Jack]Bobbytnm made his own straps: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25568
QUOTE]

Good luck finding the appropriate toilet seat parts....maybe Bobby can give you the make and vintage of the seat in question.....

This chrome piece is actually part of a hinge assy from a toilet seat