LOCKING TAILGATE

What good is a tonneau cover? Certainly it saves gas by reducing the drag of the tailgate. It also covers up the items in your bed and keeps peoples envious eyes off of them. Most people think a tonneau cover can protect the goods in their bed. If the cover is soft vinyl, the material can be cut. If the cover is made of a hard plastic or fiberglass, it must protect everything. Wrong? Anyone wanting something out of your bed just has to open the tailgate.

This situation can be easily resolved with the addition of a tailgate handle lock. There are three main producers of a tailgate lock in the market. They are Pace-Edwards, Pop & Lock and Pilot. Each of these producers service a different portion of the market.

Pace-Edwards makes the top-of-the-line tailgate lock.

The Powergate remote locking system locks your tailgate every time you lock your truck doors. The factory touted the following features: Make your truck bed totally secure by installing one of our PowerGate tailgate locks along with your Pace Edwards Tonneau cover. Easily installed using the plug-and-go wiring harness (included). Includes Stainless steel backing plate and slide bolt with nylon guide block. Optional switch kit available for vehicles without power door locks. PowerGate is manufactured by Pace Edwards

Pop-n-Lock is a middle line of tailgate lock.

They produce both a manual tailgate lock and an electric tailgate lock systems. There are over 24 custom truck models included in the program. Each can be installed without drilling into the vehicle. There are only 7 steps to in the installation on many models. As an example, for the 1988-98 Chevy CK Pickup you only need a 3/16 Allen Wrench or # 30 Torx and a 7/16 Socket or Adjust. Wrench to install. They are priced between $40-100 depending on the model and whether it is manual or electric.

Pilot or Bully tailgate locks are the least expensive of the locks.

Unlike Pace-Edwards and Pop & Lock, this tailgate handle lock is imported from China. The Pilot or Bully tailgate locks have limited applications. Their tailgate handle lock is only produced as a manual lock. Installed on the truck they look much like an original equipment tailgate. The high impact plastic bezel replaces the original one. Each lock comes with two keys. The Pilot or Bully tailgate locks sell for $29.99. Fitting a tailgate lock Chevy takes only minutes.

Picking a tailgate lock is all about whether you want good, better or best. Each of the three tailgate handle locks mentioned above will secure your tailgate and the goods covered by your tonneau cover. You only need to decide whether you want remote, manual or electric activation.