Hey, I was just reading in parts for sale, someone is selling tailgate chains & covers. I had a relationship with a local company as a vendor for O.E.M. parts to be manufactured by me for their tailgate vehicles.I had to purchase hooks from a vendor they already used and sew straps instead of chains, to sell to them as a complete part. The straps had to be 1" poly w/4000lbs. tensile capacity which the engineers and I tested, after sewing,(hook & strap) to 2000 lbs before any discernable varience from print. The company moved from here, to somewhere in the Carolinas, some years ago. We sold maybe 1 or 2 orders to them after the move until I didn't hear from them any more. I was left with a couple hun. hooks and quite a bit of webbing so I made a set for my trucks which have held up very well. Would anyone like to get rid of those chains and go to straps? I stiched a stainless eye-bolt to one end to bolt to the truck, and slipped an innertube as a cover over the strap, nice clean look, without looking unlike O.E.M. to much. I could do the same for anyone with a stepside tailgate. I'm not sure what the 5/16 eyebolts cost but the strap/ hooks/ sewing is cheap!
