The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tailgate chains

This is the anal question of the month...I have a '48 Chevy 1/2 ton p.u. I see the tailgate chains hooked on in either direction. Is one more proper than the other, or does it come down to personal preference?

Phew! "anal question"! You had me worried! I've heard of pierced nipples and nipple chains, but you just gave me a whole new visual for 'tailgate chains'. Seriously though, I seem to recall that the old adds showed the chains run from the outside in. I always thought it looked backwards the other way.

The chains lay better when in the right way. On '54 and up they go in from the bottom.

I solved that problem when I bought my new bed from Mar-K. One of their options for a few bucks more (it's only money) is a hidden tailgate latch.
http://www.mar-k.com/what_s_new_at_mar-k.html
That is the only non-original look other than the 5" suspension drop I have made on the truck; after all it's only original once.

I thought it went: Sticks and Stones may break my bones But Whips and Chains Excite Me!

WOW--I guess that created some excitement! Thanks for the entertainment and the friendly advice.

I'll be damned. Never knew that...

I'am under the inpression. The easyest way of insertion with out intanglement,is the proper mounting arrangement.

As, I said, the '54 and up chains lay right when inserted right. The bend of the hook makes them lay right. If you have repro hooks they may need to be bent to match original ones. Mine did.

Cletis, You seem to have these chains figured out.
Do you have a tutorial on how to bend them or some good pictures and measurements for making them so they work right?

Mine came with 60d nails for hooks. I got them so they work but they don't lay right and have been rubbing the paint.

Sorry, I didn't take pics. I had a rusty pair of originals to work from.

Cletis isn't it an S-bend with a 90 degree twist? I'm not near my truck now or I'd go out and have a look. The 90 deg twist allows it to lie flat against the bed at the chain end, while hanging clear through the hole up top.

I got the rubber chain tube protectors that keep it from swinging against the gate frame and fenders, but I thought they were way too short to be fully effective. I added some bicycle tire innertube to bridge the gap between the rubber chain tube protector and the hook. Little damage now. (Sure wish the chinese would cut those things about 4" longer and allow US to trim them to fit! Cheapskates. grrrrr)

Bill

That's because we use US inches and they use metric.

Quite the question. I thought someone was going to ask what color of air was in the tire originally!! As to tail gate chains. Be different. Put one through from the outside and the other from the inside.