Plastic tailgate top

Here is a pic. It did take a little longer to mount and shim with additional washers to center the step cover itself along with the latch release. Very happy with the look and quality.
IMG_1992 (1).webp
 
It’s a stubby cone shaped drill bit.

Easily found at a hardware store or harbor cheap.

As amazing as the product looks and is and for what great effort it took to create it, I would have gone the extra half a mile and offered it with the flush screws style as shown by @BroncoHooves to make it a premium product.

The button screws almost kill the look of a stellar fabrication.
 
AZsurveyor said:
It’s a stubby cone shaped drill bit.

Easily found at a hardware store or harbor cheap.

As amazing as the product looks and is and for what great effort it took to create it, I would have gone the extra half a mile and offered it with the flush screws style as shown by @BroncoHooves to make it a premium product.

The button screws almost kill the look of a stellar fabrication.
Click to expand...
I used a cobalt one from McMaster as stainless isn’t easy to work with and work-hardens. I don’t think one from hardware store will work anyways, as it needs to be a 100º countersink, which isn’t too common.
 
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Wife asked when I’m ordering one? Guess that’s a hint.
 
I played with mine over the weekend as well and while definitely an improvement over the OEM cap as far as longevity, mine was suprisingly in good shape still.

I had added 3m double sided tape to the inside a while back and that seemed to hold up really good leaving the cap pretty much intact and free of any damage or separation issues.

Nevertheless, I prepped mine, counter drilled the holes for flush screw heads and while it looks good; I can see any improvement on the design in the near future from the fabricator...

As mentioned, the top portion of the step internals are now visible due to the gap left from missing lip the plastic OEM cap has. I can easily see a new variation where the fabricator can simply leave a lip just like the plastic cap has. That gap simply looks awkward and unfinished....

Also, both end pieces sit right up against some fasteners that will not allow the end of the plate to sit flush to the step itself and the wings seem to want to "fan" out.... the plastic piece cap snaps into some gooves which can easily be addressed by the fabricator.

For the price and the finish overall, the plate is a steal, needless to say.
 
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A quick follow up after a few weeks of use. I have had to make some adjustments due to fitment issues, primarly on the internal latch part.

This steel cover is substantially heavier than the plastic cover and certainly to take a lot more force to close it, not to mention for it latch into place.

We rely on the step a lot and therefore gets heavily used on a daily basis.

Now what I have been noticing is that the bottom of the tailgate cover has began to spread causing it to snap out of its notches because of the extra force it takes to snap it shut - you almost have to slam it in to fully bring it to its latch.

IMG_6973.webp
 
AZsurveyor said:
Now what I have been noticing is that the bottom of the tailgate cover has began to spread causing it to snap out of its notches because of the extra force it takes to snap it shut - you almost have to slam it in to fully bring it to its latch.
Click to expand...
Maybe that's from interference with the tonneau rail when you close it?
 
AZsurveyor said:
A quick follow up after a few weeks of use. I have had to make some adjustments due to fitment issues, primarly on the internal latch part.

This steel cover is substantially heavier than the plastic cover and certainly to take a lot more force to close it, not to mention for it latch into place.

We rely on the step a lot and therefore gets heavily used on a daily basis.

Now what I have been noticing is that the bottom of the tailgate cover has began to spread causing it to snap out of its notches because of the extra force it takes to snap it shut - you almost have to slam it in to fully bring it to its latch.

View attachment 159078
Click to expand...
So the day I installed mine I spent about an hour squaring and centering the plate, adjusting the latch in the square hole of the cover, and I actually took a pair of channel locks and bent the metal latch point on the tailgate slightly toward the rear of the truck. I opened and closed the step numerous times until it it was as passive as the oem plastic cover. You may try adjusting the metal latch point so the plastic latch will "catch" easier. Just a though
 
Rodd187 said:
So the day I installed mine I spent about an hour squaring and centering the plate, adjusting the latch in the square hole of the cover, and I actually took a pair of channel locks and bent the metal latch point on the tailgate slightly toward the rear of the truck. I opened and closed the step numerous times until it it was as passive as the oem plastic cover. You may try adjusting the metal latch point so the plastic latch will "catch" easier. Just a though
Click to expand...
I did the same thing but I may try to play with it some more.

Thanks for the two cents (y)
 
Just ordered one. I’ll eventually need the whole plastic tailgate cap too, as I’ve ripped that off (inadvertently) previously and reinstalled it. This factory design is poor to state the obvious.
 

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BroncOh said:
Hardware sourced and ordered:

M8x16mm long, 316 stainless black flat head screw (qty: 6 needed): https://www.mcmaster.com/95440A121/

M8x1.25 316 stainless nylon lock nut (pack of 25): https://www.mcmaster.com/94205A260/

M8 316 stainless washers (pack of 50): https://www.mcmaster.com/98690A114/

3/4" body, 6 flute, 100º Cobalt countersink: https://www.mcmaster.com/3285A684/
Click to expand...
Thank you for linking everything. Make my life easier. Click, click , click, click, order, and wait.
 
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