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How to lock your Jeep Gladiator soft tonneau cover for under $15

Skid

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How to lock your Jeep Gladiator soft tonneau cover for under $15:

Things you’ll need: two M6x30 bolts and one 2-pack of bike-rack straps.

ETrailers has the straps for about $10 plus shipping. See link: https://www.etrailer.com/p-SR26543.html

Lowe’s/Home Depot has the bolts (see pic).

Put the bolts in the existing holes in the sides of the bed (see pic)

Loop the straps around the tonneau cover frame and through themselves.

When you close the cover, hook the straps over the bolts. Done. You can stretch them a little to get an extremely tight ‘lock’ or use the next hole down and it still holds but has a little wiggle.

If you want, you can cut the extra length of the strap off too.

1B3E868C-D738-46AD-BAB2-A1A31B4CDF57.jpeg


35E8B035-924D-4CD4-9FE9-C8C459220CF8.jpeg


32580D7B-B631-448E-B688-05216E2199B4.jpeg
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Rokon

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How to lock your Jeep Gladiator soft tonneau cover for under $15:

Things you’ll need: two M6x30 bolts and one 2-pack of bike-rack straps.

ETrailers has the straps for about $10 plus shipping. See link: https://www.etrailer.com/p-SR26543.html

Lowe’s/Home Depot has the bolts (see pic).

Put the bolts in the existing holes in the sides of the bed (see pic)

Loop the straps around the tonneau cover frame and through themselves.

When you close the cover, hook the straps over the bolts. Done. You can stretch them a little to get an extremely tight ‘lock’ or use the next hole down and it still holds but has a little wiggle.

If you want, you can cut the extra length of the strap off too.

1B3E868C-D738-46AD-BAB2-A1A31B4CDF57.jpeg


35E8B035-924D-4CD4-9FE9-C8C459220CF8.jpeg


32580D7B-B631-448E-B688-05216E2199B4.jpeg

Great idea! Good job!
 

Mowat

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Awesome Idea.. ordered the straps.
 

BrichJeepUtopia

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Great idea! These buckles work pretty well too. $1.98 each on the camping section in wal-mart.

D911CF23-ADE7-4D02-9A2F-987C90C105ED.jpeg


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My free solution. Rando bolts from the garage and zip ties!

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IMG_20190914_153723575.jpg
 

STEELCITYDJ87

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Are you locking factory tonneau. Does it not lock with the tailgate locked?

Also does yours lift up in the middle sides at speed?
 

Hawkeyes3312

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How to lock your Jeep Gladiator soft tonneau cover for under $15:

Things you’ll need: two M6x30 bolts and one 2-pack of bike-rack straps.

ETrailers has the straps for about $10 plus shipping. See link: https://www.etrailer.com/p-SR26543.html

Lowe’s/Home Depot has the bolts (see pic).

Put the bolts in the existing holes in the sides of the bed (see pic)

Loop the straps around the tonneau cover frame and through themselves.

When you close the cover, hook the straps over the bolts. Done. You can stretch them a little to get an extremely tight ‘lock’ or use the next hole down and it still holds but has a little wiggle.

If you want, you can cut the extra length of the strap off too.

1B3E868C-D738-46AD-BAB2-A1A31B4CDF57.jpeg


35E8B035-924D-4CD4-9FE9-C8C459220CF8.jpeg


32580D7B-B631-448E-B688-05216E2199B4.jpeg
This is a highly underrated thread. I did the same last weekend and am very happy! I don't lock it all the time unless cargo is in the back. I didn't want to stretch out the straps too much over time.
 

Angler33

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Question...the hole that you show here on my Jeep is almost fully covered with bed liner. Any ideas on how to clean this out so I can get a bolt in there?
 

BrichJeepUtopia

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Are you locking factory tonneau. Does it not lock with the tailgate locked?

Also does yours lift up in the middle sides at speed?

yes factory tonneau. The final section of the tonneau that meets the tailgate is only held in place by friction against the back side of the tailgate when its shut. with a minimal amount of upward pressure with your thumb, you can pop that section open even when the tailgate is closed and locked. Once that section is open, you have access to the release straps and can then freely roll up the tonneau. So, many of us have been coming up with ways to secure that last section of the tonneau, preventing would be thieves from popping it open to see whats inside.

Also, yes, straight from the dealer mine has been blowing up on the edges at speed, causing the tonneau to lift and flutter. When snapping mine down into the latches, there is very little tension. We haven't had any rain since picking mine up, but water will blow in there without a doubt. Dealer confirmed mine is not tight enough, they ordered me a new one under warranty. They said it should be there in 4 or 5 days, but its been 5 days and some people on the forum are saying they're on back order. So might be a while....
 

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Question...the hole that you show here on my Jeep is almost fully covered with bed liner. Any ideas on how to clean this out so I can get a bolt in there?
i have seen some people use a tap to add threads to the hole. I would thing you could drill and tap. or maybe just use a self tapping machine screw of appropriate size
 

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How to lock your Jeep Gladiator soft tonneau cover for under $15:

Things you’ll need: two M6x30 bolts and one 2-pack of bike-rack straps.

ETrailers has the straps for about $10 plus shipping. See link: https://www.etrailer.com/p-SR26543.html

Lowe’s/Home Depot has the bolts (see pic).

Put the bolts in the existing holes in the sides of the bed (see pic)

Loop the straps around the tonneau cover frame and through themselves.

When you close the cover, hook the straps over the bolts. Done. You can stretch them a little to get an extremely tight ‘lock’ or use the next hole down and it still holds but has a little wiggle.

If you want, you can cut the extra length of the strap off too.

1B3E868C-D738-46AD-BAB2-A1A31B4CDF57.jpeg


35E8B035-924D-4CD4-9FE9-C8C459220CF8.jpeg


32580D7B-B631-448E-B688-05216E2199B4.jpeg
I'm kind of confused about this post since my top seems to be locked when the tailgate is locked.
 

STEELCITYDJ87

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yes factory tonneau. The final section of the tonneau that meets the tailgate is only held in place by friction against the back side of the tailgate when its shut. with a minimal amount of upward pressure with your thumb, you can pop that section open even when the tailgate is closed and locked. Once that section is open, you have access to the release straps and can then freely roll up the tonneau. So, many of us have been coming up with ways to secure that last section of the tonneau, preventing would be thieves from popping it open to see whats inside.

Also, yes, straight from the dealer mine has been blowing up on the edges at speed, causing the tonneau to lift and flutter. When snapping mine down into the latches, there is very little tension. We haven't had any rain since picking mine up, but water will blow in there without a doubt. Dealer confirmed mine is not tight enough, they ordered me a new one under warranty. They said it should be there in 4 or 5 days, but its been 5 days and some people on the forum are saying they're on back order. So might be a while....
I will be taking mine to dealer for them to look at and hopefully warranty a new one. It is annoying to hear tonneau flapping at speed.
 

AggieJeep

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Question...the hole that you show here on my Jeep is almost fully covered with bed liner. Any ideas on how to clean this out so I can get a bolt in there?
i cut the bedliner away with my pocket knife. A small pointed blade will do. I did find the 6mm bolts noted above did not really fit. They were too loose to be a decent anchor point.i tried a 1/4” and had no luck.

I just went with a strap to the anchor loop near the floor of the bed.
 

trader979

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Careful doing this. You can pop the rivets out of the rear frame of the toneau.
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