Tailgate Lock

Hey yall. I just bought a hard tonneau cover to protect my valuables but obviously, that's pointless if my tailgate doesn't lock. Now I know Pop N Lock makes a locking latch for 60-80 (no wiring) and it seems like what I need but I can't get past the awful reviews for them. They all seem to be made very cheap and break easily. Do any of yall have one and have had a different experience with them?

 

The part that breaks commonly is the plastic pivoting arm. Most people bypass it all together and just drill a hole further up in that plastic arm and secure the unlocking mechanism from there. Ive read it on a few thread a few months ago. Im sure some quick searching will produce some solutions for you. I will be installing one in my vehicle soon as well and am pretty interested in how i can modify it to be more reliable.

 

im thinking theres got to be some kind of protective/ supportive spray you could coat it in to prevent wear

 

I have had the Pop n lock on mine for almost 3 years. Knowing that it's made of cheap plastic, I am very careful with it. I lube the latches and always push in slightly on the tailgate before I pull the handle. The black plastic has turned greyish, but that's the only problem I've had. Going on the assumption that the plastic gets more brittle with age, I have considered talking to Pop N Lock and see if I can buy just the plastic handle as a preventative maintenance.

 

yeah i bet not yanking it and letting it drop could help prolong the longevity

 

Had no issues with it, put it on either the end of 14 or start of 15. If I did have an issue with plastic parts I would just 3D print some from a better material.

 

Why not just get the wired version? That's what I've had for years and it's problem free?

 

same here. Keep mine lubed well and ends up spray painting it flat black due to fading. No issues so far goin on 3 years...

edit to add: mines the manual one that keys to your oem ignition key

 

Sorry to clarify mine is the wired version.

 

There is nothing you can effectively do to prevent cheap plastic from breaking. In this case I would fab up another pivoting arm from some home improvement materials or mock up a new arm from a 3d printer.

I would also attempt to move the pivoting point up further in the arm where there is more material.

I

 

Post a pic of the model you are looking at.

I've been lucky with mine so far at 4 years. No issues and used almost every day. Probably should oil her up now that you guys mention it

 

this is what im looking at

 

Check this one out of you want to use the original ignition/door key
Pop & Lock PL5400 Black Manual Tailgate Lock with BOLT Codeable Technology for Toyota Tacoma

$100 Pop & Lock PL5400 Black Manual Tailgate Lock with Bolt Codeable Technology for Toyota Tacoma

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLK77YO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wKGiEbAWP2HNN

 

do you have to do a bunch of wiring for it? i absolutely despise electrical work lol

 

This one is different than mine. I have the standard lock that works with my key fob for lock/unlock

Edit: no key access on mine. Minimal electrical work btw. If you can change a light switch you are good to go on this

 

any chance you got a link to it

 

I bought that one. It's really nice to be able to use your door key and not have to have another key on you. I installed mine about 6 months ago. No problems yet... buts its only been 6 months.
Now if someone can make a locking gas cap that has a codeable lock like the PopNLock, that would be cool.

 

whats the process for getting it to respond to your key fob?

 

I've had a Pop & Lock on mine for almost 4 years with no problems. It's important to keep it cleaned and lubed. I take my tailgate cover off once a year to spray the trail dust out, and to clean and lube the lock mechanism. If you let it get dry and full of gunk, it'll break.

 

$122 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma, Fits Models 2005 to 2015 (PL8521)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00439Q05S/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1



I forget the actual route of the wiring but it was simple for sure. Very simple. I have mine linked to the passenger door lock so the tailgate only unlocks when you hit the unlock on the fob twice- thought it would save some wear and tear.