Cool Gear for Your Pickup

Climbing into a pickup truck bed can be less than graceful. Major truck manufacturers, like GMC/Chevrolet and Ford, finally figured this out and now offer unique tailgates that unfold, and/or have bumper cut-outs for better footing when stepping into and out of the bed. There are even add-on steps available in the aftermarket that facilitate safe boarding. But what about all the millions of owners who don’t have pickups with such features?

Hatchlift Products (hatchlift.com), a Colorado-based company which specializes in high-quality struts for compartment doors and mattress platforms, has developed a gizmo called the Stake Hand that lends a helping “hand” when climbing into and out of the pickup bed. It’s simplicity personified — and is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” products.

The device is a 13 ½-inch, straight metal handle that slips into a specially designed receiver mounted in the stake pocket at the rear of the bed rail. It provides a stable handle to hold on to while stepping on the bumper and over the tailgate to reach the bed. Without such an aid, users must grip the tailgate, which can be awkward and unsafe, lower the tailgate and climb on butt first — or use a step stool.

The Stake Hand, which retails for about $40, is designed to fit most trucks with rectangle stake pockets (holes) in the bed rails — you know, those holes that most people never use. Compatible stake pocket openings will have dimensions of either 1-3/4 x 2-5/8 inches or 1-3/8 x 2 inches. There is one slight caveat: Many trucks now have bed rail covers, generally made of plastic, which means the receiver portion of the kit will not be able to snug tightly against the metal bed rail. It’s best to trim the bed rail cover to allow the receiver to seat against the metal, but we installed it on top of the bed rail cover. Doing so presented some play when pulling on the handle. Although this feels somewhat disconcerting the first time out, the receiver is still attached to metal and offers plenty of support. We were somewhat hesitant to trim the bed rail cover until checking out whether this handle will work as advertised; since it met expectations, we will now trim the plastic using a Dremel tool and cutting wheel.

Installing the Stake Hand is very easy, but it takes a little finesse to manipulate the parts. For the 2016 Ram dually we used to test the product, we needed to employ the large capture plate. For trucks without a rail cover, the first step entails loose assembly of the receiver, gasket and capture plate. A long bolt is threaded into the plate using only a few turns. While holding on to the bolt, one corner of the capture plate is pulled up while pushing the opposite side under the lip of the stake pocket. A tie-down strap hole in the receiver must face the inside of the bed. The hole is used to attach the S-hook of a tie-down strap through the receiver, offering a convenient attachment point when strapping down cargo. This is an add-on benefit that has no bearing on the use of the handle and is only designed for light-duty use.

The next step is to wiggle the capture plate until it is completely under the lip of the stake pocket. After loosely inserting the other bolts, the receiver is tightened against the rail. For the test installation with the rail cover, the capture plate was inserted first and the receiver bolted in after lining up the two parts, which took a little more patience.

To use, simply insert the handle in the receiver and hold on while climbing aboard. A word of caution: The handle protrudes 8 1/4 inches above the bed rail, so you must remove it before attempting to hitch up a fifth-wheel trailer or your day will be ruined.

Two snap-in brackets are provided with the kit for those who wish to mount the handle in a convenient location on the bed wall. The only maintenance is to apply a coating of linseed oil inside the tubes to prevent rusting.