Matthew Bath, Author at The Artisan Life Co.

Installing a DeeZee Tailgate Assist on your truck will allow you to safely and easily lower your tailgate. This will not only make your life easier, but will also extend the life and performance of the tailgate. No more struggling to open your tailgate when your hands are full. No more hearing that horrendous thud of your tailgate free falling to its limit.

The install was easy; in fact, it took about 15 minutes to complete the 10 simple steps for the Ram version. The following tools are required for the installation of your DeeZee Tailgate Assist:

T-45 Torx
M5 Allen Wrench
Pliers
10 mm Wrench
13 mm Wrench
17 mm Wrench
Tape Measure

Follow the 10 short steps in the intruction manual or follow along in the YouTube video. And before you know it you’ll be a smooth operator… Of you tailgate that is.

Some added benefits and features. I have a 7 year old daughter, and now I don’t have to worry about her opening and dropping the tailgate that weighs a good 60 pounds on her. It will come down in a nice controlled descent. This model is built specifically for each make/model, so that makes for an easier installation without needing to custom fit pieces that were made for a different truck. Plus there is no drilling or fabrication required.

Things to note:

Kit is intended for driver side only
The nutsert in step 1 should be tightened at least 9 full 360 degree turns. If after 9 turns it is still loose continue to tighten 1-2 more turns. Over tightening the nutsert can strip the threads.
In step 2, tighten the ball mount 8 ft-lbs.
Periodically check the upper and lower mounting locations and re-tighten as needed.

For more information, check out DeeZee’s web page: https://www.deezee.com/

Music for the video was provided by The Magnumb Opus. Buy their music here: https://amzn.to/2ZrwyYx

Or check them out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnumbopus/

If you have, or purchased the tailgate assist let me know what you think of it: http://theartisanlifeco.com/contact/

Theartisanlifeco.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. If you enjoyed this article, and are considering purchasing the products reviewed please check out the links below. Thank you.

Purchase the DeeZee Tailgate Assist for Ram ’09-’18 1500 and ’10-’18 2500/3500 https://amzn.to/3dIK27s

Camera Gear Used:

Sony A7RIV: https://amzn.to/2YKp0AZ

Sony 55 mm F1.8 Lens: https://amzn.to/2CKVFOa

DJI Ronin-S Essentials kit: https://amzn.to/2YGcgey

Small Rig Cage for DSLR: https://amzn.to/2EANTrg

Quick Attach Plate: https://amzn.to/3fere0o

This year my brother moved to Chicago, and left his 2-door Jeep Wrangler JK to my daughter and I. In the past, I’ve had two Jeep Wrangler TJs and loved them; however, every year when the weather was finally nice and the top came off I would always get a bad sunburn. There’s nothing worse than sitting in rush hour traffic and turning into a lobster… This time around, I need to take extra precautions with my daughter riding in the back. I was searching for something that was easy to install and would block the UV rays while still keeping the open air feel of a topless Jeep. That’s when I came across the Alien Sunshade.

It is important to minimize our exposure from the sun and its harmful UV rays. When I was 25 I was diagnosed with melanoma twice within 6 months of each other. According to the Skin Care Foundation, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer, and getting sunburned 5 or more times doubles your risk for melanoma. Be smart and use a sunshade to reduce the UV rays and risks of getting skin cancer.

The installation of the Alien Sunshade was a breeze. This project did not require any tools or special hardware, and only took about 10 minutes to install. Before you begin though, you will need to remove the hard top and/or lower the soft top. It is recommended to leave the sunshade in the sun for 30 minutes to warm up. By doing this the sunshade will stretch easier and it will remove the wrinkles. The first step is to unfold the sunshade and position it so that the front eyelets align with the 3 footman loops along the windshield. Use the 3 short bungee balls to attach the sunshade to the footman loops. The ball end of the bungee should be underneath the sunshade. Next, use the 12 long bungee balls to attach the sunshade to the roll bar. To keep the sunshade centered and aligned I alternated between driver and passenger sides of the Jeep. After a few tugs and repositioning bungees I was happy with how the sunshade fit. When you are ready to put the top back on you will need to remove the 3 front bungees. After the top is back on you can reattach the 3 front bungees.

The Alien Sunshade turned out great! I purchased the extended version for the 2 door, so that it extended back behind the seat rest. This way I don’t have to worry about my daughter getting exposed to the sun. The paint on the Jeep is called Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl, and I wasn’t sure on how well the red colors would match, so I went with Sand. In my opinion, the Sand color goes really well with Deep Cherry Red. It’s great that you can still see through the top, it reduces wind noise, and I think it reduces the extreme heat of the sun in the summer.

So in conclusion, I highly recommend checking out the Alien Sunshade. This product was easy to install. works great, looks great, and reduces your exposure to the sun!

For more information on protecting yourself from the sun check out the Skin Cancer Foundation at https://www.skincancer.org/

If you have, or purchased an Alien Sunshade let me know what you think of it: http://theartisanlifeco.com/contact/

Purchase the Alien Sunshade Extra Long Version from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dIK27s

Alien Sunshade Full Length Version: https://amzn.to/2NGy4Re

Camera Gear Used:

Sony A7RIV: https://amzn.to/2YKp0AZ

Sony 55 mm F1.8 Lens: https://amzn.to/2CKVFOa

DJI Ronin-S Essentials kit: https://amzn.to/2YGcgey

YouTube Video