Where to find vinyl (or other) cover material for tailgate chains

I found links and such that I think will work at Lowe's, but I can't seem to find any vinyl material anywhere that I can use for the covers. The wife is willing to sew me some covers; we just don't have the fabric.

Any ideas where to look, or any good alternatives? I really find it hard justifying $50 for a pair of reproduction chains from Walck's.

 

I got a real nice set of canvas ones from Beachwood Canvas. I like them better than the vinyl. They aren't for a jeep though. They were for some other military vehicle. I found one that was the correct legnth.

 

Here's what I used, for classic Chevy trucks. Same size as the originals and you can't beat the price: http://www.classictruck.com/product...9_Trucks_Tailgate_Items_Tailgate_Chain_Covers

 

Its real easy to sew them . just buy a strip of outdoor vinal from a fabric store and some good thread for uphulstry. cut it to lenth and width to wrap around the chain. sew a hem on the ends and along the length inside out. Keep it loose the first time and check it on the chain. if its too loose you can always run up the length of it abain to make it tighter. Just make sure to cut weap holes half way so they dont fill up with water

 

Bicycle inner tubes.. Heavy duty.. work good last long time.. ungawa simba..

 

My (Dad's) 61 used the same material as what the seat covers were made of. They were in two pieces each. Just enough gap for one link or so to make the bend in the loop. Flat sewn seam out. Straight off the showroom floor. Long gone now, I bolted the gate.

 

X2 on the bicycle tubes......last a LONG time.....

 

Yep, and they are kinda curved already, so when the tailgate is closed they kind look like they belong there.

 

JoAnne Fabric's, Hancock's fabrics..... Ask a woman, they can tell you. Every fabric store has at lease has some vinyl and if it is only one roll, it's probably black. One yard costs at most $10 or so. That is enough material to make probably 10 sets of covers. All it is is a rectagle piece folded in half and sewn at the top and bottom to make a hem and down the long side. It takes longer to figure out how big to cut it than to sew it. No offence to anyone here, but a bike tube looks like a bike tube. With just a little effort you can make a set that looks better and can probably get it to color match your seats and/or top. That was probably the easiest thing I did on my build (and cheapest)

Besides, has anyone bought a bike tube lately? Even the walmart brand ones have that gunk stuff in them and it's nasty.

 

Not a single tube I have bought lately has had slime in it. Every one for mountain biking. Heck the shop I pick them up at has one option for tubes(no slime), just different sizes.

 

I have used bicycle tubes for covers, and they work ok. I suggest you punch a couple of holes in the middle so any rain water will drain out the tube. Without the holes, they form a cup that soon fills with rusty (rust from your chains) water.

Re heavy-duty tubes, you can buy 'thorn proof' tubes that (necessarily) come in a box nearly as big as a shoebox. I expect that these will be too thick to work well. You can also buy the slimed tubes.

 

Thanks for the input...I was definitely planning on buying some vinyl and having the wife sew them up. We have a Michaels in town...but I can't remember about Hancocks, so I'll check them out. Bike tubes would work, but I want something that looks a little more authentic (and I may do them a bright color like baby blue to match my antique plates.

One thing I'm wondering about is how to rustproof the chains. They're normal steel chains, and I'm sure I can spray paint them, but I don't know what's best to use and how to do it without making it look retarded (primer necessary)? Unfortunately Lowe's didn't have any coated chains that weren't hideous colors. I also had to use some S hooks instead of the type that came stock...unfortunately I only have one original hook, and the repros from Walck's and the like are crazy expensive. I'm not very confident I could bend some to look decent myself. Any ideas or alternate sources?

Thanks!

 

Inner tubes aren't very UV resistant and will rot in a year or so. The ones I linked above are original and cheap, I see no reason not to use them.

 

What about that stuff you can dip things in and it dries into a rubber coating? I've never used it but I hear it works good. Whether it would work on chains or not is another story.