How Tight Should Straps of Thule GateMate Pro be On Tailgate

Question:

How tight do the straps need to be around the tailgate? I tried a GateMate pro on my 2019 Ridgeline and can’t seem to get the straps tight. The Honda tailgate is more narrow than the GateMate. Any suggestions?

asked by: Cecilia

Expert Reply:

Thule does not specify a tightness for the straps of the Thule GateMate Pro # TH823PRO on trucks like your 2019 Honda Ridgeline as that's hard to do given the nature of the strap setup but what you'll want to do is tighten them snugly by hand using your best judgment. There are two sizes for this rack though and you should make sure you don't have the larger # TH824PRO which wouldn't fit your tailgate well and might be why you'd have issues tightening it down.

I attached a review video for this rack for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Jameson C