I'm getting a new tonneau cover, and instead of putting unsightly locks on a low-profile cover, I'd prefer to be able to lock the tailgate. Does anyone make a locking tailgate handle for the Ranger, or do I have to use one of those electric interference locks and run a switch to the cab?

you could shave the tailgate and just run like a door popper type selenoid?

Check out these 3 differenet kind here

http://northeast.zoovy.com/category/tailgatelocks/

no money in the budget for body work right now, unfortunately. I'm not even going to be able to get the cover painted right away (fortunately it comes in black.)

The third style you posted I found elsewhere to fit a Ranger.. I'll probably end up with one of those.

I bought a BULLDOG TL3500 from buy.com for ~$45 delivered. What a peice of JUNK! Installation wasn't bad, and it worked great for a while, but something happened to it and it has started making some nasty noises when you operate it. I eventually pulled the plug on it because I was afraid it was going to fail in the locked position someday. At some point I'll have to pull the tailgate apart to pull it out of there. In my mind it is $45 I could have lit on fire to keep warm by. I give it a big fat p:-(q! ... Maybe it's just my unit though. I hear other people have had better luck w/ them.

Something tells me those key based locks are a better deal, especially if you don't have the keyless entry already. I think Pop Lock makes 'em!?! Looks to be the same price though..

I can't seem to find a Pop-Lock one listed for the Ranger... :(

Nevermind.. I've found it.