A cable-hinged pickup tailgate drops exactly as fast as gravity allows — quickly and loudly. Every time you open it the bumper takes a knock, and closing it means lifting a heavy gate one-handed, because the other hand is holding your gear. The Rival assist kit turns that into a controlled movement.

How it works. The kit works alongside the factory tailgate mechanism, slowing the drop and helping on the way back up. The gate no longer falls freely, so the hinge, the seal and the bumper all take less abuse.

Build. Steel, 4.0 mm thick. This part cycles every time the bed is opened and lives in water, salt and grit, so solid material earns its place here.

Installation. A complete fitting kit is supplied.

Fitment and limitation. Rival's technical description lists the Mitsubishi L200 for model years 2016-2019 and 2019-2023 — cable tailgate versions only — plus the Fiat Fullback 2016-2020. The catalogue name gives different L200 ranges: 2015-2019 and 2018-2023. Check which hinge type your tailgate uses before ordering.

• Tailgate assist kit complete with fitting kit
• 4.0 mm steel
• Mitsubishi L200 2016-2019 and 2019-2023 (cable tailgate), Fiat Fullback 2016-2020

The kind of upgrade you notice the absence of daily, and stop thinking about a week after fitting it. Which is the point.