Tailgate strength
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Tailgate strength
My last 2 F350s have had their tailgates bent from bales of hay! The present one from a bale tossed about 8 feet and bent it so bad you can see it on the outside! Will a diamondplate tailgate protector stop this? Any ideas? I couldnt believe the damage a 40 lb bale of hay can cause.
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Needs to be a pickup for all around use. This didnt use to be a problem, just too much cutting corners and lightening
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Stanwood Wa.
You need a piece of heaver gauge then what they would sell to most guys like 11fire5er. .125" or thicker. Problem will transfer then to the Side tailgate cable mounts most likely bend or tear them too
Sorry to hear of a 40 lb bale bending your tailgate. I have a few dents in the sides as well from tossing things in the bed.
For the actual bed I use the heavy horse Stall mats cut to fit.
Sorry to hear of a 40 lb bale bending your tailgate. I have a few dents in the sides as well from tossing things in the bed.
For the actual bed I use the heavy horse Stall mats cut to fit.
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I was thinking of a sheet of pressure treated plywood and pulling it out over the tailgate when loading but cleaning the bed later will be a pain.
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Fleet Owner
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From: Brentwood,CA
I have a 3/16 rubber tailgate mat (for a cushion) thento cover the entire inside of the tailgate is a 3/16'' of cold roll plate that I had cut at a local fab shop. I had the plate Line X on both sides and instaledl it to the tailgate using SS wafer head screws. Looks great and it survives better then the rest of the bed! The fender wells are punched clean through on my 2010!
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
Can you post pics?
I find it tough to believe only 40 lbs bent your tailgate. In a moment of temporary insanity I once had 720 lbs on my tailgate while unloading the sand I used for ballast. The pic is a bit fuzzy, but the tailgate had no troubles with the weight...
But seriously, real sorry to hear about your bent tailgate. I'd be pretty upset if that happened to me!
I find it tough to believe only 40 lbs bent your tailgate. In a moment of temporary insanity I once had 720 lbs on my tailgate while unloading the sand I used for ballast. The pic is a bit fuzzy, but the tailgate had no troubles with the weight...
But seriously, real sorry to hear about your bent tailgate. I'd be pretty upset if that happened to me!
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From: Isanti, MN
Never attempted to say that you weren't telling the truth, I just am curious enough to wanna see pics!
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I still dont believe they are that weak. The 02 bale dropped about 10 feet and made a small distortin. The 04 was tossed abot 6 ft horrizontaly and dropped 3 feet. I get hit all the time with bales like that and think nothing of it but this one landed between the bed and taigate and collapsed the botom of the gate and only later did I see the krinkled outer tailgate skin. This is pretty bad for a work truck, I also have a plastic bedliner and tailgate protector
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2003
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Do you have the tailgate step? I wonder if they had to take out support and material to get room to allow for the slide mechanism and stuff. Not to menition they may have tried to lighten it just like they do everything these days to get the fuel economy up to make the feds happy.