if Ford wants to do something else with theirs, I'd like to see it power close. Like stated above, that split to me looks like an issue long term.

 

pretty soon, the only way to get an honest tailgate will be on a mason dump body.

 

Getting up to the bumper and being able to reach in versus reaching over the already high up tailgate would allow me to reach much more than a little further in. As for durability of design, I don't really see a lot of difference between the Ram tailgate and a station wagon tailgate of the '70s. Those tail gates opened like a door and dropped like a truck, plus they had a glass window inside. The worked exceedingly well. There is, however, something about how Ram builds their vehicles that allows them to get loose and rattly pretty quickly. I haven't looked at Chevy's tail gate other than what's seen on television. It looks like a very good design, but the rest of the truck doesn't measure up. Over time, the Ford tail gate step does move around to the point it doesn't fit quite right in the closed position, but it's not too bad.
The bumper cut outs that Chevy thinks are so wonderful, are handy for reaching into the bed, but worthless for actually climbing into and out of the bed, especially carrying a tool box or similar. Ford's stripper pole has Chevy's beat all hollow, too.
I think the fact that we spend so much time nitpicking grills, placards, steps, and ladders to death speaks volumes concerning the overall design and reliability of the Ford trucks. We are in a really good place.

 

A barn door design was used by FORD 20 years ago on the 1999 Excursion. Granted, it did not fold down like a conventional tailgate, but those doors sure made it easier to access the Excursion's rear interior space.

 

I would welcome a barn door tailgate. It's a pain to load / unload a heavy skid with the tailgate in the way.

 

I just use the step in either side of my bumper. One of the advantages of aftermarket. Never used the tailgate thingy -- afraid I will break it, seems pretty flimsy.

 

I was going to say it reminds me of the old station wagons. I like the idea of not always having to reach over the tailgate, but that vertical split line would rub my OCD in all the wrong ways.

 

 

 

 

Lots of good points raised in that post. I'm not praising the GM or Fiat tailgates by any stretch of the imagination, and I've mentioned this before, but the remote-open tailgate on my KR is the most useless "convenience" I've ever come across.

 

Beer Tap!
yeah, that's it!

 

I also have this, and so far it works great. I used my tailgate to get to my eaves to install some security cameras on my house, and I was up and down that little ladder many times over the weekend. I have a 2X2 piece of wood I use as my grab handle. I just stuff it in the rear bed stake hole, and voila! So far, it's well worth the $49.00 I paid for it.

 

 

Those aren't tailgates......
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This is a tailgate.......