I need some help. My wife pulled off from my gooseneck horse trailer without lowering the tailgate. She did a suprisingly good job of destroying it. Can anyone recommend the best place to get a new tailgate for an 05 F250. I would like to get one that is already painted. Would I do best just going to a dealer or is there a better option. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

I would recomend a couple options:
One, is to search salvage yards. Might find one in your color and would most likely be straighter!
Two, would be one of the "air-through" tail gates that already have a cut out for goose necks. I'm sure you've seen them on trucks around town. Look like their made of louvers.

 

If you haven't already check out ebay, they tend to have them too.

 

I found mine (in the right color) on ebay. Did pretty much the same thing. Pulled out from under fifth wheel without lowering tailgate. Now I have 2 tailgates...a fifrth wheel gate I use all summer and a regular Ford tailgate that I put back on after camping season is over.

Antoher place to look is places that install lift-gates for pick-ups. They resell the original tailgate from the installs.....

 

Thanks guys, I'll give the suggestions a try. Needless to say the wife has lost her truck priveliges for a while.

 

or...

$328.85
http://catalog.powerstrokeshop.com/p...=1&catalogid=2

+painting at your local body shop.

 

When you get a new tailgate "shell" from the dealer, you will get just that - a shell. It would need to be painted and clearcoated and the hardware installed. The end result would be a hefty price. Like they suggested I would look at several salvage yards for one. If you are lucky you might get it in your color. Worse case, you get one and have to have it painted. Good luck in your search for one.

 

Wait around, maybe someone will drop one of at your house

I was sitting here reading this thread last night and thinking of my own smashed tailgate, and my failed attempts at finding one that I could afford for the past ten months...when I heard something. Something tapping on the window. It startled me. I got up to make sure the front door was locked and walked toward the bedroom to see if I could get a look out of that window. I could only hear a diesel idling. I heard the tapping again and walked back toward the front door when I heard a quiet voice say my name. I knew then it was someone I must know.

I opened the door and it was a good friend of mine. He said come out to the truck, I have something for you. It was a near perfect tailgate and he said "I ran across this and knew you needed one." We've been good friends for 20 years and he gets lucky sometimes. Another friend of his had purchased a salvage truck for the running gear, and had no use for the gate. He had made the guy a good deal on something else, so he just gave him the gate, and in turn he gave it to me.

Mile off topic, but I found it weird that I was reading this very thread when a tailgate showed up at the door

 

Man, is it ever nice to have friends!!

 

sell the wife and the money you get buy a new tailgate...or another truck...no im just kidding...its only a truck dont get to pissed of at the ol ball and chain oerr it...ebay is one of your best bets ... alot of people are selling theres on there and ive seen a lot on there that are oxford white so maye your is??? and you next best bet is to go to a scrap yard and try and get lucky...if im correct the 99-07 are all the same...am i?

 

its a shame you live in n.c. .... I have tailgates amost weekly at my job... I actually have a white 350 gate right now...

I work for a body upfitter, we do utility, dump, crane, flatbeds, lift gates, you name it we do it..

And we allways have a revolving stock of nos (take off ) beds and parts...

but alas... im in rhode island... if you could go to baltimore, i could send one to my van body division... lol..

 

Have you seen the new 08 tailgate with the pull down step? Maybe you need to wait three months and order one of those. I think they will be real handy.

 

[QUOTE=keith w]Wait around, maybe someone will drop one of at your house ........../QUOTE]

Yeah, but how often will something like that happen? That was a real nice surprise I'm sure. I hope you bought your buddy dinner at least!?

 

I thought I read somewhere that 97-03 F-150 tailgates are the same as well, gives you more options. Lots of takeoff fenders bumpers tailgates and beds out here where Prerunners are a dime a dozen! Good luck.