Poor boy tailgate
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Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,014
Likes: 9,958
From: Rio Rancho, NM
Poor boy tailgate
As most of you know, I'm a tightwad. I have a hard time spending large amounts of money on a truck that I basically got for free. Besides that once the bills get paid, kids get clothed and fed, etc, etc, etc there just isn't much left over to toss at the truck.
Anyway, after installing the stake pockets at the rear of my truck I decided something had to be down with the tailgate. The center section of my tailgate was in decent shape but the upper and lower rails were hammerd. The PO had did some clever welding on the gate in several areas....ugh. I decided that I could rebuild the exterior structure and weld in my center section. I used some 1" EMT electrical conduit, 3/4" x 14 guage angle, and some 3/4" pipe
While I was at it I also fabbed up some spring pin latches that will get pressed into the upper rail to hold the gate closed. I still have to come up with some kind of cable or straps to hold the gate when its opened but I'll get to that later.
Here's a link to my gallery with some pics;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25568
Bobby
Anyway, after installing the stake pockets at the rear of my truck I decided something had to be down with the tailgate. The center section of my tailgate was in decent shape but the upper and lower rails were hammerd. The PO had did some clever welding on the gate in several areas....ugh. I decided that I could rebuild the exterior structure and weld in my center section. I used some 1" EMT electrical conduit, 3/4" x 14 guage angle, and some 3/4" pipe
While I was at it I also fabbed up some spring pin latches that will get pressed into the upper rail to hold the gate closed. I still have to come up with some kind of cable or straps to hold the gate when its opened but I'll get to that later.
Here's a link to my gallery with some pics;
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25568
Bobby
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
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From: Durham NC
Bobby, a suggestion: rather than filling all those relief cuts in the angle, I would cut off all the tabs flush and cut 1 curved piece of sheet stock same thickness as angle stock to match the radius and weld it in place of the tabs. Much easier to make 1 weld at each end and along the edge than fitting and welding in all those little triangles and grinding them flat. Make a cardstock pattern with a kid's school compass. Same method can be used to form a tight curve in channel or square tubing, some carefull fitting and grinding will make everyone wonder how you bent it like that. 
Last edited by AXracer; Nov 27, 2006 at 11:49 AM.
Thread Starter
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Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,014
Likes: 9,958
From: Rio Rancho, NM
Thanks everyone for your kind words! I still have to do some grinding and smoothing and detail work.
Does anyone have any cool ideas for straps?
Randy, I've been toying with the idea of trying to make my front clip mach the rest of the truck by trying to match the 2 shades of faded green, orange primer, and previous owners randomly applied flat black
AX, Great idea, thanks, that sure makes better sense than trying to fit up dozens of little triangles.
I'm hoping to get my shield gas bottle filled today so I can at least finish my other spring pin latch this week.
Thanks again for all the kind words and the encouragement! This site is the best
Bobby
Does anyone have any cool ideas for straps?
Randy, I've been toying with the idea of trying to make my front clip mach the rest of the truck by trying to match the 2 shades of faded green, orange primer, and previous owners randomly applied flat black
AX, Great idea, thanks, that sure makes better sense than trying to fit up dozens of little triangles.
I'm hoping to get my shield gas bottle filled today so I can at least finish my other spring pin latch this week.
Thanks again for all the kind words and the encouragement! This site is the best
Bobby
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Michigan
Echoing everyone so far, your gate looks really good. I'm facing a similar rebuild on my F-3 gate here as soon as I have some time (and the rest of the box finished first).
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Fleet Mechanic
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From: peyton, colorado
Bobby, that's very similar to what I did with my latches. Probably have $5 in them, all hardware store materials. Of course, I never did post those pics......For straps, I'm going to fab brackets and use nylon tie down strap webbing. You can buy tie downs pretty cheap and just use the webbing, and it's available in several colors. Or....I may use some leather belt, and tool it with a Ford logo. Once you have the brackets made, any shoe repair shop can sew the strap around the bracket for you.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,958
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Awesome job on both the gate and the latches.
I would get a set of the cable ones like Ax said. The rangers had them and I believe the full size ones did too. Rangers from 83-92 for sure had them. They were steel cables with a black rubber coating.
I would get a set of the cable ones like Ax said. The rangers had them and I believe the full size ones did too. Rangers from 83-92 for sure had them. They were steel cables with a black rubber coating.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,392
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From: Michigan
As far as the cable straps, I know my 94 FS Bronco has them, so I'd assume that the trucks up through at least 96 would have them as well.. Should be easy and cheap to find. Only problem I can see is that at least up here in the northern climate, the plastic coating tends to crack and they start to rust, actually had the ones on my 91 ranger rust through and break.
Then again, I doubt that any classic truck like ours would ever see road salt.
Then again, I doubt that any classic truck like ours would ever see road salt.