Does anyone know how much weight the tailgate on a 2005 SD will hold?
I have to move a 800 pound safe should I take the tailgate off to move the safe?
Thanks ~Gage~

 

I would remove the tailgate,it probly would hold the weight but if you get too much weight toward the middle they bow pretty easy

 

Thanks rbaker, I will remove it than, any easy way to lift it out of the bed?
~Gage~

 

I have found the tailgate capacity to be three kegs. Any more than that and it starts getting real crowded!

 

I have a small loader/backhoe for that but other than an engine hoist or tree and comealong not sure

 

I can tell you that it will hold an 1100 lb Yamaha Rhino. But that is obviously based on spreading the weight over the width of the tailgate. I can also tell you that you shouldn't put that same amount of weight on the tailgate of the new Tundra as it will damage the fragile little gate. Apparently them Toyotas ain't built Ford tough!!

 

Thanks guys, Also should I use the tow/haul mode on my trans when I move the 800# safe? I will be moivng it about 40 miles from my house.
Thanks ~Gage~

 

800 pounds is easy for your truck. Normal load.

 

I doubt you'll know it's back there unles you don't tie it down and stop fast

 

I'll second that. Had a pallet of granite in the back and had to stop short, it slid and slammed into the front of the bed, pushed it out two inches and creased the back of the cab. I thought I was rear-ended by someone going 60mph. Tie downs wouldn't have worked, but a non slip surface would have.

 

Had 55 gallon drums full of water on the tailgate, 55 gallons @ 8 pounds per gallon = 440 lbs.

Dropped one on it's side from about 4 inches up, bent it like tissue paper.

I'd remove it for 800lbs ...

 

I had to haul and 750lb gun safe with my truck when I first got it. And slide it right off the tailgate and never hurt it. Just make sure when you make the move you have more than two people and an appliance dolly. A buddy of mine and I moved mine up one flight of stairs and down another, but it was a real pain in the butt. I think your tailgate should be fine, I mean I wouldn't think ford has made them any weaker form 99 to 05.

 

It would probably hold, but with easy as it is to remove the tailgate you might as well take it off.

Just unhook the two cables, and pull up on the passenger side. There is a little slot where the tailgate unhooks from the hinge and then you just pull it off. It seriuosly takes about 10 seconds once you know how to do it, that is why tailgate theft has become so popular in some areas.

 

Not sure how much weight a tailgate is good for, but I did notice the tailgate on the new '08 F350 is much easier to raise and lower than the old '05 F250's was. Do ya think Ford lightened the tailgate, or did they find a way to make it easier to open & close? Window sticker lists a "tailgate assist" option ........?? Anyway, sure is a lot easier to open and close.

 

Ford did the same thing the did with the new F-150s to make it easier to close. There is spring in the tailgate that twists when you open it. When you close it the spring pressure assists you in closing it. That what makes it easier, more than likely the tailgate is probably heavier that the old ones were. The new F-150's have the same design, you can almost close a the tailgate with one finger rather than both hands like before.