Tailgate net? Yes or no....
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Junior User
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Tailgate net? Yes or no....
Hey I have been looking for a used tailgate for my 73 forever and in Washington state they are pretty hard to find... I was thinking about just picking up a tailgate net to replace my old beat up tailgate.. Should I go for it or do they look lame on our trucks?
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: okc
as long as they are installed right, meaning good and tight, they dont look bad....i had one on my 76 and it was looked fine.....and the mythbusters actually proved they DO help with gas mileage a bit...
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Joined: May 2010
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not sure where in WA you are but I just looked up pick and pull in your state and there is one location in Vancouver and it has 4 f-250's in the sixth gen (dent sides) can't guarantee they have what you are looking for but worth a look or call...good luck (btw- I hate nets, think it looks bad)
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I ran an "air-net" for over a decade and loved it. Doesn't look too bad either. The only thing I hated about it was trying to haul rock or mulch. After a couple times I kept a piece of plywood cut into the "appropriate" shape to help hold back rocks.
I would say it's worthwhile until you can find a decent tailgate.
Josh
I would say it's worthwhile until you can find a decent tailgate.
Josh
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I live in Monroe Washington... I've been to the wrecking yards in my area and they have them, but all of them have bad rust damage or are beat up beyond repair, or they want $120 for a used pos.. The reason I was thinking about a net is because they are only $20 and I don't have to paint it, or do work to it..
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Alvarado, TX
All that said, the net thing is a matter of personal asthetic opinion.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: West Virginia
I think the nets are a little bit too ricky bobby for me. But if youre truck already sports the requisite nascar stickers on the back window, might as well go for it.
eventually your bed sides will start sagging, and really, having that net is about as functional as having a ratchet strap across the top of it, which is even cheaper than $20 and just as effective.
eventually your bed sides will start sagging, and really, having that net is about as functional as having a ratchet strap across the top of it, which is even cheaper than $20 and just as effective.
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From: okc
Originally Posted by steponit
The tailgate is an intricate part of the structure of the rear of the truck
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sorry, but i gotta call BS...tailgates are not structural parts in the least...those latches only hold the gate shut, they dont hold the bedsides together at all, and the gates hinge mounts are too low to keep the bedsides from moving around...in fact, a ratchet strap or tight net would hold the the sides together better than the tailgate because they actually have tension on them....i drove my truck for years without a tailgate, hauling whatever i could fit in the bed and it never came loose....loose bedsides come from the lower braces rotting off and never being replaced...ive fixed loose bedsides by simply repairing the lower braces....
I saw that and laughed too! But left it alone I knew someone would call it out.. They wouldn't sell tailgate nets if they where unsafe and compromuised the structure of a vehicle
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: West Virginia
I think the tailgate does hold the bedsides together. I know how the latch works, but when the tailgate is up, the sides don't shake nearly as bad over bumps and stuff as with it off. even with the tailgate down, the metal hinge things bolt on to the bedsides and provide some reinforcement. sure, repairing the posts fixes it... but these aren't new trucks we are talking about. they are wore out trucks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Big Sky Country
Agree completely, the tailgate adds no structual integrity to the bed whatsoever and IF yours does than you have other issues with which you need to deal with.