Tailgate Weight Capacity

Can someone direct me to specs for the maximum weight that a tail-gate can support on a 2008 Tacoma?

The idea is to have two 350-Lb motorcycles on the bed, with the rear tire of each supported on the rear-most few inches of the tail-gate. But then, it must also simultaneously support the weight of two adults (say 200 Lbs each, assumed worst-case) standing on it while loading & unloading the bikes.

 

You should cover the whole bed and tailgate with a piece of 5/8" plywood before even attempting that. People have bent the tailgates loading one down the center, and you want to have 2. Not only loading 2, but you want both of them to ride on the tailgate. Better off getting a trailer. Safer, easier, and less chance of shit breaking.

 

Get a trailer, that's just crazy talk about being able to use a pick up truck to haul things, what is this world coming to.

 

Tools, furniture, wood, appliances, etc I can see hauling no problem. Hell, even ATVs, lawn mowers, or other things like that. But bikes? Heavy, unstable, 2 wheeled death traps if they slip off the ramp or you fall trying to push it up. Unless you have a long ramp it's usually a steep angle to get the bike up. Do people push or ride them? So many bike ramps I've seen are not solid (sorta like small ladders) so to me it seems it's better to push the bike. If your foot slides, and the thing falls on you it's over. Truck is probably damage, bike is, you are.... So much easier to just get a covered trailer. Easier to load, safe from weather, and locked away from sticky fingers.

I'd love to get an R1. No way in hell I'm spending $11g's and then risk it falling off a ramp or otherwise getting damaged loading in the back of my truck. A small, cheap dirt bike maybe.


Not to mention they've damaged numerous tailgates until Toyota redesigned it.

 

I posted the same topic on the ToyotaNation "2005+ Tacoma General" forum

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=240979

As of now, it's had over 1000 views, and 34 replies. The replies mostly deal with how to protect the tailgate (Gator Saver, etc). But none of them mentioned anything about the SAFETY of loading & transporting bikes. So, it seemed that I had enough answers to make decisions and move on.

So, it was quite a surprise to suddenly see replies about the safety aspect (maybe the "Technical Chat" forum is more safety-concious). Having never owned a truck (yet), I wanted to address this issue before learning a lesson the hard way.

Here in Southern CA, the sight of one or two dirt bikes on the backs of trucks (of all sizes) is common on the weekends, since there are often no legal dirt riding places nearby. Now I'm wondering how many folks end up in the E-Room as a result of the loading & unloading.

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

if your loading dirt bikes back up to a hill to make the loading a little easier

 

I only mention it because I had a ramp slip out from under a riding mower. It have 4 wheels so it just slammed to the ground with me in the seat. Had that been a bike it could have landed on me. Light bikes may not be that big of a deal or kill you, but 350lbs pushing a foot peg into your leg/stomach/chest is going to do some damage.