My Tailgate Reinforce Project

my tailgate was bent for some time so i fugured i would do the reinforcement mod to it. this is just showing how i did mine.

*** please do not trust my measurements because placing of your metal supports may differ. also i am not held responsible if someone tries this and screws up their tailgate or hurts themselves etc.. THIS IS FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY*****

here is the thread for the story on my tailgate being bent..
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/76967-so-i-cleaned-my-truck-found.html

i am aware there is already a how-to on doing this mod, im just showing how mine was done
now onto the reinforcement...

things you may neeed:
drill with drill bits for the corresponding screw size
more drill bits of the same size, (i broke off about 6 so far and im half done)
cutting oil
screws or bolts, i used #8 x 3/4" self tapping metal screws
washers for screws
clamps
grinder
angle iron or other supporting metal. i used 1"x1"x3/16" angle iron
horizontal supports are roughly 52" long (x2)
vertical supports are roughly 14.5" long (x6)
epoxy or goop to re-fasten the stock supports to the tailgate


used a piece of old bed frame for the bottom where the tailgate pivots because this is the weakest metal i had and that is where the tailgate needs the least support



Had to grind off the legs



after that i test fitted and maneuvered it into place. this was kinda tricky but definately possible. BUT the length of the piece should not be longer than 52", i dont think you could get it in there with much more length.

keep in mind this is just showing how this piece is facing under the bottom lip of the tailgate, not where i actually placed it.



after i test fitted and was happy with the position i screwed it into place, notice the 4 silver screws with washers along the bottom edge.



view from the top looking down at the bottom piece.



now onto the top

refrence of how bent it is, after i straightened it out a bit by hand.



test fitting top piece. had to cut it again to get it in there, it was a little too long.



here was the tricky part. where the tailgate was bent i knew it would be hard to get the straight piece of angle iron in there so i figured i would use the leverage of the angle iron to get the second screw in, so i put the first screw in on the side with the smallest portion of the tailgate on the side of the bend (roughly 1/3 of the gate is on the right of the bend, and the other 2/3 is on the left), in my case it was the right side looking from the rear. if that makes any sense. with that screw in i figured it would be easier to press the longer piece of angle iron onto the rest of the tailgate lip and screw into place.

i managed to get it in there using a scrap piece of metal as a spacer to press the angle iron down into the groove where it should sit, and the large screw driver to force it snug against the lip of the tailgate so i could drill a hole to screw it on.



with the 2 end screws in i proceeded to put the rest of the screws in the tailgate on the top. this is a refrence of how much straighter it is now.



now onto the middle supports. i put the angle iron the way i did (one side on the tailgate lip facing up (where i screwed into) and one side facing the middle of the tailgate) so i could weld the vertical middle supports to the top and bottom horizontal supports when i have everything all screwed together.

the measurements for these middle supports come out to be about 14 1/4" so the fit snug between the 2 top and bottom pieces.

i only got 2 of the 6 cut and fit tonight but i will finish it all off tomorrow hopefully.



ill update my progress tomorrow

 

i pitty the person that rams u lol lookin good think my tailgate could use some help kinda weird when u sit two or three people on there while open

 

yeah i couldnt stand on it without it flexing under my feet so i said to hell with this lol.

with just the 2 bars i have in there now its significantly heavier. mmmm

 

I just bought a 2010 Prerunner. Has Toyota reinforced the tailgates since yours was built or do I need to reinforce it before it gets bent? Thanks.

 

Toyota has not reinforced it.

 

i thought they did??

im sure there is an answer somewhere on this site.

 

I'm pretty sure but I could be wrong.

 

one question, arent you afraid of that rust doing some damage on the rest of the tailgate??? It could take years, but it could happen....

 

You are right, they redesigned it somewhere on the 2008 production

 

yes, but after im all done im gonna give it a coat or paint, or at least clear (only the inside of course)

im done all i can do now, just heading up to a friends now so i can weld it all together. ill be back in a few hours and have the final pics up.

 

got all the pieces cut and fit right




drilled out the holes for the bolts.




bolted them in




this is all of them in their places




welded each of the pieces together. and did a little coat of clear on the welds




clearing the top where the paint was all cracked.

then after this step i epoxied all the brackets back down and re assembled.



Tunes setup




tools i used on the bench



mess on the floor




broken drill bits.




and im done. it is noticibly heavier and sturdier. have yet to weight test it yet tho.

 

Carson, that's a good write up and project.

Would you be interested in making these for sale? Some of us don't have access to the necessary tools to fabricate them.

 

thanks, but unfortunately seeing as how i am so far out of the way it would be ridiculous for shipping. and im pretty busy with school as it is so as of now no sorry man. im sure if you bring it down to a fab shop and maybe even print this out they could do it for you, and im willing to bet it would be a better job. not sure how much it would cost tho.

 

I have an 08’, it was still an issue! Maybe ’better’ than prior, but definitely still a *weak tailgate. I’d imagine its been remedied in later models

I’m looking for some sort of supports so I don’t have to be in fear loading a quad/etc with ramps