Dual Swing Out can't close tailgate!!

Hey Tacomaworld! Im trying to figure out how to get my tailgate on my 1st gen to close with my rear dual swing out bumper. The tailgate latch hits the back corner of the bed and doesnt close on the side that has the spare tire on it. I would have expected this to happen with a single swingout but not sure why its happening with a dual since the "cantilever" effect shouldn't be as strong. Im guessing the C channel frame towards the back where the bumper mounts is what is twisting and causing the issue? Would welding a cross member at the very posterior of the frame solve this issue? Thanks!

 

Pics will say more than your words ever will.

Didn't mention if it was DIY, purchased complete, etc.

Left out all the important details.

 

its a coastal offroad with custom dual swingouts using 4x innovation hinges, i can post pics tomorrow in the am

 

Welcome to the world of custom shit. Most likely what’s happening is the coastal bumper isn’t internally gusseted to support the weight of the swingout and tire. Which means the bumper itself is tweaked due to its own weight and in turn tweaking your bed/frame. Assuming you didn’t pull anything out of square while welding the bumper, I’d look at adding gussets to the inside of the bumper where you added the swingout hinges.
I don’t know how much experience you have in fabrication but there’s a little more to it than most people realize.

 

Pics or it aint real

 

he is providing a word picture.... Imagine how fucked it is and make recommendations!

 

Without pictures just a guess.

25 year old truck I wonder if the bed was all ready twisted to some degree adding the weight of the bumper was enough to twist it more

Just what side is the bed twisted to the left or the right or only one side?

Is this loaded or empty if the weight is not close to being balanced it can twist depending how things were done.

 

You need a set of these:



Pretty simple to make yourself, or have a local fab shop weld them up for you. Or you can buy the fancy ones from rago fab for $125 that aren't nearly as strong.

 

Solved the issue! It was just the top of the bed that was twisting so it wouldn’t latch, I do have bed stiffners but on the inside of the tail light space it was just small washers and nuts. Took some 3/16 plate and drilled holes in it to make a “large” washer and sandwich the bedside between the “washer” and bed stiffener. Now everything lines up perfectly!

 

Glad you got it sorted out

 

Why are they not as strong?

 

The distance from the top of the bed rail to the floor of the bed is the moment arm, to resist that moment you want to have the stiffener as high as possible on the bed side. You can see that the rago design is less than half the height of the bed (2nd gen shown, but it's the same for the 1st gens).

Although it's probably overkill for typical uses our trucks see, that "bent stiffener" design is less efficient in resisting bending forces, as well the rago bracket is 3/16" whereas I typically build them out of 1/4" minimum.

I've seen a number of 1st gen beds that bend and/or crack at the bottom corner in the rear of the bed, as well as in the upper corners of the front of the bed, due to RTT racks or canopies combined with heavy offroading. It is definitely worth providing as much stiffness and rigidity as possible.

Not trying to bash rago or any other fabricator design, I'm just saying for my uses and the people I wheel with, I don't believe it has adequate capacity.

 

Thanks for sharing I was unaware.
So do you sell some ??

 

Everything is a design compromise.

Yours might be stronger, but it also protrudes into the bed more, which is what is seems like the Rago one is trying to minimize.

I'm certainly not one to shy away from over building things. I just reinforced my RV trailer bumper with 3x4 3/16" square tube. It should hold my bike rack nicely, lol...

That said, I think $125 for what basically amounts to a couple pieces of flat bar welded together is laughably over priced.

 

Yes, that was my conclusion as well. I have no problem supporting vendors on TW and making my life easier if something is reasonably priced and available, but the price gouging that goes on with a lot of "overland" gear is ridiculous.

My design may take up a little more space when the tailgate is open, but it sits flush against the tailgate when closed so doesn't retract from the overall storage volume. It also makes a useful extra tie-down point.

 

No, just make them for friends. It's better to fit it up on the truck while making it, as it might change how an RTT rack fits or attaches. I suppose I could make them at perfect right angles.