Brand new 2011 - just bent the tailgate!

Hi everyone

First off, this is a fantastic forum. I gained a ton of knowledge here that helped me tremendously a month ago when I bought my first Tacoma, a 2011 Double cab TRD Off Road. Love it so far.

This weekend my wife decided she wanted to plant a tree in the backyard. So, we went to the local green house and bought a small maple, the kind that comes with the root ball wrapped in a burlap bag. They loaded into the bed with no problem. I am 100% sure the tailgate was fine at that point. When I got home, I slid it out of the bed, onto the tailgate and then down a ramp into the hole I dug.

Then, to my horror, I look up and the tailgate is now bent into a V shape right where dragged the tree out. Now it wont close properly and looks terrible. I was just stupified that so little weight (maybe 200# tops) could bend the tailgate like that!

A few questions:
Anyone think this may be covered under my warranty? (I know there is a TSB on weak tailgates from 05 to 08)
How much crap can I expect taking to the local Toyota dealer instead of the one I bought it from 50 miles away?

I told the story to the service manager at the dealer I bought from and he sounded pretty skeptical, he thought I would need to see the "Toyota rep" to discuss it.

 

You could try a local place but might have better luck where you bought it. If it really only was 200 lbs, then it should be a warranty issue. If the dealerships don't help you, call Toyota Customer Service and get them involved. FWIW, I load and unload motorcycles on the tailgate and they far exceed 200#. The tailgate should take that kind of weight without any issues.

 

There was a trailer ramp slammed on my tailgate. Nada. Luck of the draw I guess.

 

I have put much more pressure on mine than 200lbs and it hasn't buckled. Did your tailgate appear to be fine before that?

I would take it to the local dealer and explain to them what happened; if they give you difficulty, talk to a Toyota corporate rep. If someone was on the tailgate with the 200# tree that would be another story...

Also, out of curiosity, where was your truck made? America (Vin starting with 5) or Mexico (starting with 3)

 

Sucks, sounds like the reinforcement is bullshit or they went back to the unreinforced ones. They will most likely give you shit about it. Can you put it up, have someone hold it and judo kick it back straight where it'll at least close? or remove it and stand on it in the grass to bend it back straight? after the dealer sees it I guess. Dunno, really sucks ass tho. I try to never put any weight on it because of this lameness. Sucks that you can't just flop it down and sit on it at the beach or elsewhere. I remember when trucks had real tailgates that any reasonable sized person or 2 could sit on without worry........oh how far we've come. Feelin your disgust with it, good luck.

 

That sucks..after reading about these tailgates I havent even tried to put my sons quad in the truck yet.

 

I was helping some friends move and one of their brothers was there helping. For some reason he was pretending my tailgate was a diving board, and I was just waiting for it to bend so I could take a baseball bat to his kidneys. It didn't though, and he was 275# easy. I don't worry about it bending after that.

 

That sucks. I put my sled on the back of mine and it is fine.

 

That weight is more evenly distributed and out towards the edges vs. the middle.........guessing that matters.

 

There is absolutely no reason a tailgate should bend like that. I've had three people sitting on mine, I've loaded a 500 lb. lawn mower on it, etc...so far no issues with mine. I would raise hell about that.

 

We want to see a picture, so we can all get more pissed off about the tailgate. It's all for the lulz.

 

When I picked up my landscaping this spring, I took the tailgate off for both loading and unloading, specifically because I found out on this forum how easy they can bend if you put weight on them in the middle. I even make my 8 yr old girl step near the edges.

There is a TSB for this ... I think they replace your tailgate if you're under warranty.

 

The tailgate is flimsy because it's basically a 5-sided box. Personally I don't mind because it contributes to the truck's light weight. If you haul "concentrated" loads like a tree or motorcycle, put a piece of plywood on the tailgate to spread out the load.

From what I read, the bed and tailgate are made in Mexico for all Tacomas, regardless of final assembly location.

 

i was loading these rollers (kinda like a 2ft axle with a bunch of wheels close together) into my truck, not knowing how much they weighed, we planned to roll them of the skid on to the tailgate and into the truck (skid didnt fit in the box). didnt seem like a bad idea, but turned out the roller things were like 500lbs. As we rolled it off the skid onto the tailgate the suspension dropped, making the distance off the skid onto the tailgate greater. Point of the matter, 500lbs dropping onto the tailgate all at once, and no problems. a dont think a tree should have done that. My tailgate kinda gives a bit in the middle now, but no dings and closses perfectly.

 

damn dude, that sucks I hope you get this taken care off

 

Are you sure you didn't drop the tree on the tail gate? Hard to believe that could happen just slidding it out!

 

that sucks! and welcome by the way!

i have had not prob out of my ’07 that i got in may. have had around 250 maybe 300 on it a few times. still straight as the day i got it in may.

 

My grandpa dropped a 100 pound steel beam on his tailgate and it smashed it in probably a good... 3-4" right in the middle, Its ugly but i think his gave out because it was a sharp edge and 4" of gravity probably turned that 100 pounds in to 200+ combined with the sharp corner. Id say talk to the rep who sold it to you, Worst comes to worst id call Toyota directly for a Recall issue.

 

the reinforced tailgates from Toyota doen't seem that much stronger.

the DIY jobs people posted her seem stronger but doesn't look as pretty

 

This is pretty basic shit.


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