05+ Tacoma Tail gate reinforcement group buy

^^^
This! Looks exceptionally well made, I'm stoked!

 

I must say you take great pride in your packaging! This is the best job yet...nicely wrapped with foam to protect the edges. Thank you again. Looking forward to getting it installed. Need to buy some foam tape to put under the lip to cover the grossness- I currently have nasty baked on residue from velcro that failed in the heat to keep my Softopper rear window secure. But I must say, looks awesome!!

 

Same here. Installed today. Of course some of the tabs on the plastic top cap snapped off when removing it, but it's never going to be used again, so no loss. The rest of the removal went without issue. Then came the install. The reinforcement was packaged very well, no issues with the delivery causing any damage. I tried putting on the tailgate reinforcement just to see how it would go on best, and it was immediately apparent that it was not going to go on from the top, or back, without really scratching the tailgate in the middle all the way on. It was too tight in the middle. So I used 1/4" foam tape, and slid the plate on from the driver's side. It went on with some effort, and when on all the way I could tell that the paint (or at least the clear coat) got a good scratch in the middle under the cap, but since I don't plan to ever remove it, it will never show. For those who installed this other than sliding in from the side, I don't know how it's possible.

Anyway, all on, looks great, and makes the tailgate so much sturdier. All the holes lined up perfectly. I drilled the top 7 holes in the composite oem cover to re-use the screws with the collar, no issue there. I took off the two side bumpers, as mine closed tightly with the plastic cover on without the rubber bumpers. I put some foam tape over the holes where the bumpers were mounted.

 

So is there any way at all to install this thing without scratching your tailgate?

 

And why does KBVooDoo's tailgate cap system fit so well without scratches? Is there a difference in the folds?

 

I've never had a problem slipping them over without scratching if done carefully, however it's possible the shop that formed these made the outer bend a tad tighter than usual. I checked bends on a few plates when they came back and they looked spot on though so without installing one myself then it's hard to say what may be the cause. I would recommend some painters tape on the top outer edge of the tailgate during install to protect it.

 

Awesome, thanks for the tip!

 

Thats exactly what i did used painters tape.

 

I could have done the painter's tape, clear protective film, etc. to prevent the paint scratching. Someone else also suggested using Windex to help the cover slide on, I guess you could also use dish soap. None of these things occurred to me prior to sliding the plate on from the side, and only noticed the scratch after the plate was all the way on. Looking back, I probably should have done any or all of those things. I got in a little too much of a hurry to get it on...however, the scratch is so small and fine, you really have to look for it to see it. I probably will get some touch-up paint and go over it where it does seem to me to show. My wife can't even see it; If the tailgate cover was something that I was going to be taking on and off, the scratching would be an issue. I don't plan on ever having to remove it, so it really is no issue. Even if the tailgate's paint got scratched underneath the plate, how would I or anyone else even know, so why should it be a big deal?

I only posted this due to it being mentioned that the plate could go on from the back with the tailgate opened all the way. Mine was never going to go on that way, it was physically impossible due to the shape of the top bend in relation to the tailgate curve. I guess I could have pounded it on that way with a BFH, but that wasn't going to happen...

As far as the bend being different on the last batch of plates, I cannot speak to that. I only know that the bottom edge on the outside, where it was straight before install, now bends around the tailgate for about 18-20" total in the middle. If it was steel with the same bend, I don't see how it would have gone on at all either way. If the outside bottom edge of the top fold was curved like the tailgate by some miracle of manufacturing, it might have gone on from the back, but from the side would have been the same process.

I am perfectly satisfied the reinforcement plate - how it looks, works, and beefs up the tailgate. I would suggest if you are really concerned about a scratch when installing (from the side, since I don't see how else you can), use any of the above mentioned methods to help prevent that from happening, and all will be right with the world once again. For someone who usually has a fit over the smallest dings and/or scratches, I'm surprised that it doesn't really bother me...

The good news is - if the bend is somewhat tighter on mine, the gap on the ends is pretty small.

 

Got mine installed today. Finished product here. Looks so sharp! Crazy how light it is (aluminum) but still offers great strength. Only way to install it is to slide it on, helps to remove one of the cables attaching tailgate to bed. The top of my lip was already jacked from velcro residue baked in the sun so I opted not to protect the paint with any tape. It is a tight fit, as the middle center of the tailgate seems to bed a bit outwards.

 

Great photos. My install was identical, with the exception of re-using the composite cover on top of the plate. I'll see if I can get some decent photos of how mine turned out. Been raining for the last two days...

 

Drove out to the US today 2.5hr drive to pick mine up at a UPS store and the corner of the unit is damaged like the other post a couple pages back. Same exact thing.

 

So is there any update on what the discount will be for the Memorial Day sale? Or a timeline on when the GB will be. I really wished I would have been able to log in while I was deployed so I could have gotten in on the last GB.

 

Aw man that sucks! How bad is it? Fixable?
This is the only one I've heard of in the whole GB to arrive damaged.

 

Havent decided. Probably 15%, Maybe 20 but thats relatively rare I do 20%

 

Yeah I can probably bend it back into shape, one side is mildly bent, the other is much worse. Only concern with bending it will be the powder coat breaking off.
I will probably use a towel to protect the coating and some vice grips and cross my fingers.

 

I ordered the aluminum w/ powder coat tail gate reinforcement and received it a few days ago. Very nicely packaged. No damage to it whatsoever. very easy to install. remove the old bolts, take off the plastic oem piece (also relocated my back up camera while I was at it because of the spare tire blocking the view), and lined up the reinforcement tailgate and bolted it back in. It's pretty secure and I can feel that its very sturdy. a great upgrade to the tail gate. I'm sure the steel plate is beefier but i'm not putting anything hardcore on the tail gate so the aluminum will do. Thank again Relentless. Great Product!

 

I put the stock cover on over the new piece. Figured that it won't be as hot to sit on in the summer, even though it is lumpy.

 

I had a bent edge on mine as well, but had no issues with the powder coat handling being bent back. Cross my fingers yours does too.

Not bent from shipping, BTW.