New Product Interest: BBQ in Tailgate??

Exactly the concept what I was talking about

 

Not seeing the use, but a novel idea. If you use the truck as a truck, you probably haul leaves, grass, dirt, mulch, mud from the bikes, snow, etc, etc. Hauling trash to the dump, delivering large boxes home and to friends. I can see all this getting into the grill making it pretty nasty to cook on. If I'm tailgating, I'll throw the bbq into the back at go. The number of times I'd do this in a Summer I could count on one hand.

Cool idea, just not seeing a huge demand.

 

I really like that custom mod for the cabinet in the tailgate

And the idea for the grill would be very dependent on ease of cleaning, or having a grill in your tailgate would definitely reduce the usability of your truck bed. Definitely something to keep in mind when designing the next prototype

 

id like to have the a way to cover the grill when not in use up so i can still have full functionality. i think someone may have mentioned it but i didn't read the other comments lol.

 

Might be an issue with the heat and the electronics people have in their tailgate. The older 2nd gens, not so much, but the newer ones have cameras and wires. Plus people who have the pop'n'lock.

Neat idea though. For a minimalist, they might enjoy the extra space.

 

Didn't think about electronics, what do the new ones have in them? Back up cam wires? Haha I have a 2007 so I'm in the dark on that!

 

Yeah , you gotta ditch the idea of butchering the factory tailgate and go to a utility gate replacement

 

x2

 

Yea, back up camera and wires is about the extent of it. Plus a little more if they have a pop'n' lock installed.

 

So this is the way I would approach it.

1. Either make it a whole tailgate replacement system. Get OEm tailgates and MOD them. Sell them pre modded for people to swap out on a whim depending on planed days.

2. Make the modification to a Stock Tailgate. You could utilize the Storage feature I linked (or a variation) - Also a replacement set of reinforcement tailgate plates. Design a grill that you can drop in and remove with an easy system, maybe a latch or 2 screws. Don't forget a grease drain, maybe coming out the side into a cup or something. Could also do a small SS sink 1 foot or so then the cutting board as an item that would sit on the opposite side of the sink. Again, for draining, have a hose running out one side of the tailgate. If it is propane, do the same thing again, hose port coming off one side.

Make it all modular, removable, and protected. Proper insulation/ heat shielding is going to be key. No one wants to bake off their paint on the tailgate, or catch anything on the truck on fire.

 

Or just a seperate utility gate all together

 

The electronics is a NON issue with the above mentioned heat shielding. You would need to either make new 'pull bars' for the release mechanism so they are routed farther up in the tailgate. OR work around them.

Elongate the harness and use a better wrap for them. There are specific, better high heat braided wraps that would be awesome in this application.

 

Couldn't the heat also affect the paint on the outer skin of the tailgate?

 

Basically thats Option 1 in the quote. I have a spare gate I had planned to mod. Insurance paid for a new one after an incident. I fixed it and was going to do the storage mod to it and the cutting board. Goal was to use it off the truck as my model so I wasn't lugging the heavy project back and forth.

Cutting board material I was looking at was going to be a food grade BLACK. Same stuff someone was making replaceable skid plates out of. Need to find the link again.

 

Yes. Mentioned that in a couple posts above you . Proper heat shielding and insulating would resolve that issue.

 

Yeah , I meant not based on an OEM tailgate , like a fully utility set up

 

For sure. I like the bulk of the one pictured in the post on mudd. Either way. Would loose space in the bed or would stick ut farther in the rear not following body lines.

 

Not for me, but cool idea none the less

 

I like the idea. I'd be interested if there was a cover over the grill that sealed well so I could load the back up with topsoil or something and not have a BBQ full of dirt. In high shool I kept a camping BBQ in my trunk at all times in case of spontaneous tailgating events. Opportunities are not as frequent anymore, but I like to think I'm still a fun, spontaneous guy and I would buy this to make me feel like it.

 

Haha same here man, holding on to youth by a thread! But for sure, I think a cover would be a great idea for the next iteration. Just time to figure out how!