Tailgate for a truck camper

specta wrote:

Grit dog wrote:


And to my point, newer trucks tailgates are significantly thicker, heavier and better built than the 70s-80s models of trucks.

Back in the 70s Ford used to advertise that their tailgates could support up to 2000 lbs.

I'd be willing to bet that the tailgate on my 1976 F-250 would support more weight than the tailgate on my 2011 Chevy.

Well, I don’t remember car adds from when I was in kindergarten, but have no doubt that “old” tailgates are also strong. I was replying to whoever said newer tailgates weren’t designed to carry loads.
Sure, the GM Swiss army tailgate and the ford models with the built in Grampa handrail may not work due to their complexity, but most of the rest of this conversation is meaningless speculation. Generally fueled by those who don’t know the difference between a tailgate and a split tail! Lol

The only REAL issue is the cables or straps that hold the gate when it’s open usually interfere with the camper because it widens out right behind the truck bed, and/or the camper has holding tanks below the rear overhang area, or a black tank dump port.

As for the notion that the gate will be damaged because it isn’t designed to support much weight, how much weight is really on it if you can remove the tailgate and carry the camper without it?!!

Grit dog wrote:


And to my point, newer trucks tailgates are significantly thicker, heavier and better built than the 70s-80s models of trucks.

Back in the 70s Ford used to advertise that their tailgates could support up to 2000 lbs.

I'd be willing to bet that the tailgate on my 1976 F-250 would support more weight than the tailgate on my 2011 Chevy.

stevenal wrote:
My camper doesn't extend down, but it does extend out. The tailgate cables would interfere. If your camper has taillights and your tailgate has cables, you'll need to remove the tailgate.

You forgot the word “maybe”. Do y’all not realize there are literally hundreds of different truck and camper combos and what works or doesn’t for you is not necessarily indicative of someone else’s setup?
I mean, the tailgate cable was in the way on mine, after it was t, because I built a genny compartment.
So should I recommend it won’t work to everyone?

My camper doesn't extend down, but it does extend out. The tailgate cables would interfere. If your camper has taillights and your tailgate has cables, you'll need to remove the tailgate.

Motorcycle wheel is akin to a point load. Camper is not.
But some of you are missing the actual point. If a camper is designed to hold its own weight, fairly rigidly, cantilevered off the back of the bed, then it’s not really relying on the tailgate if the tailgate surface is on the same plane as the truck bed.
Seems like the obvious “no” answers here are from those who don’t conceptually understand what they’re looking at.

deltabravo wrote:

Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
There are some exceptions to this. The 10 foot Alaskan Truck Campers are designed to be used in 8 foot beds with the tailgate down and supporting the last couple of feet.

There's an exception to this exception. A lot of newer trucks have a tailgate that is not meant to be a weight carrying support.

I've seen bent tailgates on shortbed trucks where people haul motorcycles that the rear wheel rests on the bed.

yup and thoes guys are gambling with wrecking there tailgate and there bike. a lot of them though are not realy on the tailgate but just on the end of the bed. if you ever are out driving and you wondered what some one did to put that curve in there tail gate, its usaly from the motorcycle sitting to far back and they hit a bump.

I seem to remember 500lbs sticking out for what most tailgates are rated for weight wise. some could be more, older classic truck ones were definatly less but check the owners manual it usaly tells you.

It is usually in the way.

deltabravo wrote:

Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
There are some exceptions to this. The 10 foot Alaskan Truck Campers are designed to be used in 8 foot beds with the tailgate down and supporting the last couple of feet.

There's an exception to this exception. A lot of newer trucks have a tailgate that is not meant to be a weight carrying support.

I've seen bent tailgates on shortbed trucks where people haul motorcycles that the rear wheel rests on the bed.

I’ll have to call shenanigans on this.
Can’t speak for Toyoders or Nippons, but I’ve had virtually every model of Big 3 trucks from the last 40 years, save for the latest F150 and Superduty chassis trucks and your statement is false. Not to say I haven’t bent or seen bent, many tailgates, but never from anything that wouldn’t just be considered severe abuse.
And to my point, newer trucks tailgates are significantly thicker, heavier and better built than the 70s-80s models of trucks.

If the tailgate surface isn’t “raised” where it’s taking more load by holding the camper off the truck bed, it won’t hold too much weight with a camper that can be run without any support beyond the truck bed.
And if the camper fits with tailgate down, if both of these conditions are acceptable then it’s not a problem.
Regarding rock chips, I was concerned about that and after driving our camper to Alaska and hundreds of miles of dirt roads up there, there were zero rock chips. Also never experienced tailgates getting chipped in many miles of hauling many things with tailgate down.
Granted most trucks I have had have had mudflaps. So that probably helps.