Toyota Tailgate Facts

[daless2]

Toyota Tailgate Facts

I wanted to start a thread of facts dealing with the Tundra tailgate. By facts I mean statements that are really not disputable by any reasonable person.

Please add to this thread your facts. If you sent Toyota an email, and they responded, what they responded is indeed a fact. Please post it here for all of us to benefit from.

I have provided a format you are welcome to use, or use what you feel more comfortable with.

I do ask that we keep it to the best of our ability to “Facts that can be substantiated” and then a conclusion in your own words as to what you see this fact to mean.

Here’s the first one I have.


Fact #1: Toyota states you can drive with the tailgate down.

Quote: “When you drive with the tailgate down, the strut acts as a shock absorber, minimizing bouncing of the gate.”

Source: Toyota.com at this address =
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minisite/tundraexperience/index.html
Then click on “Straight Info”, then click on “Easy Lower and Lift Tailgate”

Conclusion: Toyota designed the Tundra to be driven with the tailgate in the down position. I farther conclude Toyota does not expect that the Tailgate will fall off when you do.


Your turn! Please don’t forget to assign a consecutive number.

Next one up is Fact #2.

Thanks in advance for your help on this.


Frank

[Keywasted]

Excellent thread. (though you should spell/grammar check LOL)

I have had no issues with my Tundra but if my input will help get Toyota off it's ***, all the better.

Fact #2- Toyota sells a "Bed Extender".

Quote- "Extend the carrying capacity of your bed for big loads or create a small enclosure to keeps items from rolling. Made of an aluminum alloy with a quick release hinge and locking latch that prevents theft".

Source- Toyota Tundra Truck Accessories

Conclusion- Toyota facilitates and expects the carrying of big (heavy) loads on the bed/tailgate without failure or damage.

KeyWasted

[daless2]

Fact #3: Toyota states they have NO Published Weight Rating on Tailgate.

Quote: “Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We apologize for your dissatisfaction with the tailgate on your 2007 Tundra.
We do not have a published weight rating for the tailgate.
As such, we have not identified the tailgate as a weight bearing part.
Because it is not designed as a load bearing part, it is designed to be removable; we recommend you remove the tailgate for loading heavy items. ”

Source: Email reply from Toyota Sales, USA after filing a report of tailgate metal cracking to Toyota Customer Service.

Conclusion: Toyota does not know how much weight can be put on the Tundra Tailgate. I farther conclude neither does anyone else know, including current and future owners. What is a "heavy item?"


Frank

[daless2]

Excellent thread. (though you should spell/grammar check LOL)

KeyWasted

LOL, I did! And I still get this stuff wrong!

Thanks for putting up with it, I will have to try harder.

I appriciate your post,

Thanks and have a great night.

Frank

[AlaskaCub]

Fact #1

I have loaded a Honda 4 Wheeler in 9 different pick up trucks I have owned without any problem what so ever.

Fact #2

I have loaded my Honda in this Tundra 3 times and the tailgate is coming apart at the upper seams.



On a side note and this is JMO, something Toyota tells you is not fact, its just what Toyota tells you.

[daless2]

On a side note and this is JMO, something Toyota tells you is not fact, its just what Toyota tells you.

Oh Yes I agree LOL!!!

But it is a Fact that Toyota told me!!!


Have a great night AKCub, stay warm.

Frank

[Sanosuke]

Fact #1

I have loaded a Honda 4 Wheeler in 9 different pick up trucks I have owned without any problem what so ever.

Fact #2

I have loaded my Honda in this Tundra 3 times and the tailgate is coming apart at the upper seams.



On a side note and this is JMO, something Toyota tells you is not fact, its just what Toyota tells you.

and Fact #3 - Your 2 facts do not contribute to this thread.

Sanosuke!

[daless2]

Fact #4: Tundra Tailgate working surface is less then 1.3 millimeters thick.

Quote: No quote on this, actual measurements.

Source: This “Statement of Fact” comes from actual measurements that can and should be verified by anyone with a micrometer. Twelve (12) measurements were taken by micrometer (via access plate removal) of tailgate working surface. Measurements varied from 1.2 mm to 1.3 mm. I rounded up.

Conclusion: [u]Tundra tailgate metal is thinner then 1.3 millimeters as these measurements includes thickness of paint and rust proof coatings.


Note: Does anyone with a micrometer have access to an older Toyota pickup or a Ford, Chevy or Dodge Pickup truck? Would be interested to see how this compares.

Note 2: If your micrometer only records in inches, 1.3 mm converts to 0.0512 inches, rounded up.


Frank

[daless2]

Fact #5: Toyota Does Not say Tundra Tailgate is NOT Load Bearing, publicly.

Quote: None. Toyota Does NOT Say a Word About It.

Source: There are 608 pages in the Tundra Owners Manual.
There are several hundred “Yellow Caution Boxes” in the Tundra Owners Manual, containing 498 “Do Not Do This or Do Not Do That” instructions.
There is not a single mention, of any kind, anywhere, not even an advisory (You shouldn’t do this or you might not want to do that) dealing with putting weight on the tailgate.
Not a single mention to “remove tailgate before loading heavy items”.
Not one Toyota advertisement could be found to state a requirement to remove tailgate before ….


Conclusion: (a)Toyota does not want you to know that the Tundra Tailgate cannot handle weight until after you do so. (like you wouldn’t find out on your own)

(b)Toyota does not want to go on the record as to how much weight you can put on the Tundra Tailgate.

(c) Toyota ran out of Yellow Background Ink while printing owners manual, therefore Tailgate Warning Message was left out by default.


Frank

[metrictundra]

Here we go again. I do not mean to flame or step on toes (or do I). Guys sometimes common cents will go along way. If the tail gate is not strong enough for the way you need to use it why don't you put something across the hole width to distribute the weight across the whole thing. Looking at the design of the tail gate, I think Toyota thought it was weak from the get go. Look at the factory lines on the out side of it. They are put in there to make things stiffer. Relax, If it is wrong Toyota will fix it sooner or later. But in the mean time lets not go give our tail gates the 1000# test to see "my" tail gate is going to crack. And for Keywasted. Who cares about spelling and/or grammar. Give the guy a break. You got out of it what you needed to. We are not all perfect spellers.

[jkd]

Note: Does anyone with a micrometer have access to an older Toyota pickup or a Ford, Chevy or Dodge Pickup truck? Would be interested to see how this compares.

If I can find a flat place on my F250 I'll get a measurement with my mic versus the Tundra. Yesterday I pulled the black plastic top trim off my Tundra tailgate. Pretty interesting, after the outer sheet metal wraps over the inner, it is spot welded 15 places across the width of the gate to the forward inner panel. It would be hard for a separation to happen between the two panels along the top due to the welds. I figured that was happening first, then the outer upper edges were separating second but I think I'm wrong on on that one. Once the black plastic is off, looking at the panel holes the clips go into, it's easy to see that the sheet metal is unbelievably thin for tailgate material. I don't claim to know everything, but I've done a bunch of metal fabrication and welding as a big part of my job for years and it's definitely going to take some real clever engineering on Toyota's part to come up with any way to make this thing servicable for ATVs, etc. It's so flimsy and thin, there's just not much there to work with. I hope not, but I think we might be screwed on the tailgate issue. Even if a dealer fixes one under warranty, it's just going to break up again if a guy continues to load an ATV. Before I put the plastic back on today I'll take some pics however I don't know how to post them on this particular forum.

why don't you put something across the hole width to distribute the weight across the whole thing.

Actually I've done that with a sheet of aluminum. Yesterday after pulling the trim piece, I sat way back in the middle of the gate area on the aluminum and bounced as well as I could while leaning over and looking at the seam exactly where Alaska Cub's separated and I could actually see the two crimped pieces separate to a small degree. I weigh right at 175 lbs.---this is not a good sign.

[daless2]

I would like to maintain this thread as a source of Tailgate Facts, but I think it would be a good think to cross reference this thread to the main thread dealing with the Tundra Issues.

Here is a link to that thread.

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/tundra/114436-tundra-tailgate-failures-i-am-club-29/#post811846

Please contribute to these threads and keep the sunshine on this topic. The more this issue is exposed, the better the odd's it will get resolved to everyones satisfaction.

Have a great evening.

Frank

[bugchucker]

Excellent thread. (though you should spell/grammar check LOL)

I have had no issues with my Tundra but if my input will help get Toyota off it's ***, all the better.

Fact #2- Toyota sells a "Bed Extender".

Quote- "Extend the carrying capacity of your bed for big loads or create a small enclosure to keeps items from rolling. Made of an aluminum alloy with a quick release hinge and locking latch that prevents theft".

Source- Toyota Tundra Truck Accessories

Conclusion- Toyota facilitates and expects the carrying of big (heavy) loads on the bed/tailgate without failure or damage.

KeyWasted

Faulty conclusion. Bed and tailgate are not the same. It is not a tailgate extender.

[reldapimp]

Why would they sell a product that allows you to put extra items onto the tailgate while it is down and then recommend that you dont drive with it down.

Then also have weight limits on the tailgate.

[AlaskaCub]

Faulty conclusion. Bed and tailgate are not the same. It is not a tailgate extender.

Not correct. It extends the load from the bed to the tailgate, so the conclusion is accurate.