[AlaskaCub]

Some of you on here may see me as a Toyota Zealist but even with my loyalty towards Toyota I'll throw a BS flag at them as fast as anyone else, so here it is. Well its pretty obvious that the tailgates on these new tundras have some issues. There have been multiple threads of folks loading 4 wheelers, golf carts and damaging their tailgates in the process. I was following a thread on a tailgate failure on TT and it was about a guy who tried to load his atv in the back of his Tundra and the tailgate bent and buckled in the process. So I went out to look at mine since I have loaded mine quite a few times without a problem and noticed that my tailgate is gonna do the same thing his did. The shell is 2 thin azz pieces with a chinsy seam that appears to be bonded with something I cant even say that its welded cuz it doesn't look like a weld. Anyway heres a few pics and the link to this guys post where his failed to support the weight of his wheeler the first time he attempted to load it This is gonna be a mess up here in AK, cuz thats how most people transport their wheelers. This same wheeler has been loaded in the bed of 2 of my Tacomas and a T-100 with no problem over the last 10 years and now Toyotas biggest truck ever has a tailgate that wont support what a 1996 Tacoma, 1999 Tacoma , and a 97 T-100 could. This is gonna be a fun one, thankfully I dont have to load the quad again until May so I have some time to figure this out. I dont know if the spring loaded easy drop feature for suburban moms is the reason for this lightweight chinsy tailgate but its not gonna fly for those of us who actually use their truck as a truck.

Heres the pics of another tundra owners tailgate that is what mine will eventually look like. This was the first time he ever loaded his quad.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DallSheep4me/IMG_0248.jpg[/IMG

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DallSheep4me/IMG_0247.jpg[/IMG

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DallSheep4me/IMG_0244.jpg[/IMG



Heres the pics of mine where its starting to seperate.The line that is running down off the right hand lower corner is a crack, and you can see the top is starting to seperate.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DallSheep4me/002-3.jpg[/IMG

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DallSheep4me/004-1.jpg[/IMG

 

[guntech]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

That sucks. I was real hesitant to get the TRD pkg, because you can't get an 8' bed if you have TRD. The sales girl talked me into it because if I needed to carry anything that is 8' (plywood, sheetrock, 2X12s etc), I could just keep my tailgate down and I'd have my 8". Now I'm afraid to load my truck with lumber if the tailgate is that flimsy.

 

[gobblerman]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

This is unacceptable. It's things like this that have me second guessing my decision to purchase this truck. I to have loaded my 4 wheeler in an 95 T100 many times without problem and never gave it a second thought. Now hunting season is here and I don't know what I am going to do. I hope this truck is half the truck my T100 is. How embarassed I'll be when I hesitate in front of the guys to load my machine.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Seriously though, that sucks about your tailgate AC. I've put some heavy things on my tailgate but never have left it there for longer than loading it. I am curious to know what Toyota does about your problem!

-rockstate

rock,

This is just from loading it with tri-fold ramps, I have never left any weight on the gate while driving.

 

[guntech]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

I load my tractor in the back of my truck the same way........ Guess I'll be using my utility trailer for that now...... Although, my 07 Tundra is a perfect truck, so I doubt anything like that will ever happen to me ........

 

[RWD442]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Count me in too! After reading this post I went out and looked at my tailgate because I loaded my 700 lb ATV last weekend. Much to my amazement, my tailgate is coming apart in the same manner!

 

[shooter2jim]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Take it to the dealer before anything worse happens? What's the worst they can say, user misuse? On the other hand they might stick Toyota with a warranty repair job. Toyota gets enough of these bills and they quit cheaping out on the sheetmetal. The least thing I would do is call the 800 number and complain. I agree- this is not a heavy duty or even medium duty tailgate.

 

[RWD442]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Here is another picture:

 

[DavidT.]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

The 05+ Tacomas are the same way. Toyota has a TSB out for the tailgate fix on the Tacomas. I agree the tailgate feels flimsy. When I load my ATV back there, the rear tires are always sitting on the tailgate (Crewmax w/toobox) and I worry sometimes the weight on it will deform it.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

For anyone who reads this post and has a wheeler or something like that that you load into your truck you need to go and check your tailgates. This is definately something that Toyota is gonna have to fix. You cant sell the idea of the biggest baddest truck with a beer can sandwich for a tailgate.

 

[DavidT.]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Count me in too! After reading this post I went out and looked at my tailgate because I loaded my 700 lb ATV last weekend. Much to my amazement, my tailgate is coming apart in the same manner!

Man, I better go take a look at mine too. I've loaded my ATV probably over a dozen times already and had the weight of the rear tires on it for over 300+ miles lol.

 

[gobblerman]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Holy crap this is a real problem and it affects every Tundra on the road. Anyone look at the 2008's for modifications?

 

[guntech]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Do yourself a favor and print out this thread before you go to the dealer with your problem. Take the wind out of their "user abuse" sails right off the bat.

 

[cliff clavin]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

What do you guys think about lining the bed with plywood? Work similar to a bed liner but the plywood would give the tailgate increased strength? I am considering doing it since I will be loading a snowmobile into the bed....

 

[Dixie4x4]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

You should see mine. I have DEEP dents where the wheels sit on the gate. I have a toolbox so I need to ride it like this. This is also how I rode it in my old tundra, my old tacoma, my father's old tundra and even my old z71 with no problems.

I have yet to check this corner though. I am scared.

EDIT: I have the crack in the weld, just like in the pictures. I will post pics tommorow.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

The only way they are gonna be able to fix this is by redesigning the tailgate with more strength. This is gonna be a tough one to fight, but I am damn sure gonna try. Hauling my wheeler in the bed is one of the main reasons I own a truck and not a SUV. I am sure that a jimmy rig (Plywood) can be devised to be able to load the wheeler without rolling the sheet metal like a sardine can and I will have to do just that, rig the thing up, if I have to, but I believe that Toyota needs to know this thing is too flimsy and come up with a new gate. I wonder if a 06 Tundra gate would fit with some mods? <grin>

 

[gobblerman]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

The 05+ Tacomas are the same way. Toyota has a TSB out for the tailgate fix on the Tacomas.


So Toyota can't even learn from its own mistakes? How could the same company that designed the 5.7 drive train have also designed this tailgate? "Oh no" the same company designed my 5.7 which we're told is normal even though it sounds like a small diesel.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

Bad design for sure. This stinks.

It's obvious this is being caused by the thin metal and the cable attachment point being in the middle. The metal is flexing too much.

If the loading ramps had a lip that extended to the cable I bet this problem wouldn't exist.

But the reality is that we shouldn't have to worry about this. Serious BS. I'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't have bought this truck in the first year. Oh well, guess I'll have to buy the extended warranty and let Toyota eat the repair cost for a while. This sux.

tundradude

Dont get all upside down over this tailgate thing. Every first model year with a completely new body design is gonna have growing pains. This is a great truck, they just cut a few corners trying to make this thing suburb friendly and affordable. The tailgate has me pissed too, but its just a tailgate. If we all start calling Toyota and running the issues through our dealerships Toyota will do something about it.

 

[trailrider325]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

i am glad i have not loaded my atv on the truck yet. not good toyota

 

[FlatironsDreamer]

Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.

This stuff frustrates me. Thanks for letting us know, I'll check mine out -- I've only had lumber back there, but who knows.

I'm willing to accept somewhat minor issues like this -- but Toyota has got to fix the bounce problem -- ok I'll stop whining now.