I own a 1998 Scab and just bought a 2004 Screw. My question is: does anyone know how much weight the 04 Tailgate will hold in the down position. In my 98 it is very obvious that the tailgate is heavy duty and will hold quite a bit of weight while down. I use a ramp to drive my 700# Polaris up on to the back of the 98 and the rea wheel sits on the tailgate. Given how strong the tailgate feels I had no doubt that the 98 would support the 4-wheeler. BUT I do have doubts about the 04. It is so light weight. One dealer tried to tell me that the tail gate was the same as on the 98 but because Ford added a dampner to help offset the true weight of the tailgate. I did not believe this. Just knocking on the tailgate with your knuckle you can tell they are not the same. The handbook does not address the Issue. Can anyone help or tell me if they have put a 700+Pound 4 wheeler + 240# man on to the 04 F-150? thanks in advance.

 

I believe it to be 500 lbs. Let me see If I can dig back up the number.

 

What your dealer told you was true. The new is as rugged as the old - take the cover off of it and look inside and see the super structure. The new has a torson bar to assist in lifting it since in reality it weighs more than the 97-03 tailgate.

Can not address the 700+ lbs specifically but, if your old tail gate handled it then the 04 certainly will. Several people on this board load bikes and ATVs into their 04s.

Screwdrive

 

I don't know the exact answer to your question about the weight allowance, but I did want to remind you that the actual weight of your tailgate is a fair amount heavier than you'd think. The tailgate seems lighter because of the "tailgate-assist" feature that makes it easier to raise/lower. Hope that helps...

 

Thanks all... I am still interested in any one who had experience with it or definative numbers I would appreciate it. Certainly the weight of myself and the Polaris 700 is distributed weight as the 4x4 travels over the tailgate and into the bed.

 

I just looked at my tailgate and it didn't say either, but the bed extender did. It says, "Tailgate load not to exceed 100lbs." I sure hope this isn't true, or they are referring to the rating of the bed extender, not the tailgate.

 

Hey Screwdrive and schmidty-

Where exactly is this "tailgate assist", or "torsion bar"? I have completely removed the tailgate and didn't find it. Is it built into the hinge somewhere?

 

Lower the tailgate, look to the right side of the bottom of the tailgate in the gap between it and the bed, you will see a bar (mine is white, the color of the truck). It gets bent in the middle of lifting/lowering cycle thereby pulling/pushing the tailgate up or down. It was a really good idea, and I applaude the engineer that designed it.

 

Are you talking about this:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=151612
Actually I don't think anyone has figured out what it is. The actual torsion bar is inside the tailgate and works at the hinges.

 

I had my 04 Honda 400 Rancher ATV in the back of my supercrew last night. The rear wheels were on the tail gate. I had no problems at all. And I use folding atv ramps that rest on the tail gate to drive it in.

 

Tailgate Assist


Guys, the Torsion assist is a long bar that is inside the bottom of the tailgate. One end is fixed to the gate itself, and the other is the pivot point that grabs the bed on the right hand side. As you lower it down, this bar "winds up" like a spring. I think it takes like 10-20% of the weight off. So when you go to close it the spring assists you until it is unwound about 15 degrees off the top.

If you want to feel it you can remove your tailgate and take a wrench and turn the right pivot point counter-clockwise.

-ii

 

The net effect of the torsion assist according to FoMoCo is that the tailgate appears to weigh only 17 pounds.

 

I have loaded and hauled my Honda Rincon with no problems. It's a little lighter (600#) than your Polaris, but I don't think you'll have a problem. I have the Supercab with a 6 1/2' bed, but still have to leave the tailgate down when hauling due to the 7' length of the Rincon.

 

My first impression of the new gate was that it seemed cheap, and I knew about the assist. The light weight made me think it was half plastic but I'm not afraid of loading my 2000 Grizzly 600.
I haven't had it on yet, as high as this truck is I'll have to buy the longer ramps.

 

My first impression also, the gate seems really light