What do I need to do to remove the tailgate?

 

Pull up and away from the truck at an angle. It's very simple, why are you removing it.

The tailgate will need to be at this angle: /

 

it's actually really easy to remove. not sure how I did it or even what I was doing when it happened but mine accidentally came off the other day. scared the crap out of me. put it at about 45 degrees (you'll see the rotating collars on the sides align to allow it to slide off) and pull up towards you. don't remember if it was lighter or heavier than I expected so just expect it to be heavier so you don't drop it.

 

thanks, im replacing the rubber bushing on mine, that keeps it from sliding side to side.

 

I need to do the same, mine seems to spin and not allow me to fully close the sucker. Probably the only one with this issue, but I'll have it fixed today.

 

Are you serious this is how our tailgates are removed?!? Oh my!

Yet another reason to lock em' up folks!

PS: Is there reasoning behind this simplistic procedure or did Ford FU big time?

Please tell me it's not the latter . . .

 

Every 1/2 ton truck I have ever seen regardless of make model or year has a tailgate that is removed by this method. It's not anything having to do with Ford engineering. For that matter, every compact pickup I have ever seen is like this too.

 

BINGO! I feel bad for the guys without locks, I know first hand that a friend of mines Chevy doesn't have a lock on his!

 

Exactly... The earlier comment about worrying that this could be an engineering screwup is quite funny. I even believe that the goofy looking Isuzu Baja's tailgate comes off this way -- hence, it's not limited to trucks.

 

I have an 89 F250 with a regular length box. Do the supporting arms on each side of the tailgate come off easily as well?

 

I don't have a 250 sitting around to look at, but it should have 2 larger holes connected to the holes that support it. You just have to slide the arms up to the larger hole, and pop it off. They work just like the straps do, except they never break when your buddy jumps on you tailgate...

that engineering flaw comment was good for a laugh. I always assumed that it was just easier to have a standard mount than each manufacturer coming up with something more difficult to remove. Is tailgate theft a big problem? I can't say I've ever seen a crack head running down the street with a tailgate.

 

yes, there is a reason... there are times when you want to remove your tailgate...

like if you want to load something really heavy with ramps... rather than worrying about busting your cables (this happened to my Dad's 85 F150) you can just pop off the tailgate and put the ramps on the bed.

but the problem of stealing tailgates is that they are really expensive to replace so people will just steal one if theirs gets trashed in an accident or something. If I ever park outside somewhere (like at the airport) I make sure to lock my tailgate. But otherwise, its not a huge deal for me as I work in a secure facility and park in my garage at night.

 

Apparently you haven't removed the tailgate on a pre-1980 Ford. Talk about a job...

 

Hmmm, i know for a fact that my dads 79 is the same way execpt with supporting arms instead of cables if i remember right it's the right side that pops off

 

I could loan you my 13 year old son! Tailgate fell off one evening when he was getting his skateboard out of the bed. It was hanging by the cables when I came out.

It actually fell of on me once. I had firewood in the bed. I think it happened to push out on the tailgate at the right moment to cause it to fall off!

Regards!