I need to replace the tailgate on my 88 F-150 it is rusting beyond help. If any of you guys have opened/closed on of these tailgates, it is a beast!! It is extremely heavy!! I know that if I could find a replacement tailgate that is lighter, it would do wonders for my trucks "get up and go". Do any of you guys know when Ford started putting lighter tailgates on there trucks, and if one of these lighter tailgates would fit on my 88 F-150? I appreciate the help guys!!

 

dunno bout that, but i do know you can get louvered tailgates that are not only alot lighter but they let air pass through them reducing drag .

 

Just buy one from JCWhitney. It's cheap and the sheetmetal is about 1/2 as thick as stock, just don't plan on being able to stand on it or set anything heavy on it withou denting it.

BTW, it may help you get up and go but it will make you slide around in the winter. Unless your a southerner, then you have nothing to worry about

-Jon

 

I have a topper, so a tailgate that let's air through wouldn't help in my case. I do realize that I will slide around a little more in the minnesota winters, but I can always put sand bags in the back during the winter. Anyone else have any feedback, I really don't want to have to order from JC Whitney, the shipping on a tailgate would SUCK!!!

 

Some body shops will get you a cheap "taiwan made" tailgate. You might check a couple of them out.

 

Actually the shipping was pretty cheap, like $25. Pissed off the mail man though. JCWhitney sent the tailgate through US mail. At the same time i received a small 6" square box through UPS!

-Jon

 

So it was super light? Approximately how many pounds was it. I would guess that mine is somewhere in the ball park of 100+ pounds, it is rediculously heavy, and my Dad's 98 dodge tailgate is as light as a feather, why is this? Are there newer trucks that have tailgates that would fit my 88, that are a lot lighter? I MUST remedy this problem, a very smart man once told me.."the best way to gain speed off the line AND on the fly is simple, just shed as much unnecessary weight as possible!" Makes a lot of sense, and this tailgate weight is rediculous, and unnecessary! Help me out guys!!

 

FWIW, my '95 tailgate is heavy, too. I would guess it's about 100 pounds. I don't think they ever did get lighter, at least not ones that would fit your bed.

Take care,
-Chris

 

i gotta agreee w/ you superedge7, my tailgate on my 85 weighs a ton!!! I believe its even a little heavier than yours, just a little, cuz mine is the previous model f150, and the tailgate bubbles in and ford is imprinted in the metal. To top things off, my tailgate sticks and the handle is broken so i have to kick the top right corner of the tailgate, and i mean kick it hard! then pull out on the handle, then pull up on the handle ...or should i say yank on the handle, then back out again, then if i'm lucky it'll pop open. Good thing though is that the steel is sooooo thick that even though its heavy, its not dented from all my kicking, and the paint is still fine. Is there anyway i can take apart the tailgate from the inside (like screws or something?) cuz i can't tell cuz i have a bed mat bolted on the tailgate so i can't see if its welded shut or screwed like my 00's is. If so, hopefully i can maybe fix the handle. Anyway, on my 00 HD truck, the tailgate is light as a feather, well at least compared to my 85's, and it pop's right open with a slight pull of hte handle. SHocked me when i 1st got the truck, not used to not going through a whole workout to open my damn tailgate. lol. good luck finding a new one

 

No doubt those suckers are heavy. Way too heavy in my opinion. My old import truck tailgate finally bent a little after many years of loading 500+ lb bikes over it, and standing on it while riding the bike up.

There has to be something lighter than still has enough strength to be practical.

 

I found this thread while searching for a way to lighten my tailgate. Its just too heavy!
I pulled mine off yesterday and weighed it. 63 pounds!
I went and bought a tailgate net shortly after that. Works good for me. I installed large eyebolts in all four corners awhile back. Anything heavy, I just tie down.

 

The JcWhitney tailgates are a lot lighter but a lot crappier, you can't even sit on them without it denting.

 

We could just spend the money on the motor for a little extra power to push these heavy tailgates around

BTW mine weighs alot too.

 

my tailgate has the aluminum trim piece across the back, an aluminum cap and a plastic bedliner piece on it, talk about heavy. my boss has an XL that doesnt have the trim on the back and no other stuff and it seems light as a feather to me.

 

I've taken my aluminum off a few times and it's really no heavier then a aluminum can.....