Anyone tried to make the tailgate 'traditional?'

[Lt. Ron]

Can't stand the Jeep side swing gate. Would like to see a traditional Drop-down gate so you can sit and enjoy your ice cream....Any one have this done?

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[jrandy]

There would probably be decent demand for it, but I’d fear it would be a massive undertaking to do so.

 

[MNBigfoot]

This Sema build had it: BDS Fire Rescue Bronco Build at SEMA 2021 | Bronco6G - 2021+ Ford Bronco & Bronco Raptor Forum, News, Blog & Owners Community

 

[PlayTime]

Big question is what will you do with the spare tire? Have you seen the slide-out tailgate, standard on the Heritage

 

[MNBigfoot]

Big question is what will you do with the spare tire? Have you seen the slide-out tailgate, standard on the Heritage

That's simple, place it in the garage next to the spare fuel pump, water pump, alternator and 100 other things that could break down. A small patch kit and compressor will serve just as well as a spare 95% of the time.

 

[zyglyrox]

I wish the bronco had a split folding tailgate and back window.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Pretty substantial amount of fab work required. Definitely not a bolt on DIY "kit".

 

[SHANUT]

Big question is what will you do with the spare tire? Have you seen the slide-out tailgate, standard on the Heritage

It could be just like the older Broncos. The spare tire was mounted on a swing arm, so you would swing it out-of-the-way before you opened the independent tailgate.

 

[RagnarKon]

Big question is what will you do with the spare tire? Have you seen the slide-out tailgate, standard on the Heritage

The factory spare tire back on the old 2nd-5th gen’s just put it on a swing arm. A lot of people thought it was ugly, but worked great.

Not having a truck-like tailgate was probably my biggest disappointment in 6th gen. (I’m sure Wrangler folks felt the same way when it happened to their vehicle.)

 

[Johnny Mo]

I'm good with this solution...

 

[zuke]

SWAG hasn't made a drop down tailgate for the last two generations of Wranglers for a reason..

While a few people might want them, it's really never a "popular" option when it's available, because the number of folks who really want it just isn't enough to get any kind of economy of scale.

You can still buy the Jeep TJ and earlier ones because they're already designed, and easy to manufacture. (And they still have ones they made 5 years ago on the shelf)

 

[TopRecon]

There would probably be decent demand for it, but I’d fear it would be a massive undertaking to do so.

I've talked to the guys at BDS who put together this build.

This Sema build had it: BDS Fire Rescue Bronco Build at SEMA 2021 | Bronco6G - 2021+ Ford Bronco & Bronco Raptor Forum, News, Blog & Owners Community

The consensus is that the amount of fabrication required to mount the hinge and latches to the frame was unfeasible for a kit, as it requires quite a bit of drilling into the swinggate/frame/taillights. They had trouble with installation and dialing down fitment as professionals and didn't have confidence that third party installers would be able to achieve quality results by just following instructions. It's different on a pickup truck, like this build and on a typical Ranger or F-150, where the tailgate is outside and isolated. In a closed 2-Door where the tailgate is three feet behind you, it only takes a slightly less than perfect installation for NVH to make it an unusable product.

Secondary issue is that the swinggate panel was designed as a swinggate. You have a vertical handle that would be awkward to use to unlatch a tailgate, and even if you removed it that big dimple is still there. There are pockets on the right for hinges that would no longer be there and you'd have to paint or cover the empty, unpainted area. Ford didn't really design the swinggate to look good with the tire off, and that is what it is, but if you're going through all the trouble of drilling into the frame and swinggate and taillights and carefully lining everything up, the end result would be something that still looks kind of bad, which didn't inspire confidence as far as consumer enthusiasm.

The better option would be to replace the swinggate entirely with a bespoke drop-down tailgate piece, but that would be very expensive to manufacture, as there's a compound curvature needed to be able to line up with the rear glass and seal, the only reason BDS was able to make theirs is because it's a pickup build, so they could use completely flat sheetmetal panel that didn't need to line up with the rear glass.

 

[cbrenthus]

I’d rather be able to switch the direction of the swing. I like to back into my garage, and my house entrance is on the passenger side, so to unload groceries I have to walk around the open gate, but not much room so I usually close and open it with every trip.

 

[Dkirk]

I'm good with this solution...

Like you, I have the slide out floor. I like the looks of your storage bag on the tailgate. Brand? where did you buy?

 

[Johnny Mo]

Like you, I have the slide out floor. I like the looks of your storage bag on the tailgate. Brand? where did you buy?

Wife and kiddos got it for me for Christmas one year

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