Tailgate reinforcement option

[EJP-OB]

I've seen a number of posts for the typical tailgate reinforcement options, Rough Country, JCR, BAMF, M2M, etc. Most of them, with the exception of RC and a few others are well over $150 and beyond.

I'm not sure if there's been any feedback on the one from Allied Expedition:

https://www.alliedexpedition.com/product/ford-bronco-tailgate-reinforcement/

For $95 all in, including shipping and handling for the model I chose with the mountain graphic I figured I'd give it a shot. Worst case I'd repaint it if the finish was sketchy.

Very pleased with the product, a pretty hefty piece of plate metal with what seems to be a good powder coating. Only thing I wasn't happy about was the bolts to reattach the OEM tire carrier weren't stainless steel but I was able to reuse the factory ones.
I also added some thin single stick neoprene padding between the reinforcement plate and the tailgate.

All in all very happy and so is my wallet.

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[WarthogJr]

So the plan with all of these tailgate “reinforcements” is to bolt on an extra plate to the door? I don’t see how that improves anything. By design, the weight of the door is on the two hinges (specifically the section with the pin). Don’t these plates just add more weight to the door and thereby add more stress on those hinge pins? Wouldn’t that be the weak point that needs to be addressed? If we are concerned about improving the system, it seems to me that replacing the factory hinges with more robust hinges (maybe bigger pins) is the only way to do that.

OR…have there been cases of failure at the point(s) where the factory hinges are bolted on to the door? Maybe I missed that. Is THAT what this design is intended to improve?

 

[EJP-OB]

So the plan with all of these tailgate “reinforcements” is to bolt on an extra plate to the door? I don’t see how that improves anything. By design, the weight of the door is on the two hinges (specifically the section with the pin). Don’t these plates just add more weight to the door and thereby add more stress on those hinge pins? Wouldn’t that be the weak point that needs to be addressed? If we are concerned about improving the system, it seems to me that replacing the factory hinges with more robust hinges (maybe bigger pins) is the only way to do that.

OR…have there been cases of failure at the point(s) where the factory hinges are bolted on to the door? Maybe I missed that. Is THAT what this design is intended to improve?

The weak link in the chain as far as I see it, is that from the factory, the spare tire is hung only on the tailgate.
With larger tires and with the stress of off roading the aluminum tailgate is prone to being torqued and potentially buckled.
The reinforcement plate ties everything together and transfers more of the load to the hinges.

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