Tailgate "Reinforcement"

[Denis85]

Curious as to what people think of these tailgate reinforcement kits that are being sold. Unless I'm misunderstanding them, most of the offerings just help distribute the weight more evenly? But all of the weight is still on the latch and hinges.

So if they're being installed to prevent tailgate issues in the future, wouldn't the hinge and whatever the hinge attaches to be what would need to be reinforced? If they're being installed for more cosmetic purposes, I can get that, and that's totally fine. But to add a metal plate (which adds weight) to my tailgate and not reinforce the hinges seems counterproductive as a reinforcement.

Am I crazy? I'm like a slight nudge away from purchasing a Hammerbuilt unit but it would be because it looks sweet and can attach a Rotopax to it.

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[Brian_B]

There are three different kinds of reinforcements

Factory - the hinge bolts to the frame on a steel L bracket. The aluminum tailgate bolts to the hinge. The tailgate itself carries all the weight.

Hammer built and may others are a cross-support. They use the existing hinges and brace them for more strength.

The second type are hinge upgrades. This would be the Raptor style - the tailgate still carries the weight but the hinges are beefier, and that usually also includes a cross brace.

The last type pulls all the weight off the tailgate. These are the spare swing out bumper mounts, and the Turn Offroad carrier which is like a steel exoskeleton for the tailgate and the steel frame carries all the weight and the tailgate just kinda sits on it to look pretty.

 

[Denis85]

ok, that's my understanding too. But the 1st type, the ones that just attach to the factory hinges, isn't really a reinforcement, right? Its more cosmetic and may allow attaching of things depending on the brand.

Like if i install a hammerbuilt setup and nothing else, noting is really reinforced. Ive just added more weight to my tailgate.

 

[Ninjak]

ok, that's my understanding too. But the 1st type, the ones that just attach to the factory hinges, isn't really a reinforcement, right? Its more cosmetic and may allow attaching of things depending on the brand.

Like if i install a hammerbuilt setup and nothing else, noting is really reinforced. Ive just added more weight to my tailgate.

Think Physics.

The 1st one that spreads the weight actually reduces weight because the weight is not solely on the hinges. Look at how a wooden door is made that is long. It has a cross member that is added to it, not for appearance but for the door weight to be distributed to the cross beam, thus taking the weight off the door hinges.

I had a DV8 reinforcement on my Badlands. (The DV8 that had the guard on it) It mounted in several places along the tailgate. It carried my 37's with no issues and was quite stout. I never had an issue with it in the 2 1/2 years I ran it. Again, it was able to do this because the weight distribution was along the entire tailgate and not just at the hinges.

 

[brkdncr]

The weak point of the tailgate isn’t the hinges, it’s the tailgate itself. It will bend.

I think ford sells upgraded hinges now that also support the tailgate.

 

[Brian_B]

ok, that's my understanding too. But the 1st type, the ones that just attach to the factory hinges, isn't really a reinforcement, right? Its more cosmetic and may allow attaching of things depending on the brand.

Like if i install a hammerbuilt setup and nothing else, noting is really reinforced. Ive just added more weight to my tailgate.

It will add some stability. Same concept as this:

 

[Whiskey Bizness]

Think Physics.

The 1st one that spreads the weight actually reduces weight because the weight is not solely on the hinges. Look at how a wooden door is made that is long. It has a cross member that is added to it, not for appearance but for the door weight to be distributed to the cross beam, thus taking the weight off the door hinges.

That... isn't how physics works. A door constructed with a diagonal brace uses that brace along with tension and compression (physics) to keep the door frame from wracking and twisting under the weight of the construction materials.

And the weight certainly does transfer to the hinges because where else does the weight go?? The brace doesn't have antigravity properties, so the weight of the door is "felt" by the hinges.

 

[Brian_B]

Physics has entered the post…

Paging @swamp2

 

[Denis85]

That... isn't how physics works. A door constructed with a diagonal brace uses that brace along with tension and compression (physics) to keep the door frame from wracking and twisting under the weight of the construction materials.

And the weight certainly does transfer to the hinges because where else does the weight go?? The brace doesn't have antigravity properties, so the weight of the door is "felt" by the hinges.

This is my understanding as well. The weight is still there. It may be distributed more evenly, but nothing has been reinforced.

The hinge and whatever the hinge attaches to is what really requires reinforcing.

 

[brkdncr]

This is my understanding as well. The weight is still there. It may be distributed more evenly, but nothing has been reinforced.

The hinge and whatever the hinge attaches to is what really requires reinforcing.

The tailgate has been reinforced. when you add wait, it's attached to the tailgate. The tailgate isn't designed to support nearly as much weight that the hinges can support.

That's not to say that the tailgate reinforcement panels are all you need. the hinges have a limit too.

But to say the tailgate reinforcement does nothing would be false.

 

[Brian_B]

From installing one of these on my own --

The stock hinges aren't bad. They are fairly beefy steel. And the brackets that bolt them to the frame are good steel as well. The reinforcement can help keep them from sagging/shifting, but the real weak spot is the aluminum tailgate itself.

Apart from the fact that they have additional mounting points on them, I don't really see any benefit to upgrading the hinges. Either reinforce across the hinges to try to stabilize the aluminum tailgate some - which will help somewhat keep the tailgate from twisting, or go the distance and pull all the weight off the aluminum tailgate itself.

 

[Whiskey Bizness]

This is my understanding as well. The weight is still there. It may be distributed more evenly, but nothing has been reinforced.

The hinge and whatever the hinge attaches to is what really requires reinforcing.

Correct.

Systems like the Turn Offroad kit replace the hinges with stronger units so that they aren't the weakest link in the chain anymore. The entire weight of the door, spare tire carrier, wheel, and tire are transferred through those hinges to the weight bearing structure of the "door frame" (for lack of a better term) that the hinges are bolted to.

Apparently that structure is strong enough in the Bronco to handle the additional load. In the Jeep world, aftermarket companies provided reinforcement brackets that you had to install there as well whenever you installed stronger door hinges / tire carriers. The body metal wasn't strong enough by itself to carry the additional load without reinforcement.

 

[Denis85]

I appreciate all of the responses!

 

[Brian_B]

Systems like the Turn Offroad kit replace the hinges with stronger units so that they aren't the weakest link in the chain anymore.

The hinges were never the weakest link.

TOR does replace the hinge, but only by virtue that it's installing a new hinge built as part of a full steel frame to carry all the weight of the spare tire and any additional mounted equipment. Nothing mounted externally is carried by the aluminum tailgate any longer. The tailgate itself bolts to the backside of that frame - the frame carries all the weight of the spare (and anything you mount externally)

This entire piece is one solid chunk of welded steel, which bolts directly up to the frame brackets. The spare hangs from the back side, and the tailgate hangs from the front side.

 

[ptgptg]

That... isn't how physics works. A door constructed with a diagonal brace uses that brace along with tension and compression (physics) to keep the door frame from wracking and twisting under the weight of the construction materials.

And the weight certainly does transfer to the hinges because where else does the weight go?? The brace doesn't have antigravity properties, so the weight of the door is "felt" by the hinges.

That was such a good video and explanation. Even I understand it now. Thank you!

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