F150 Tailgate Bent

[Scarpozzi]

I was hauling some 16' composite decking boards and bent my tailgate slightly. 2009 F150...

I had some 12' 2x8s under the long boards for support. The tailgate bent a little on one side and wouldn't latch easily. I was able to get it to close eventually, but the cable on that side was dragging. The top left corner is what's out. I'm thinking about coming up with some scheme to put a solid board up against that side of the tailgate and use a come along to pull it back toward the front of the bed somehow. Anyone got any tips?

 

[Scarpozzi]

I found a place online that sells $299 primed tailgates + $20 shipping.... I'm not sure what they'd charge to paint a tailgate, but I'm sure it wouldn't be all that bad.

I'm not going to drop $300 on it, but nice to know if I muck it up trying to bend it back, I'm only out $400

 

[dave_the_nerd]

No pics? Pshaw!

If I've got the picture in my head right, you may want to check with a body shop before you DIY- they'll often do "bend it back" sorts of repairs for cheap. Otherwise, Youtube has videos of basically anything and everything that can go wrong with an F150 tailgate, and probably more different strategies to fix them than there are F150s out there.

I found a place online that sells $299 primed tailgates + $20 shipping.... I'm not sure what they'd charge to paint a tailgate, but I'm sure it wouldn't be all that bad.

I'm not going to drop $300 on it, but nice to know if I muck it up trying to bend it back, I'm only out $400

You'd probably be better off hunting scrapyards for one that matches. When I shopped around a bumper cover, I was told $200-$400 to paint it, depending on the place. I ended up getting a painted one for $180.

I can't imagine painting a gate would be cheaper enough to make that worth it.

<joking>

If you're lucky enough to have a white one, just go steal one from a Uhaul lot or something.

</joking>

 

[AMDMaddness]

Try bending it back? My F150 had a slightly bent tail gate on the passenger side, you had to really slam it to get it to close. I ended up putting a short piece of 2x4 on the driver side so it wouldn't latch and pushed the ever loving crap out of the passenger side until it bent back enough to not be noticeable.

 

[mindless1]

You'd probably be better off hunting scrapyards for one that matches.

This

 

[Scarpozzi]

I looked a little closer and the problem is the tailgate is really just an inside panel, joined to an outside body panel. It's crimped on the edges... The issue is that the crimped metal came loose on that side of the tailgate and it caused the metal to buckle. This thread is from someone that had a similar issue after loading an ATV and another poster in the thread said he had the same issue after hauling some 6x6 posts.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/2009-2014-f-150/461111-tailgateskin-separating-2011-a.html

$500 deductible on my insurance or about the same if I go to a junk yard. My biggest complaint is that the quality of the junk yard find will likely have the same weakness unless I spot-weld the crimp points on the new gate. I'm starting to think these trucks half-ton pickups aren't made for hauling anything anymore.