Aftermarket tailgates

Just saw a GMC commercial where everyone was bringing their old tailgates to lay them at the feet of the new 9-wat GMC design (or whatever it is). 
 

It made me think, why aren't aftermarket tailgates a thing? Theft of OEM is a problem, and they are stupid expensive. With modern scanning and CAD design, it seems like a fairly straightforward process to custom design the pickup points for hinges, etc, on different makes and years. 
you could have some basic budget replacement models, reinforced work models, gadgeteer models, weird origami folding designs...

built in bike mounts, barn door design, water storage for overlanding, built in spare mounts, ammo bins, fold dow stairs, extendable load supports...all kinds of stuff.

And design one base with a bunch of modular, swappable accessories  so you could configure it by mission

seems like there's a niche market there given how much people spend on modding trucks and SUVs these days. (I want my cut if you run with this)

I would love to retrofit a tailgate with stowable steps to my dually...

Holy crap you may be on to something. 

The only aftermarket gates i remember seeing are square tube and msh jobs that supposedly increase fuel efficiency, and ones with a notch for fifth wheel usage. 

If like one that has the option of normal OR barn doors for my Silverado please.

Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:

If like one that has the option of normal OR barn doors for my Silverado please.

This is definitely one of the things I'd like on my F150 as well. Seems like that would be really handy in a Ranger/Colorado size truck for fleet delivery use. 

I've got some ideas about how to make this work from a design and manufacturing perspective but I don't want to share too much. 

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

Or, a retrofit system for existing factory tailgate would be awesome for the older trucks. I cant see enough of a market for 90s trucks to make body specific tailgates,  but a kit that modified the existing tailgate with fitting and such would sell well id think. Something that did all the tricky stuff with latches and rods, weded in after cutting and trimming,  then paint to match....

Some googling tells me there are a LOT of patents around tailgates. Threading that needle seems problematic.

Whatever product you go with needs to be bolt in, no cutting or welding required. Something the average truck owner can do on a saturday. 

3D print. Why does an aftermarket tail gate need to be metal when you only paid $100 for it? Also, why does a patent matter? The aftermarket parts people don't pay money to GM for repro parts do they?

ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) said:

Some googling tells me there are a LOT of patents around tailgates. Threading that needle seems problematic.

Whatever product you go with needs to be bolt in, no cutting or welding required. Something the average truck owner can do on a saturday. 

Tailgates are designed to be quickly and easily removed, so installation is not a problem. Of course, that's also why people steal them. If I were to put any aftermarket parts on my tailgate, it would be a power lock tied into the central system. 

The thing I like about my 11-year-old 3/4 ton is that is clearly the product of ruthless evolution. There's a bunch of stuff on it that is the result of feedback from people using these things for work. With the crop of tailgate foolishness, I think we're seeing less of that and more marketing. How many contractors actually use any of these origami tailgate tricks?

How many people actually use all the bed rack crap the overlander vendors sell? But people still buy it!

Tire mount for giant off road tire, strap mounts for a trash bag, and an internal 10gallon water tanks and you've got a hot item. Even if you only made them for Tacomas.

Oh, there are lots of dress-up parts for sure. I was talking about the factory designs. My 2010 had shiny wheels. That's about the limit of the dress-up. I wasn't saying the aftermarket shouldn't offer toys for people who want to buy toys, I was commenting on the OEs putting more marketing-driven features on vehicles that were very purpose-driven and wondering how useful they actually were in the real world. 

This is not a "good old days" post.

Keith Tanner said:

ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) said:

Some googling tells me there are a LOT of patents around tailgates. Threading that needle seems problematic.

Whatever product you go with needs to be bolt in, no cutting or welding required. Something the average truck owner can do on a saturday. 

Tailgates are designed to be quickly and easily removed, so installation is not a problem. Of course, that's also why people steal them. If I were to put any aftermarket parts on my tailgate, it would be a power lock tied into the central system. 

Hell, that's genius enough all on it's own.

iansane said:

Hell, that's genius enough all on it's own.

I think that's pretty common on decently-optioned new trucks these days.  The F-250 I just bought has one.

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

iansane said:

Hell, that's genius enough all on it's own.

I think that's pretty common on decently-optioned new trucks these days.  The F-250 I just bought has one.

I was kinda surprised it wasn't standard - but that would require wiring to the tailgate, which would make it more difficult to remove. Once you start adding cameras or anything else that requires a wire, it's a no-brainer.

I lock the tailgate with a key when I'm on long trips, but it's a pain because you have to use the hidden steel key inside the fob and it's always the question of "is today the day it snaps?".

My neighbor had an F250 4x4 with the tailgate step thing.  Everytime he loaded it he used it.  It admitedly was very handy.  The GM origami one seems like an answer to a question no one asked. 

What I want to see is a "Sidegate" a tailgate in front of the rear wheels that lowers the load over height behind the rear doors.  That way you come out of the grocery store, drop the side gate, throw your groceries in (Ideally with some kind of mid bed divider to create a "trunk" like space) and roll.  With modern Fullsize/Superduties as a 6' tall adult I literally have to do movements that would be in the OSHA red zone to put stuff over the side of the bed.  

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

I think that's pretty common on decently-optioned new trucks these days.  The F-250 I just bought has one.

 

 

My '17 Ram has an integrated lock in the tailgate (+camera and lights).  It does have a harness that needs to be unplugged when removing the tailgate, but even came with a 'dummy' cap for weather protection for the harness connector.

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

iansane said:

Hell, that's genius enough all on it's own.

I think that's pretty common on decently-optioned new trucks these days.  The F-250 I just bought has one.

 

 

Makes sense. Newest truck I have is a 1995. And up until last year the newest truck I own was a 1970. I don't pay much attention to new trucks because I'm too poor.

nocones said:

My neighbor had an F250 4x4 with the tailgate step thing.  Everytime he loaded it he used it.  It admitedly was very handy.  The GM origami one seems like an answer to a question no one asked. 

What I want to see is a "Sidegate" a tailgate in front of the rear wheels that lowers the load over height behind the rear doors.  That way you come out of the grocery store, drop the side gate, throw your groceries in (Ideally with some kind of mid bed divider to create a "trunk" like space) and roll.  With modern Fullsize/Superduties as a 6' tall adult I literally have to do movements that would be in the OSHA red zone to put stuff over the side of the bed.  

I'd appreciate something like that when I've got a trailer hooked to the truck because that makes the tailgate difficult to access.  I typically carry fuel jugs in the back of the truck (paranoia about fumes in the trailer), and lifting 30 pound jugs over the side of the bed is annoying.

nocones said:

What I want to see is a "Sidegate" a tailgate in front of the rear wheels that lowers the load over height behind the rear doors.  That way you come out of the grocery store, drop the side gate, throw your groceries in (Ideally with some kind of mid bed divider to create a "trunk" like space) and roll.  With modern Fullsize/Superduties as a 6' tall adult I literally have to do movements that would be in the OSHA red zone to put stuff over the side of the bed.  

Something like this?

nocones said:

My neighbor had an F250 4x4 with the tailgate step thing.  Everytime he loaded it he used it.  It admitedly was very handy.  The GM origami one seems like an answer to a question no one asked. 

What I want to see is a "Sidegate" a tailgate in front of the rear wheels that lowers the load over height behind the rear doors.  That way you come out of the grocery store, drop the side gate, throw your groceries in (Ideally with some kind of mid bed divider to create a "trunk" like space) and roll.  With modern Fullsize/Superduties as a 6' tall adult I literally have to do movements that would be in the OSHA red zone to put stuff over the side of the bed.  

You hit on what I was thinking. All this tailgate tomfoolery would be unnecessary if bedsides weren't chin high. I want a bed low enough that I can set things in over the side, without all the downsides of lowering the suspension.