Tailgate Load Capacity...

[RASelkirk]

Pretty sure there is none, but I am curious as to what ya'll think. I will be picking up a new 800 lb zero-turn mower tomorrow. The mower will fit inside the bed. They drive it off of a large steel pallet into the bed using a forklift. I plan on being present during loading so I can make sure they don't drive the mower "onto" the 'gate, or even "rest" the pallet on it. I have a 2T engine crane at home that should reach to the CG of the slings with the tailgate still in place. But! If it doesn't, I'll either need to pull the ass-end of the mower out onto the 'gate a bit or scratch the engine crane and go buy a chain block.

Russ

 

[huntergreen]

Not sure how much a zero turn weighs, but have seen quads drive up on ramps into the bed and have the rear wheels on the tailgate while traveling. You should be fine.

 

[sandawilliams]

I load my 800 lb. atv all the time. Two ramps laying on the tailgate to get it in there.

 

[Quyonmob]

600lb quad with my 200lbs ass up and down the ramps all day long with no problem.

Even leave the rear tires of the quad on the tailgate to drive, thanks to my 5’7” bed. No problem there either.

 

[james.price.58]

I had an old Gravely mower that was almost 1000 lbs and loaded it via ramp on every 1500 I've owned with no issues. Did it weekly last fall to mow my mother's yard every week.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[chopperman1]

Why chance it, buy some tailgate support bars, cheap insurance.

https://www.amazon.com/DG-Manufactu...ocphy=9001872&hvtargid=pla-569387200462&psc=1

 

[RASelkirk]

Thanks, this is all reassuring! I'm still gonna try and "keep it sane" when they load me up and I won't sweat it too much if I need to roll it back onto the 'gate to unload it.

Those support bars won't do me any good for tomorrow, but I can prolly make a pair from scrap Ive got laying around. If I'd have asked this yesterday, I could have made them up in time. Heck, I don't really have to unload it right away, might just do a set after we get home...

Thanks!

Russ

 

[RASelkirk]

Well, that went...well. Pick up was great, trip home was a little "nervy", especially going over our 180' tall Rainbow Bridge. The only thing holding it in was 4 HF 400# ratchet straps and the mower's parking brake. Getting it out was more of a chore than planned. It was loaded ass first because it wouldn't fit in the bed with the 'gate closed and I didn't want the CG over the 'gate. That made getting the engine hoist centered on the load impossible. We ended up pulling the front wheels almost off the 'gate before it actually started lifting clear. My neighbor came and drove it off the plywood skid set on the crane legs. Good thing because my first "driving lesson" was for ****. I'd have prolly wrecked the mower and my truck backing it off. These things have a pretty steep learning curve for an old guy...




Russ

 

[leeroy300]

it took 100 12' 2x6's sliding out of the 6.5' box to just start to bend it and stretch the loops on the cables

 

[RASelkirk]

it took 100 12' 2x6's sliding out of the 6.5' box to just start to bend it and stretch the loops on the cables

Sounds like my pop back in the 60's. We had a hardware store and one day it was time to clean out a garage bay full of pipe scraps. We kept chucking stuff in the back of the truck (Corvair step-side). When it was time to drive out, the front wheels were off the ground.

One of my first driving lessons was on a manual shift '68 Dodge truck with a bed full of railroad ties we were gonna use for a breakwater at the camp 65 miles away. The front was so light I could wrack the steering wheel from side to side and it would barely wander. Had to stomp the brake when turning! All moot though, the lake's regulatory board made him remove the ties cause of the creosote...

Russ

 

[JSMITH8505]

I found out the hard way that the tailgates and tailgate support wires are much stronger than you'd think.

Last month when loading a 5th Wheel 35 ft Keystone Montana RV Trailer at an Insurance yard, (tailgate down) I raised the landing gear and started backing up the truck to hitch it to the 5th Wheel hitch. (A Montana weighs about 12-13000 lbs).

The landing gear cycled quickly from fully raised to all the way down just as I backed up to load it. Before i could move forweard with the truck, the kingpin and weight of the front of the RV rested firmly on the tailgate. Then the air ride auto leveling system kicked in and raised the front of the Montana off the ground. I estimate the front kingpin and tailgate had 1200-1500 lbs on it.


No damage. No dents. and the cables held. I think what helped was that the RV slowly lowered instead of slamming down, but I was shocked that the cables held and there was no indentation.

It took a front end loader to lift the 5th wheel, but we managed to get it locked into the hitch.

A Motorcycle, Lawn Mower or ATV should be fine.

 

[Zack02]

A pallet of salt weights ~2,500# (probably 2,000 on the gate, 500 on the bed). I get them set on the gate "sideways," so it can be slid in and my bed cover can be closed with the pallet. I wouldn't trust it longer than it takes to load it.

Holy sketch dude...