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More trouble for Toyota - Tundra tailgates

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Old Oct 22, 2007 | 11:41 AM
  #1  
DAyers's Avatar
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More trouble for Toyota - Tundra tailgates

It seems that the much ballyhooed Toyota Tundra for 2007 has a tailgate that is not up to the job of handling a load. I found this thread on the Tundra Solutions web site. Enjoy.

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...res-i-am-club/

Some of you on here may see me as a Toyota Zealist but even with my loyalty towards Toyota I'll throw a BS flag at them as fast as anyone else, so here it is. Well its pretty obvious that the tailgates on these new tundras have some issues. There have been multiple threads of folks loading 4 wheelers, golf carts and damaging their tailgates in the process. I was following a thread on a tailgate failure on TT and it was about a guy who tried to load his atv in the back of his Tundra and the tailgate bent and buckled in the process. So I went out to look at mine since I have loaded mine quite a few times without a problem and noticed that my tailgate is gonna do the same thing his did. The shell is 2 thin azz pieces with a chinsy seam that appears to be bonded with something I cant even say that its welded cuz it doesn't look like a weld. Anyway heres a few pics and the link to this guys post where his failed to support the weight of his wheeler the first time he attempted to load it This is gonna be a mess up here in AK, cuz thats how most people transport their wheelers. This same wheeler has been loaded in the bed of 2 of my Tacomas and a T-100 with no problem over the last 10 years and now Toyotas biggest truck ever has a tailgate that wont support what a 1996 Tacoma, 1999 Tacoma , and a 97 T-100 could. This is gonna be a fun one, thankfully I dont have to load the quad again until May so I have some time to figure this out. I dont know if the spring loaded easy drop feature for suburban moms is the reason for this lightweight chinsy tailgate but its not gonna fly for those of us who actually use their truck as a truck.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 12:31 PM
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Yea but it can carry 10,000 lb semi trailers from the side of a cliff or over huge teeter tauter... sweet mercy!

SO this story is certainly bunk.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 12:48 PM
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some pics from that thread:

Dent from 4 wheeler tires...


ouch!:

This guy had a golf cart in the bed of his CM with the back tires on the tailate.Brace yourselves.


Old Oct 22, 2007 | 12:52 PM
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I've said it before, I'll say it again :



If you only knew the things we've loaded into my Dad's Sierra, and the tailgate is still as straight as ever!
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 12:54 PM
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I actually noticed a couple of Tundras with the same damage shown above. I was looking at it and trying to figure out what could have caused it. I figured that they had dropped something on it. Now I know I guess.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 12:59 PM
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It looks like the sheet metal was caulked together.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 01:20 PM
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Think thats bad? How about transmission problems from a bad torque converters?

http://blogs.motortrend.com/6219370/...zon/index.html
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 01:28 PM
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Old Oct 22, 2007 | 01:37 PM
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centric's Avatar
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That's kwality.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 01:59 PM
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When rating the payload, they forgot to subtract the weight of the bedliner and tailgate liners... DUH.

I bet we don't see the tailgate issue on the NBC news tonight though... any takers?
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 02:05 PM
  #11  
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Not good.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 02:15 PM
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It "seems" as if Toyota doesn't do much, if any real world testing of their trucks (& cars?)....that or they don't test nearly enough.

With the cracking sheetmetal braces on their FJ's and now this.......make's you wonder....
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 03:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Doug Harden
It "seems" as if Toyota doesn't do much, if any real world testing of their trucks (& cars?)....that or they don't test nearly enough.

With the cracking sheetmetal braces on their FJ's and now this.......make's you wonder....
Makes you wonder how long it will take for the curtain to be lifted regarding Toyota's stellar ability to manufacture the FINEST automobiles/ trucks in the world!!

"I love what you do for me Toyota" Not.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 03:35 PM
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I was planning on buying one this summer but they're having way too many problems pop up. It really sucks too cause after driving one I fell in love with it's power and acceleration and nobody else has anything equal to it except GMC and it's $10k too much for me. Now I gotta wait for Toyota to take care of it or see what Ford and Dodge come out with in 08. Maybe Chevy if they decide to make the 6.0/6l80e available in a regular cab and drop the 4 sec wot delay.
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 03:37 PM
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THIS IS NOT LIMITED TO THE TUNDRA!!!

Check out Tacoma Forums too!!!!

I have an '05 DC Prerunner Tacoma and they have the same problem! Mine's never bent, but I'm afraid to even stand on it. THE INNER AND OUTER STRUCTURES ARE GLUED TOGETHER!!!

Toyota has known about the problem with the '05+ Tacoma's since 2004 (they came out April '04) and have done NOTHING to my knowledge to fix the problem.



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