i want to make a drop down tailgate for my vit...

[SiKiD_01]

anyone got any ideas, or any experience with this?

i'm seriously looking at doing this, but have become a bit stuck with ways i can do it.

i haven't got a pic of the back of the vit yet, but i will get a pic tomorrow.

i was thinking about making it with hinges like what they have on ute trays, or trailers, to which the tailgate is removable. then have some latches either spring loaded ones, or gate ones where i can put a pad lock on.

i want to make it pretty strong so it can support full esky's and stuff, or just to sit 3 blokes on. it just gets annoying when i have to move the vit out of a parking space to load stuff up into the back. its ok when theres a normal car behind me, as my tail gate swings open above their bonnet.

i guess this is as simple as making some sliders, but i dont know how to hinge/mount it.

thanks for any help/advice/ideas.
Steve

[antt]

i'd be going to a wreckers and buying a complete tailgate with hinges and latch setup from some sort of ute (doesn't really matter what kind). then rip the hinges outta it, mount them, then use the lockin mechanism that the ute used. u may have to drill holes in the side of the door opening for it to latch into, but thats no big drama

[alien]

thats a totally brilliant idea! this would also solve the problem of the larger tyre bending the hinges down on the sierra door too... which most of us have learnt to live with =)

Keep this thread alive with all you find dude. very keen to see how i pans out!

[SiKiD_01]

no problems.

i will go to the wreckers for a bit of a look, and see what i can find that is the same size as the vit rear door.

i think it'll be easier to make one from scratch, but hinges off another tailgate may be useful.

[Drewfus]

i think it'll be easier to make one from scratch, but hinges off another tailgate may be useful.

On the basis that the tailgate would be of a light gauge(ie a single skin of alloy chequerplate, bent to the desired shape), and that you had no intention of standing on it, then I'd recommend some early hilux bonnet hinges.......

Cheers,

Drewfus

[SiKiD_01]

i think it'll be easier to make one from scratch, but hinges off another tailgate may be useful.

On the basis that the tailgate would be of a light gauge(ie a single skin of alloy chequerplate, bent to the desired shape), and that you had no intention of standing on it, then I'd recommend some early hilux bonnet hinges.......

Cheers,

Drewfus

thanks, i will look into that also.

[mud4b]

I MADE ONE ON A SIERRA A FEW YEARS AGO...

i used hilux hinges and handle....

it worked great..and cost around $40..

[alien]

hey Mark - got pics?

[munecito]

I found this pic surfing the web is a sierra with a drop down tailgate:



Will

[built4thrashing]

thinking of doing the same thing but where do ya put the spare 31 in tyre?
do they make a swing away carrier to suit a zook?

[munecito]

That is the problem, there is a draft that a friend of mine in Spain made for a swing away carrier.

Let me see if I can find it.

Will

[munecito]

Here is the image of how it looks like (sorry but it is small)



Here is what he has done with the hood:









Nice way to keep the hood up without that annoying stick/lever or whatever it is called.

Will

[nicbeer]

Not work will.

Error msg.

[munecito]

What about now???

Will

[SiKiD_01]

What about now???

Will

those pics dont work.

anyway, i went to a few wreckers today to look at some ute tail gates. all of the ones i looked at, including: Hilux, triton, navara, bravo, datto 720, all have the hinges welded to the tail gate itself, and will only unbolt front the body.

i can try to use the ones i have on my existing rear door now, as that may seem to be the only way to do it, short of using trailer, and flatbed hinges.

i cant use any other tail gates from any other vehicle, as the shape of my vit one is a lot different to others.

i will have a go this week end with the hinges i have already.

[munecito]

I can se them. But let me try to upload them into the outerlimits database.

First one is his proposed solution for a swing carrier and the others are what he's done to the hood to avoid the use of the lever, stick thingy.

Will

[munecito]

More pics

Will

[ShuDuck]

[munecito]

Very good!!!

I'm thinking in doing the same myself.

Will

[SiKiD_01]

on the tail gate thing....

i had a good look at the vit hinges, and teh top and bottom are not the same, so i'll have to source some other hinges, maybe trailer ones.

[nickw86au]

on the tail gate thing....

i had a good look at the vit hinges, and teh top and bottom are not the same, so i'll have to source some other hinges, maybe trailer ones.

Did you end up doing this?

[grimbo]

what about using Sierra door hinges?

[SiKiD_01]

still looking into the design and methods of how to go about doing this. maybe some 40mmx40mm square as a frame, and then some sheeting over the top.

sierra door hinges might work, but i'd have to get them from interstate. no sierras in wreckers up here.

i was also thinking about trailer door hinges, beefy, and allow for the tail gate to be removed.

i will definately post up anything when i have the time to start on it.

[kimclive]

When I was in the US in 1997 I saw a lot of utes without tail gates but with a net of nylon material stretched across the back. It was in a square cross over pattern with fabric about 3 inches across and holes about the same size. I didnt have a good look at one to see what the fabric was though.

I guess it would make mounting a spare a bit hard though.

Cheers

Clive

[nickw86au]

Might be an idea, you'd just have to make a swing-away tyre carrer - I imagine you'd have to with a swing down tailgate anyway?? cause otherwise it would hit the car...

Nick

[martyp]

ok - i'm only a noob on these forums, but why would you want struts for your bonnet?

whenever i open the bonnet, i just rest it against the windscreen rubbers... i guess if you have a hard-top.... but still

[munecito]

Ok, let's say suddenly the wind comes and you have your head under the hood.

Hood 1 - you 0

It is more confortable with a strut than with the pole thingy. Have you ever tried to find the hole in the bonnet when it is dark???

Will

[nickw86au]

Never had thought about that...

Nick

[munecito]

What happenned to me once.

I live accross the bay, so it is ussually windy here.

I was replacing the spark plugs and had the hood resting against the windscreen. I just took off one of the spark plugs and was looking at it when "BANG" the hood slammed because of the wind. Lucky I moved just before it. Since then I always use the pole, but most of the times in gets on your way when you are working on the car.

Will

[SiKiD_01]

When I was in the US in 1997 I saw a lot of utes without tail gates but with a net of nylon material stretched across the back. It was in a square cross over pattern with fabric about 3 inches across and holes about the same size. I didnt have a good look at one to see what the fabric was though.

I guess it would make mounting a spare a bit hard though.

Cheers

Clive

i have also thought about this heaps. but because i have a soft top, and i have stuff in the back occasionally, its not practical, not to mention all the dust, mud and rain.

there are a few hilux utes with the net on the TRAY, and a few commo's and falcon utes with this net set up, mainly drag utes, but i just cant see any benefit apart from looking cool and saving a bit of weight.

i guess in summer it would look pretty cool with the back window out, or the whole top off, but then there would be nothing left of my vit if i ever left it anywhere.