CJ tailgate on my trailer?

[XJINTX]

Two part question

I was at the JY this weekend and saw a Jeep CJ that was wrecked but got an idea. Looking at their tailgate I was wondering...

first: where could I locate one new or at least in good shape?

secondly: how hard would it be to incorporate into my off-road trailer?

It's hard for me but impossible for my wife to reach into the bottom of my trailer. With a tailgate... we could access a lot easier.

Any other suggestions welcomed

 

[cjm]

http://www.dinoot.com/index.php/pricing/components-pricing

They sell tailgates!

 

[XJINTX]

NICE... THANKS!!!

 

[Robert Bills]

Try contacting jeep shops or place some "WTB" ads on the internet jeep forums for a mid-60s CJ-5 or earlier jeep tailgate and hinges. The early jeep tailgate hinges were slotted to allow you to lift the tailgate out when partially lowered. I always liked the versatility of being able to remove the tailgate altogether. There are repop tailgates out there; its the early hinges that are hard to find.

 

[rarecj8]

Anything is possible with time, effort and creativity. i grafted the tailgate from a 70s era toyota truck found in junk yard. Fits like a glove and offers a nice work/cook surface. Good luck.

retained the original latches/support chains (enclosed them in a rubber hose to keep them from chipping off paint). Hinges are basic door hinges from home depot.

in this pic you can see the bottom of the hinges and also, how I grafted a receiver hitch into rear of trailer.

And for those wondering, 37" BFG mudders on Hummer H2 8 lug wheels. The reason for the small lift block on the passenger spring is because they are Toyota springs and for many years due to castings, one leaf is slightly shorter than the other. So the block levels out the trailer. Before we got into Jeeps, owned Toyotas for many years. At that time the axle under this trailer was a complete Toyota front end-- hub to hub plus the steering components so we always had a trail spare if the tow rig suffered a failure. Since now have a Jeep and since the Jeep has 8 lug wheels, makes sense for trailer to match and carry one less spare tire.

 

[XJINTX]

NICE setup... I am going to try and not have the entire back be the tailgate thus the smaller CJ type tailgate. However, I will look at all options after I see what I can get. I too have the wheel issue as far as spares. My trailer is 17" right now and my jeep 15" so two spares I am working on some 15 "rims that will fit over the traler hub.

 

[compactcamping]

Grafting a tailgate opening in and fitting a CJ style tailgate wouldn't be that hard depend on your fab skills. There are two approaches that I see, sectioning out a CJ7or8/YJ/TJ opens and welding it in place or sectioning a Dinoot rear tailgate panel and fiberglassing it in place.

Few things to consider:
Tailgate opening in 36" x 16.5", is there enough material left on the side to keep them from wanting to bow out?
Where do your gas struts for the lid mount and travel, will they interfere with the tailgate?
Where will the hinge mounting hole end up?

 

[XJINTX]

Thanks for the input. I pickup a Cj tailgate tomorrow. Wont have any other cj parts so will need to fab. I do not think the lift pistons will interfere... i hope

 

[rarecj8]

keep us posted with pix/report. ANYTHING is possible with bandsaw, welder, patience and cold beer. If u get stumped, post up-- oftentimes a second or more set of eyes on a problem reveal a quick solution.

 

[compactcamping]

Let me know if going the fiberglass opening route is of interest to you might have a rear panel where the opening is fine with damage on one side where it don't come out of the mold clean.

Here is what one of the rear panels I'm talking about looks like,