M416 Tail Gate Questions

[tripc]

Can we see some M416 tailgates and what you guys are doing to stiffen the tub back up when you make the cut. The tubs get so flimsy on these things

 

[Ryan_S]

Can we see some M416 tailgates and what you guys are doing to stiffen the tub back up when you make the cut. The tubs get so flimsy on these things

Haven't done it yet.... but I'm planning on connecting across the top with some angle iron or something similar. Might make the tailgate less convenient, but keeps the sides cleaner.

:lurk: unless I see a better idea here

 

[tripc]

Ive thought about doing just that. It sounds like the strongest option!

 

[kai38]

I have a tailgate cut into my trailer. I also have a RTT on it. To mount the tent I put a piece of angle iron on the sides & bolted a 2x2 square tube on top. ran Yakima cross bars & that stiffens up the sides of the trailer.

 

[gasman]

my trailer is not a 416 but an m101, a little differant but close enough , so i too was worried about the walls flexing and addressed it this way,

2'' square welded down the side, thru the floor and directly to the frame,
if you ever plan on removing the tub from the frame this will not work for you,
on the m101 it dont matter cuz the tub is welded to the frame anyways,

so then i welded a couple more scraps to make a lip for the frame and thats about it,
i have zero flexing , and no annoying bars across the top of the tailgate.

 

[gasman]

i should show you undeneath as well , where it goes thru the frame. you will also see that i put the 2'' to good use as my support legs run inside them,

not as fancy as some of the others i have seen but it works well,

 

[Ryan_S]

i should show you undeneath as well , where it goes thru the frame. you will also see that i put the 2'' to good use as my support legs run inside them

Now that is clever!

 

[tripc]

Nice!

 

[RAZORBACK]

I still don't see the point in cutting a tailgate in a M416 or other 1/4 ton trailer. As small as they are, why would you need one? Just wondering bc I've never had anything in mine that I couldn't lift out including 37" tires.

 

[tripc]

I still don't see the point in cutting a tailgate in a M416 or other 1/4 ton trailer. As small as they are, why would you need one? Just wondering bc I've never had anything in mine that I couldn't lift out including 37" tires.

For me its simple. It was already cut when I bought the trailer. Not much of a choice.

 

[Ryan_S]

For me its simple. It was already cut when I bought the trailer. Not much of a choice.

Same here ^. Also I am going to have a kitchen on drawer slides that comes out the back.

 

[gasman]

I still don't see the point in cutting a tailgate in a M416 or other 1/4 ton trailer. As small as they are, why would you need one? Just wondering bc I've never had anything in mine that I couldn't lift out including 37" tires.

cuz with a spring over and 35's the trailer is now chest high, evrything in the trailer is pretty much packed in totes, those totes weigh 30lbs - 50-lbs maybe more sometimes,

i have spent my entire career hunched over, twisting and crawling into tight spaces, crawling over peoples crap, carrying furnaces and water heaters down cluttered twisty stairways, oh ! watch out for the last step, it might be loose, buddy broke his leg ,

i have several coworkers on permanant disabilty from twsited backs,

i have been lucky and have only '' strained it '' a couple of times, when only lifting a 20 lb tool box, and the pain drops you to your knees. spending the next week laying on the floor cuz you cant move, almost to the point where you need help wiping your own butt, i felt like i wanted to die, and im not a complainer,
let me tell ya, being sort of incapacited for a week or so was embarassing.

i think a tailgate is a good idea.. im taking care of my back

 

[MrCyrus16]

Here's what I did with mine, no flex in the sides at all...

The base is a 2x4x1/4" bumper welded to the frame. On top sitting at the end of the tub in between the sides is a 3/16" plate welded to the tub...

The post are 2x2x3/16 welded to the 3/16" plate and to the sides/ends of the tub...

http://i509.photobucket.com/albums/s338/senyka16/Trailer%20Build/IMG_0382.jpg[/IMG
At the bottom of the driver side post, there is a simple gusset to help support the hinged side of the gate (just out of sight in the pic)...
[IMG]http://i509.photobucket.com/albums/s338/senyka16/Trailer%20Build/IMG_0382.jpg

So far after a year of use it hasn't sagged a bit!!! The tail gate is 1x1x1/8 wrapped in 16ga steel, might be a bit over done but I have no regrets. Very durable!

 

[RAZORBACK]

Tailgate

I understand back pain. I had a spinal fusion a few months ago and have some facet joint problems as well. With that said I still don't see the point in a Tailgate. I would bet that my trailer is the tallest M416/m101cnd on this forum as it has a SOA with 37" nitto mud grapplers and I'm only 5'10 on a good day. I still think you can lift anything out with proper lifting techniques, especially 30-50lb totes. Just seems like a lot of butchering and hacking for something that wasnt designed to have a tailgate...and then there's that whole "tearing up a piece of history argument" but to each his own I guess.

cuz with a spring over and 35's the trailer is now chest high, evrything in the trailer is pretty much packed in totes, those totes weigh 30lbs - 50-lbs maybe more sometimes,

i have spent my entire career hunched over, twisting and crawling into tight spaces, crawling over peoples crap, carrying furnaces and water heaters down cluttered twisty stairways, oh ! watch out for the last step, it might be loose, buddy broke his leg ,

i have several coworkers on permanant disabilty from twsited backs,

i have been lucky and have only '' strained it '' a couple of times, when only lifting a 20 lb tool box, and the pain drops you to your knees. spending the next week laying on the floor cuz you cant move, almost to the point where you need help wiping your own butt, i felt like i wanted to die, and im not a complainer,
let me tell ya, being sort of incapacited for a week or so was embarassing.

i think a tailgate is a good idea.. im taking care of my back

 

[johnyt]

Do you always have to be right?

I understand back pain. I had a spinal fusion a few months ago and have some facet joint problems as well. With that said I still don't see the point in a Tailgate. I would bet that my trailer is the tallest M416/m101cnd on this forum as it has a SOA with 37" nitto mud grapplers and I'm only 5'10 on a good day. I still think you can lift anything out with proper lifting techniques, especially 30-50lb totes. Just seems like a lot of butchering and hacking for something that wasnt designed to have a tailgate...and then there's that whole "tearing up a piece of history argument" but to each his own I guess.

If you dont want a tail-gate .....dont put one in yours........why tell somebody else how to enjoy thier life?