Pickup truck lift gate

[Rick Potter]

Not wanting to steal Jason's thread on cranes for his pickup, I have always wondered if there are any decent looking lift gates designed for a pickup truck, and what they cost installed. I know I have seen some aluminum ones that folded up no higher than the pickup bed.

I googled them already, but I am hoping someone may have already researched it. Most of those I looked at were pretty ugly.

Rick Potter

[David Hostetler]

I don't think lift gates by their very function, can be all that attractive. Having said that, I seem to recall seeing one at a car / truck show that actually was fitted to the trailer hitch, and secured bolted to the chain stays to avoid twisting / racking. I think it was custom made for the specific truck. I wish I could recall the MFG that was demoing the thing... It would almost have to be made for the specific truck and / or hitch though to make sure everything lined up right...

Unless you are constantly loading LARGE heavy objects into your truck bed, I would feel better about something more like a tailgate ramp. I guess it depends on what you are hauling or moving...

[Anthony Whitesell]

I have seen both aluminum and steel lift gates on pickup trucks. I think the aluminum ones look nicer (maybe because they're shiny?). The gates always appear to me to be too heavy for the 1500/150 series trucks and even some 2500/250 series. The trucks drive in a continual wheely. I would suggest that you have atleast a 2500/250 before heading down this path. I was looking at them when I was ponding an easier way to get fire wood for my father into the truck (logs are cut 32-34" long for his stove). Then I just decided it was easier to haul a load of small stuff (ie., not requiring splitting) over on the first trip and drag the splitter back to my house and then return the splitter with the last load.

[Rick Potter]

Weird, but it seems as I get older I haul home heavier and heavier stuff. I have a HF winch in the garage to unload, but loading is not easy. Recently got back from two trips to Mesa AZ with my Aunts belongings. I am getting so decrepit I need a ladder to get in the back of my F250. I have used trucks with lift gates, and covet them way too much.

Rick P

[Jeff Duncan]

Rick, I know what you mean...my purchases the last couple years have far outgrown the capacity of my F-150;)

I don't have any first hand knowledge but I would be concerned with how much lift you can actually accomplish with a gate on a F-250. Of course it all depends on what you need to lift too. For me I usually have to rent or borrow when it comes to machinery as it's often well over the 1k lb mark. On the other hand of your doing stuff the size of say a Unisaw, a lift may be a very good idea!

good luck,
JeffD

[fRED mCnEILL]

Tommy Lift is one brand.

[Charles Lent]

I once saw a truck with 3 trailer hitch receiver tubes on the back. When I inquired of the owner why his truck had these he told me that the center one was for the trailer hitch. The other two were for attaching a lift gate. He would remove the standard tailgate and then plug his lift gate into these outer two receiver tubes and connect the power to it. When he had finished using it he could remove it and replace the original tailgate. I never saw his liftgate, but the idea stayed with me.

Charley